By Car
Take the R479 road north out of Lahinch though the majority of visitors will take the coastal road that swings around west past the Cliffs of Moher as Doolin is only about 4 kilometres further past the cliffs. An alternate route is to take the N67 to Lisdoonvarna then head west to Ballinalacken Castle from which it is a short road into Doolin.
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By Bus
In the absence of rail links to this part of the county, Bus Eireann provide a network of local buses linking the village to Ennis, Lisdoonvarna and Lahinch with Ennis being a hub point for buses further afield to Galway, Limerick and Dublin.
By Boat
Doolin is the set off point for the Aran Islands with many visitors stopping by the harbour in order to take the ferry over to the islands.
The journey itself is well worth the 30 minute trip for the photo opportunities of seeing Doolin, the Cliffs of Moher and the Islands from the sea.
In choosing which of the islands to go to, the 8km ferry trip to the smallest & easternmost of the islands Inisheer runs the cheapest with approximately 7 ferries running daily between the hours of 10am and the last departing Inisheer at 6pm (note: check the times when boarding the ferries as times are prone to changing depending on weather conditions and the time of year).
Trips out to Inishmor, the largest of the islands, take about 50 minute one-way and generally run from 10am with the final returning ferry departing at 4pm. Once again, check the times on the day is they can change depending on a number of factors.
Finally, the ferry to Inishmann is a 40 minute journey and ferries run from 10am with the return ferry departing around 4.30pm.
Doolin Ferries and Aran Island Ferries are two ferry service operators for the islands with prices ranging from €10 to €20 for return tickets (depending on the time of the year you travel). Tickets can be purchased from the kiosks on the Doolin harbour.
One important element to note about visiting the islands is that they have a number of festivals throughout the year relating to music, the irish language and the Friends of Ted festival which can make getting the ferry all the more difficult due to the volumes of visitors wishing to get over to the islands. Note also that accommodation on the island can be at a premium in high season so many visitors base themselves in Doolin hotels and make day trips to the islands.
By Bike
A number of the Doolin hotels and hostels also have bicycles to rent for those feeling energetic and up to the cycle up to the Cliffs of Moher. These are a good option to for taking over on the ferry to the Aran Islands in order to take an enjoyable, and hilly, spin around the islands.
Related posts: Doolin Ireland – Town Guide | Doolin Hotels – Reviews and Deals
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