We did the Discover Your Manx Ancestors on the Isle of Man. We had heard stories about the Isle…read morefrom our grandfather and our ancestors. If you are interested in finding and truly discovering your ancestors from the Isle of Man, then you should look no further. Nikki and Nigel are the best. Nikki took what we knew about our family tree then researched and confirmed all that was possible about our Manx relations. Ancestry and supporting documents to validate such is Nikki's forte. She is very personable, prompt with responses and suggestions. Not only did she locate some ancestor's churches and gravesites, but also the location of our family farm that we visited. Truly a wonderful and emotional experience. Nigel is the best tour guide, driver and historian on the Isle of Man. We learned so much from his commentary that was presented in a very entertaining way. They were so accommodating to what we wanted to see and what we wanted to accomplish. You can book with the utmost confidence.

What a wonderful time! We booked an evening circuit tour during classic tt practice, but asked if…read morewe could start our tour early to fit in more sites. We didn't want to drive on the other side of the road, and what a great choice we made. Nigel arranged a perfect custom tour. There is no way we could have possibly seen as much as we did. We stopped by Murray's motorcycle museum, saw the bikes from both Ramsay and Ballaugh Bridge, ate fish and chips as the sun set, and made a visit to Peel and the tiny folk village Cregneash down south. It really was a gorgeous day, and Nigel handled everything for us. If you're only there for a short time and want a local expert to guide you, Nigel is definitely the best!

On a cruise port stop for the day, we decided to take the Manx Railway for an early morning…read moreexcursion. With some nice scenic views of the surrounding port area, we made our way up to the first stop Laxey station. We decided to get off at the station and wait for the next train going back to the port. This was a fun ride, easy to manage by just walking up to the depot and buying tickets on our own. Take a camera, there are very good views along the way.

It's not a holiday without a Steam Train right. Douglas to Castletown (35 mins) on this visit…read more The train is immaculate both inside and out as are all the stations on route. The stationmasters are very chipper and clearly proud to be part of the Railway. It is lovely, steam curls round in billowing clouds as you chug along. Time is turned back for a little while. This trip was enhanced by a school party on an Evacuees day out. They were dressed in costume and looked very in place on the train.

The IOM Steam Railway was not only a must-see attraction for my one-day visit to the Isle of Man,…read moreit was also my primary means of getting around (especially after breaking a toe on the beach at Port Erin)! Embarking at Castletown station, I rode westward to the aforementioned Port Erin to climb the steps of Milner's Tower, stop for lunch at "The Station" hotel, then turned around and made my way to Douglas, in search of the real, original "Fairy Bridge" (not the imitation one on the A5 northeast of Ballasalla). My dirt cheap rail ticket (~£16-ish, I believe) covered my entire journey, both ways, taking 20-ish minutes to get from Castletown to Port Erin, and 45 minutes to cross half the island from Port Erin back to Douglas. Having ridden many trains before, the experience of a true locomotive, chugging away like an out-of-breath jogger, belching steam with each wail of the horn, as the idyllic, pastural landscape of the Isle of Man slipped by me on a perfect, clear, sunny day, I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful experience. I felt as if I had slipped back in time several decades to a simpler era, free of the burdens of modern "convenience", despite snapping away with my cell phone, taking pictures and video of everything sheep and signpost on the way! For those who find themselves on this time-lost isle, the IOM Railway is among the crown jewels of experiences one can have here. Very, very recommended for young and old alike!

We had mixed feelings about jumping on this and wondered how the horsey felt about it. He was a…read morebig lad and pulled us along nicely. From the Prom to Tram shed was about 15 minutes for five pounds. At the tram shed he got lots of water and petting and kissing from the tram conductor and a good break before setting off again no doubt dreaming about his life to be at the Rest Home for Horseys just outside Douglas.

The Douglas Bay Horse Tram has been in operation for 140 years, it runs along the Douglas…read morePromenade. It is a unique way to experience how tourists enjoyed the Isle of Man during its days as Victorian seaside resort. The day pass costs about ~$8 (depending on exchange rate), you can hop on and off along the Prom. If the seat next to the driver is available, take it!! The horses are similar to Clydesdales, they work only two round trips per day, they are well cared for. Take the Horse Tram from the boat terminal along the Promenade, at then end (at Derby Castle) you can connect to the Electric Railway (built in the 1800;s) to Laxey and then you can transfer to Snaefell Mountain Railway, fantastic on a clear day. There is also a transfer to Ramsey. When the horsesretire they live at the Isle of Man Rest Home for Old Horses, the horses love visitors, so check that out as well! Situated in 92 acres of beautiful countryside, home to about 60 horses and a few donkeys! https://www.facebook.com/iomhorseshome/ ** as of 2016 there have been talks of ending the 140 year Horse Tram, in July 2016 the IOM government voted on a 2 year plan to save it https://www.yelp.com/biz/douglas-bay-horse-tramway-douglas-isle-of-man

Booked Andy a week before via email during the TT period. He responded straight away and confirmed…read morehe could do the pick up in the evening once he had confirmed he was available after checking his diary. I was based in Port Erin and needed to get the 08:30 Ferry back to Heysham. He arrived at the agreed time and got me to the Ferry port Hassle free. Excellent service.

We needed a lift to the Isle of Man airport from mother-in-law's house in Douglas. I emailed…read moreAndy (think I found him via a Google search), he responded quickly, quoted a price, showed up early. The car was very nice, spotless, leather interior, much nicer than our cars! He was very personable and professional, highly recommend. His email is airporttaxiiom@hotmail.co.uk

Stayed here a few times 3 years ago. It was a real good budget guest house with great hospitality…read more Shared bathrooms but no problems at all. Breakfast was good and filling. Before we went back to the ferry the lady gave use bacon or sausage sandwich to eat on the way. Happy memories and would live to go again. We visited the island on motorcycles (not for any racing) so bikes left outside but because of location theŕe was no problems at all.

Teeny Tiny airport. I first flew here in 1973 and just like that its 2025. It has not changed but…read morehas had a lick of paint. Its original style fits in nicely with the Island. De-planing is by stairs and it's a short walk into the terminal and a short wait for the bags. another minute walk to car rental and a 2-minute walk to the car and Ta Da - all sorted. All very civilized.

IOM is a tiny airport, but what did you expect---the Isle of Man itself is tiny…read more Inside you'll find a small selection of shops---and yes they sell some last minute manx gifts. As a nice perk at this airport is free wifi throughout the terminal building---this is a great perk as even with a UK mobile I was considered roaming on the isle and charged for my data usage. Baggage came exceptionally fast, by the time I deplaned and made it to the carousel my bag was already waiting. Well done IOM! Usually the security in the small airports moves exceptionally fast---not the case here. It took well over 20 minutes to make it through the queue. There is a larger gift shop beyond security, so if you're short on time go through security before you buy your last minute Manx Knobs. Tip---if you fly Aer Arann to get to IOM, note checked baggage from LCY is free whereas checked baggage for the shorter IOM-DUB flight costs 20 pounds at the airport (10 pounds online).

For our short trip to the Isle of Man we looked for good accomodation, not too expensive, close to…read morepublic transport and more or less in the middle of Douglas. What we found was this very friendly and relaxed place up the hill in a quite residential area just a few minutes away from the promenade, shopping streets and all the transport options. So it was not necessary to hire a car to start exploring the island from here. Our room was small but very well furnished with a big comfy bed, a very big window and a small bathroom. Everything was very clean but some fixtures could have been better applied. There is also a small TV but if you want a bigger screen there is also a TV Lounge with a huge TV and comfortable sofas on the first floor. Great Place for watching the Rugby World Cup ;-) Some rooms here have a communal bathroom and we had a chance to look at it - and honestly, it was brand new with a nice shower and toilet. Everything was spotlessly clean and very well maintained for shared facilities. A full cooked breakfast is included in the price and is served in the big breakfast room right next to the entrance. If you are no big fan of english sausages you can order a vegeterian version that comes with baked beans, hash browns, tomatoes and fried mushrooms. I really liked every part of it. Nothing fancy but a good start for the day. The owner of the Guest House is very friendly and uncomplicated. We really enjoyed our stay here and would recommend it for anybody who wants a good value option in Douglas to explore the Isle of Man.