It's almost criminal to fly over the Irish Sea without at least once coasting across it on a ferry…read more After spending several days on the Isle of Man, we boarded the HSC Manannan in Douglas on our way to to Belfast. One disclaimer: Our tickets put us in the Niarbyl Lounge, a "reserved" lounge that cost about £10 more ... while not exactly "first class", it is quieter and more comfortable than the regular lounge. I imagine some of the lower ratings in reviews come from experience from the din of a packed, family-friendly main lounge. The Niarbyl Lounge isn't much of an upgrade -- no service, no reclining seats, no extra leg room -- it's' all about reserved seats, the quiet, and the view. The seats aren't terribly comfortable, luggage storage is minimal, and the narrow aisles don't make it easy to get through the cabin. Also: Since it was a early morning journey, I didn't partake in the food ... I'll leave that analysis to others (Catriona C. discusses in detail). The best part of the HSC Manannan, however, are the AMAZING views. On the way out through Douglas Bay, the stern (back) of the main deck was a perfect vantage point to see Douglas and skirts IOM's eastern coastline for 20+ miles. Our last sight before heading deep into the Irish Sea was the 19th century Point of Ayre lighthouse. It was a smooth ride to Belfast! For the last 30 minutes of the journey went through the Belfast Lough. There was a great view of Grey Point Fort, Royal Belfast Golf Course, the High Tide Covers Rock Beach, and the lovely homes and greenery along the way. Lastly, we arrived 20 minutes early and disembarking was easy. Make sure to have transport from the port, as many of the incoming taxis were pre-reserved. While it looks to be out in the sticks, it was easy to get an Uber out of the Port of Belfast and is mere minutes from the heart of the city. In the end, the only amenity of the trip is the epic view ... and it was definitely worth it.

If you want to visit the Isle of Man you have two main options to reach the Island. You can fly or…read moreif you have a little bit more time, you can take the ferry. If you choose the ferry, the Manx Steam Package Company is your best and most of the time only option to reach the Isle of Man. The fastest option is to take the daily high speed catamaran from Liverpool. In roughly 2,5 hours the ship transports cars and passengers to the Island in the middle of the Irish Sea. For us as short time visitors, the best option is to go as foot passenger - the return fare starts from 36 pounds and the public transport on the island is very good - so you do not need a car to get around. If you really want to take the car with you the fares start from 120 pounds for a car and 2 persons on special mid-week return rates and can go up to over 200 pounds over the weekend in high season. The ship was refitted in 2009 and has shops, restaurants a bar and even a small cinema, but for this short journey, the airline style seats are enough for me to make my journey comfortable. For us the whole process, booking, embarking, stay on board and disembarking was straightforward and hassle free. We can recommend the ferry for a short trip to the island and would use it again if we return here someday.

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

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.