What Is the Best Way to Tour Ireland?
If you are thinking of visiting Ireland then following are some tips that could be quite helpful for you. Ireland has a great breath-taking scenery, interesting history and a colourful way of life which makes the country unique and friendly for tourists. However, knowing that you have a wide base of attractions and activities to select from may easily set up a bit of confusion within you as to where to start planning. This is the fourth blog post and in this we are going to explain some of the top tips on traveling around Ireland to have a great experience.
1. Self-Drive Tour
Self-drive tour is one of the most preferred means of making tours in Ireland. When you hire a car, you can organize the time for you and move from one attractive point to the other. There are good road networks in the country and therefore getting around the country via road is quite easier. Well just one thing to always pay much attention to is the left side of the road.
Self-drive tours are also available and if you decide on this tour, it is advisable to plan on where you want to tour. Some of the attractions that I plan to visit include; Therefore, research the centers you have in mind and calculate the driving distance between each place of interest. It is also advisable that one books his/her accommodation beforehand especially if you are planning to travel during the holiday climax.
Pros of a Self-Drive Tour:
Flexibility to plan it according to one’s desire
Ability to explore off-the-beaten-path locations
No reliance on public transportation schedules
It is also an opportunity to walk round Ireland with no haste and assuming the leadership role.
Cons of a Self-Drive Tour:
Responsibility of navigating unfamiliar roads
Possibilities of stress while pulling into the parking zones
Higher costs for car rental and fuel
2. Guided Bus Tour
Among the options, if you want to avoid unnecessary problems and are ready to hear about the interesting facts about Ireland directly from the guide, a bus tour would be perfect for you. Aside from pre-planned, self-organized packages also include all sorts of happenings during the journey like tours, transports, accommodations and others.
Some of the common organized packages include the Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry and the Guinness Storehouse. The advantages of these tours include that they follow a tight plan without hiring a guide and guide is available to give a brief background about the places a great option for people who would like to be well organized during the tour.
Pros of a Guided Bus Tour:
In our case, there is no pressure to drive or even find one’s way through an unfamiliar terrain.
Expert guides sharing valuable information
There is also one key lesson that I learned in this segment – an opportunity to be able to meet and interact with like-minded individuals.
All-inclusive packages with accommodations and meals
Cons of a Guided Bus Tour:
Limited flexibility in terms of itinerary and schedule
Possibility of a large group size
Less time for independent exploration
3. Cycling Tour
For instance, if you are an outdoor enthusiast who likes to cycle, then cycling tour might be the best way to explore Ireland’s racial beauty. The cycling tours come in categories of easy, moderate and hard and are available with options of cycling on coastal regions or on countryside tracks.
It is usually important to note how the weather in Ireland presents somewhat a challenge when it comes to cycling tour. It is wise to take appropriate clothing, especially rain gears to cover yourself when going with your vehicle. One also has to use their own bike, or hire from a reputable service provider for a quality bike.
Pros of a Cycling Tour:
Closer connection to nature and surroundings
This suggests that the study participants have favourable opportunity to engage in physical activity.
Golf allow and enable one to access areas that are out of reach by car.
Ease of operation mainly extended by flexibility that offers the client the opportunity of setting his/her own pace of work.
Cons of a Cycling Tour:
Physical challenges, especially on hilly terrains
Weather-dependent experience
Most cyclists, new to cycling or inexperienced may lack proper cycling gear and equipment.
Less time for indoor attractions and museums
4. Train and Public Transportation
If you do not wish to drive a car or you are not able to join a guided tour, then, Ireland’s trains and other public transport will enable you to discover the country with ease. Train is means of transportation that enables people to move from one place to another because they take one through beautiful areas as they ply through the country side while buses and trams are means of transport used to connect cities and towns.
When planning to organize a tour that will require you to move from one place to the other using public means, it is advisable to take some time and find out the schedule of the train and the available buses, etc. List down the places that you wish to go and know which facilities are available to reach those places. As much as the utilization of public transport may be cheaper, it calls for compromise and probably a bit of timing and strategy.
Pros of Train and Public Transportation:
There is no longer a necessity to get into a vehicle and think about parking space
Scenic train journeys with panoramic views
The bus is another cheap method that can be an ideal transport medium in the movement around Ireland.
Eco-friendly mode of transportation
Cons of Train and Public Transportation:
Dependence on specific schedules and routes
Less flexibility in terms of itinerary and destinations
Limited access to remote areas
Final Thoughts
There are several things that one should consider upon planning to visit Ireland based on the travelers preference of accommodation, his or her pocket, and his or her preference of program flexibility. For the self employed you can take your car or a rental car; for the more laid back type you can use a bus tour and travel physically with guides; for the energetic kind who like biking, you can bike round Ireland; for the train enthusiasts as well as others who prefer public transportation, Ireland has what you need.
As earlier hinted, make some prior preparative work regarding the destinations to visit, but do not completely rule out chance discoveries as well. So, I would like to spend as much time as possible to enjoy the beautiful views, inebriate with Irish culture and leave with unforgettable experience.
Table of Contents
