Travel Info

Getting to the Isle of Man

You can reach the Isle of Man either by plane or ferry. The most popular ways of getting there are through England or Ireland.

Direct flights to/from the Isle of Man are available from multiple locations (Routes and Airlines). London has the most flights but Dublin and Manchester are also good options as both have international airports.

Flying from London to Douglas takes around 1.5 hours and costs around CAD 200 - 400 round-trip (USD 150 - 300).

Flying from Dublin to Douglas takes under 1 hour and costs around CAD 100 - 150 round-trip (USD 75 - 150).

Manchester and Liverpool are very close to each other and there is a ferry from Liverpool to the Isle of Man (one or two ferries a day, travel time 3 to 5 hours, cost is around GBP 50 – 100).

Getting around

The Isle of Man is not a big place.

Driving end-to-end only takes around 1 hour, so you don't need to stay in Douglas if you prefer staying elsewhere. Douglas is the main transportation hub if you prefer to stay outside of the city.

Buses and taxis are available, plus there are 3 historic railways you can ride to popular tourist destinations.

Depending on where you stay and your mode of transportation, it would likely only be an hour at most (for example, a public bus to the other end of the island) to commute to Douglas.

If you're feeling brave, you can also rent a car.

The Isle of Man tourist site has even more options available.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The island is a popular tourist destination and has a wide variety of accommodations, such as hotels, B&Bs, and self-catering apartments.

Most places to stay in Douglas are on or near the seaside Promenade. From one end of the Promenade to the other is around a 30-minute walk, so you have many options.

Historical average temperatures in Douglas for September are a high of 16C (60F) and a low of 11C (50F).

If air conditioning is important, there appear to be only two hotels in Douglas which have it:

Mannin Hotel - Seems to be the most modern hotel in Douglas and well-reviewed, but quite pricey.

Premier Inn - British chain, similar to a Best Western or Holiday Inn. Some mixed reviews but prices are more reasonable than the Mannin.

Entry Requirements

Entry to the Isle of Man is generally consistent with entry rules for the United Kingdom. Refer to the Isle of Man government website for more details.

To find out if you need a visa for the United Kingdom, refer to the UK government website.

Most travelers will require either an ETA (Canadians, Americans) or a visa (Filipinos).

An ETA costs £16 and is valid for 2 years. Apply at least 3 days before departure to the UK.

A Standard Visitor Visa costs £127 for up to 6 months. The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

Claim to Fame

The Isle of Man is known for street racing, particularly the TT Motorcycle Race.

We are not visiting during this race.

But depending on when you arrive, the Manx Grand Prix is another race which might overlap.

Tess has recently learned how to ride a bicycle around an enclosed school yard and is confident she will be an elite-level motorcycle racer by the time she visits Isle of Man.

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