Because of my partner’s fascination with borders, overseas territories and crown dependencies (of which the Isle of Man is one!), we often find ourselves bumbling around places like the Isle of Man.
It’s not a country, but it’s not part of the UK. The Isle of Man considers itself a nation, a self-governing Crown Dependency of the UK.
This curious status was enough to compel us to visit the Isle of Man, but there are other things going on on the island too. Culture aside, the island’s home to dramatic coastline, one of the oldest private rail networks in the world and cosy towns and villages, each with their own different vibe.
So, if you’re asking “is the Isle of Man worth visiting”, here’s my very honest opinion on why – and why not – it’s worth your time!
Reasons to visit the Isle of Man
Unique geopolitical status
“We are not part of the UK, we’re a Crown Dependency,” we were told by many locals we met on the Isle of Man.
Once occupied by Vikings (and actually accountable to the Kingdom of Norway), the Isle of Man has been under Scottish and English control, but was ultimately privatised.
It’s functioned as its own entity since then, although they pay the UK to govern their foreign policy. Home policy, however, is all administered by the Isle of Man.
If you’re at all into politics, it’s an interesting place to visit – head to the Isle of Man museum to learn more, or pay a visit to the House of Keys in Castletown or Tynwald Hill (here, on 5th July each year, any new laws that have been passed on the island are read out loud, so everyone can hear them!).
Manx culture
Part of the reason why the Isle of Man has been able to hold onto its geopolitical status for so long is that the culture is different.
Manx language, which has similarities to Irish and Gaelic, was spoken throughout the island but did end up dying out. However, in recent years it’s had a resurgence. It’s only spoken by a few hundred people, but there’s a Manx language primary school, and groups are active all over the island. You’ll also notice bilingual street signs!
Some animals are unique to the Isle of Man too, including the Manx cat and the Loaghtan sheep, which have up to six horns!
I’d recommend visiting Cregneash, which was one of the last outposts of Manx language before its initial decline. There’s an exhibition on the language here along with historic cottages, and we saw some Loaghtan sheep there!
Beautiful coastline
Being an island, it should come as no surprise that the Isle of Man’s coastline is pretty bloody lovely!
Shaped by the Irish Sea, it’s not quite as dramatic as the British Isles’ Atlantic coasts, but clifftop views and hidden coves are in abundance.
The village of Port Erin would be charming to visit when the sun’s out (unfortunately, it wasn’t for our trip!) and The Sound, at the very south of the island, has incredible coastal views.
Take a look at this Manx nature tour for a way to explore the island’s beautiful flora and fauna!
Trains
The main reason I wanted to visit the Isle of Man? As a railophile, the trains!
The Isle of Man has one of the oldest private railway networks in the world. Part of the reason that the trains were authorised with their particular specifications was to do with its Crown Dependency status – there wasn’t a lot of Westminster red tape to get through!
These days, a steam train will take you across the bottom of the island from Douglas to Port Erin via Castletown, while an electric train travels to Ramsey – and then a steep Alpine train will take you to Snaefell. Both are different and well worth doing!
The steam train is quite similar to others in the UK, but it’s worth stopping off at Castletown (the old capital) and Port Erin (mentioned previously, try to visit on a sunny day if possible!).
The electric train is a restored vintage railway that heads north from Douglas. The railway’s lovely, but my favourite was definitely the Alpine railway, largely due to the incline it travels up! It ends up at Snaefell, where on a clear day you can see Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland.
Easy to explore
While the train network is largely for tourists, locals do use it to travel around the island (and you can even use the steam train as an airport transfer if you request the stop!).
It’s also easy to drive around the Isle of Man. We rented a car with ATHOL and found the roads calm and navigation painless.
There isn’t a speed limit on some roads on the Isle of Man (not all!), which is an example of the island being able to make its own laws. However, it’s likely you won’t be able to go over normal speed limits anyway due to twisty roads or slow moving vehicles. It is, however, why the TT takes place here.
Hikes
Footpaths cross the island in every direction, and you don’t need to venture far from Douglas, Peel or Port Erin to join a well-marked route.
The Raad ny Foillan is the island’s star route.
It loops the entire coastline and gives you steady views over cliffs, beaches and small headlands shaped by the Irish Sea.
You can walk any section as a standalone day hike, with the stretch between Niarbyl and Peel having some of the clearest views, and the southern tip around The Sound is rewarding (if the weather holds)!
If you prefer hill walking, Snaefell is the island’s highest point. You can follow the path from the Bungalow station and climb steadily to the summit. This is where you can see England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland on a clear day!
There are also many gorgeous glens. Places like Ballaglass Glen and Dhoon Glen have shaded woodland, old bridges and small waterfalls. These are good choices if the weather turns, as trees give a bit of shelter and the paths are generally well-maintained.
The TT
I know I said beyond the TT, but I couldn’t write an Isle of Man blog post ignoring it completely!
Even if you’re not visiting during TT week, the racecourse shapes a huge part of the island’s identity. Much of the 37.73-mile loop runs along public roads, so you can drive, cycle or ride sections at your own pace.
Off-season is actually a good time to go. You avoid the crowds, accommodation is easier to find and the roads are much calmer!
It’s best to explore the course on a guided tour. This TT Mountain Course minibus tour follows the full route with an experienced local guide, then continues to the Isle of Man Motor Museum in Jurby, where more than 500 vehicles are on display.
Click here to read more about it!
Considerations for visiting the Isle of Man
Mobile phone signal
Coverage around the Isle of Man can vary. Towns such as Douglas, Ramsey and Castletown usually have a dependable signal, but rural pockets and parts of the western and southern coastline can drop to patchy reception.
It’s also important to know that UK phone plans don’t automatically roam here. Some networks treat the Isle of Man as outside their inclusive zones, which means your normal data allowance might not work at all!
If your package doesn’t include roaming on the island, the simplest fix is an eSIM for travel data. A provider like SIMOVO’s travel eSIM activates quickly and keeps your phone online, even when your usual UK plan doesn’t apply.
Lack of hotel variety
We stayed at “the best hotel in the Isle of Man” – the Comis Hotel and Golf Resort – which was a four-star property with a small pool and a spa area (although this was only open for part of the day, and we could only use the pool). The rooms were lovely though, with tasteful touches, comfy beds and modern bathrooms.
Click here to see more about Comis Hotel and Golf Resort!
Aside from the Comis, there aren’t a huge amount of modern hotels. Guesthouses in Douglas are generally a bit old-fashioned – my partner’s parents stayed at one and found it very dated. There are, however, a variety of rental cottages and shepherd’s huts.
The weather!
We visited the Isle of Man in August, and I can attest… that the weather is not reliable!
We had rain for ¾ days, and our ferry journey on the way out was at risk of cancellation due to adverse weather.
There were some glimmers of sunshine, but we also got very soaked at times! And in other seasons, I imagine it’s even wetter and wilder.
Getting there and away
Largely thanks to the weather, getting to and from the Isle of Man can be quite the experience.
Our ferry was at risk of cancellation on the way out. We ended up flying (despite me trying to not fly in Europe in 2025!) as the time they gave us when they would confirm whether the ferry would be cancelled was after when we would have left the house.
The flight was interesting to say the least; as we landed, the pilot announced “we have enough fuel to make two landings if required. Don’t be alarmed if we touch down and then bounce up. There will be a sharp brake when we land”. Aside from being bumpy, it was uneventful, but I don’t like flying at the best of times so it didn’t assure my nerves at all!
On the way back, we boarded the Manannan ferry to Liverpool. This small ferry bounced around the Irish Sea, and a domino effect of people vomiting meant I had my head in my hands for half the journey, so much so that I was almost pleased to hear an announcement, saying due to an engine fault we couldn’t proceed, and we had to go back to the Isle of Man!
We ended up on the Manxman ferry (which was much more stable!) to Heysham, then boarded a “ferry replacement coach” back to Liverpool, adding five hours total to our journey time.
In other weather, it might be different, but this was August!
Costs
The Isle of Man is a pricier place to visit than the rest of the UK. Two jacket potatoes with fillings and a coffee cost us around £30 at The Sound cafe (which does, I’ll admit, have an excellent view).
We were on a press trip with the Isle of Man tourist board, but hotels, car rental and activities all come out at a rather high price.
So, should you visit the Isle of Man?
The Isle of Man is worth visiting for trains, culture and nature – however I’d recommend being flexible with your travel schedule, as the weather and subsequent transport changes can mean that you might need to alter your plans.
That said, there’s plenty on offer in the Isle of Man! Take a look at my YouTube videos for more inspiration from the island.
