Blasket Islands & Eco Tours / Sea Safaris
Blasket Islands & Eco Tours / Sea Safaris
A visit to the Blasket Islands & Eco Tours / Sea Safaris feature prominently on the wishlist for most people who come and visit the Dingle Peninsula.
Blasket Island Trips
The Blasket Islands are one of our favourite places to go and we do our best to visit at least once per year. There are great walks, an abundance of marine life and sea birds, diverse flora and fauna, and an amazing history which guides on the island passionately recount. It is a special place. As soon as you land on the island, you feel like you have stepped back in time. There is just something magical about sitting on the magnificent golden sandy beach of the Great Blasket Island, watching the seals run in and out of the turquoise blue water as you look back on mainland Ireland.
Access to the Great Blasket Island is by ferry. Ferries depart daily from Dingle Harbour, Ventry Harbour and Dunquin Harbour (weather premitting of course). Passengers are then transferred to a RIB (rigid-inflatable boat) once the ferry gets close to the island, as currently there are no adequate landing facilities for larger vessels.
Eco Tour / Sea Safari Experience
Our guests rave about and we highly recommend taking to the water for a unique Eco Tour / Sea Safari experience along the breathtaking coastline of Dingle Bay. It is a memorable experience. You will take in the caves, cliffs, various rock formations, and hear some local history as you make your way for a close up view of the Great Blasket Islands.
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled throughout the trip. The waters around the Blasket Islands are a haven for marine mammals and birds. Sightings are obviously subject to seasonal fluctuations but it is not uncommon to spot Dolphins, Seals, Whales (Minky, Humpback, Fin, Killer / Orca), Basking Sharks, Puffins (March – July) and other marine life.
Which Blasket Islands & Eco Tours / Sea Safari experience would you prefer?
Below you will find a comprehensive list of boat operators who provide trips landing on OR sailing around the Blasket Islands. You can explore the trips on offer by the various operators below but in summary you have the following high level options to choose from:
- Eco Tour / Sea Safari Only (i.e. no landing on Great Blasket Island)
- Blasket Island Landing Only (i.e. ferry to / from the Great Blasket Island but no Eco Tour / Sea Safari)
- Combination Tour (Eco-Tour / Sea Safari combined with the opportunity to land on & explore the Great Blasket Island)
Pre-booking of boat trips is strongly advised (particularly during peak season) to avoid disappointment.
Legend: (1) = Eco Tour / Sea Safari Only | (2) = Blasket Island Landing Only | (3) = Combination Tour (Blasket Island Landing & Eco Tour)
Boat Trips Departing from Dingle Harbour (1km / 2 mins east of Cill Bhreac House)
Blasket Island Sealife Tours (1)
David, Beatrice & Nathan Flannery
Phone: +353 87 6846655
Web: www.blasketislandsealifetours.com
Great Blasket Island Experience (2, 3)
Billy O'Connor & Alice Hayes
Phone: +353 86 3135098
Web: www.greatblasketisland.net
Dingle Boat Tours (1, 2, 3)
Mary & Michael O'Neill
Phone: +353 87 672 6100
Web: www.dingleboattours.com
Dingle Sea Safari (1)
Jimmy & Bridget Flannery
Phone: +353 86 1937304
Web: www.dingleseasafari.com
Dingle Dolphin Boat Tours (1)
Phone: +353 66 9152626
Web: www.dingledolphin.com
Boat Trips Departing from Ventry Harbour (4.5km / 6 mins west of Cill Bhreac House)
Boat Trips Departing from Dunquin Harbour (14km / 16 mins west of Cill Bhreac House)
Blasket Island Ferries Dunquin Pier (2)
Phone: +353 85 2805202
Web: www.blasketislandferry.com
Blasket Ferry & Island Tours (2)
Phone: +353 87 360 0562
Web: www.blasketferryandislandtours.ie