Long weekend in Tenerife

This autumn, I finally made it to Tenerife for a four day day vacation (after having once cancelled a holiday there). Tenerife turned out to be quite a surprise for me. I was expecting an island with lots of beaches and a humid relaxed kind of island life, while it turned out to be a bare desert kind of place. However, it did offer quite an interesting mix of activities and our vacation turned out to be a busy one. We experienced the entire range of touristy activities, from diving, hiking, spending a day in the water park to driving to gorgeous coastal Spanish villages. And it was interspersed with relaxation at our Balinese themed resort.


Getting there and first impressions

Somehow it always feels that you can get to anywhere in Europe very quickly, but it turned out to be a long flight to get from London to Tenerife. It was more than 4 hours! Most of the flight was over the sea with not much to see. We flew over Portugal and North Spain for a bit. And I saw a striking view of the Portuguese coast, with the white waves lining the cliffs on the coast. Then it was the ocean again for a long time.

And then all of a sudden in front of the plane, appeared the first glimpse of Tenerife island. In the middle of the ocean, I spotted a huge mountain peak rising above the clouds. It was a magical view, especially as I hadn't expected it. When I saw the peak, I realised that Tenerife is a volcanic island surrounding this volcanic peak. Later, the smaller peaks around the main one came into view. And the waves of the lava flow that created the contours all around the island.

Teide peak and western coast

There are two main airports on the island, one in the north and one in the south. As we were flying in to the southern airport, our plane flew all around the Teide peak and we got a glimpse of the northern and western part of the island. On the north, it was totally covered with green forests but looked uninhabited. And then along the western coast, slowly the small villages came into view all the way to the south of the island where the villages got quite dense.

The landscape in the south was a yellow brown barren desert, which was the opposite of what the north side of the island looked like. There were miles of barren lava fields everywhere, with only some shrubs vegetation. Closer to the airport some artificially planted greens palms of the city came into view, and then the area was full of high storeyed holiday homes. The greenery in the city felt a bit fake though, given all around was just barren land.

The airport was small and you could see that the island is quite popular with sun starved Britishers. There were direct flights from interior UK, like Newcastle and Midlands too! And just coming out of the airport you realise why! The place felt like bliss, the sun was out and the air was warm. I already felt that my vacation had started, given the warmth in the air.

I took a cab to my hotel which was slightly away from the city. It was in the mountains and the way there was on the motorway. I could also see how touristy the whole island was - Chinese mall, Thai themed water park and a Bali type hotel billboards lined the highway. And down the mountains, I could see all the newly built multi-floored holiday homes.

Over the next few days, we did a few activities. The first day, we went diving; the second was spent trekking on the Teide, the third in the Siam water park, and the last day driving along the western coast. And of course, everyday we would come back and chill in our amazing resort. Let me just talk a bit about all these activities.


Diving

Tenerife is a popular diving destination and we decided to go diving on our first day on the island itself. We booked 2 dives in advance the day before with Aqua Marina (https://www.aqua-marina.com) after reading the reviews for a few of the dive schools there. And I must give a special call out to them for their service.

Anyways divers are a friendly bunch, but the staff and instructors at Aqua Marina took helpfulness to the next level. They understood each diver's capabilities and limitations, and let everyone on the group dive and explore the dive sites based on their own skill levels. Not pushing them to do more, but being understanding to how each one preferred to dive. I would totally recommend them any day.

We took a boat till the 2 dive sites, the first being a bit far in the sea while the second one was closer. That day, there was a lot of wind and the water was very very choppy. We were all feeling sea sick because of that. There was so much wind that even getting into the water was a bit of a toughie as you kept getting drawn away from the diving line. Though once you got down deep, the water was calm and clear. And swimming got a lot easier.

Turtle during the dive

We went diving at two locations, El Condesito and Palm Mar wall. Both the dive spots did not have much coral, but had more of basalt rock formations. The El Condesito is a ship wreck dive site which still has cement blocks on the ship from the time the ship was transporting those blocks to Tenerife. The Palm Mar wall was made up of rock formations, with some smaller colourful fishes around. The highlight of the second dive were the two turtles we spotted. They swam around us for a bit and were a pleasure to watch. Apparently three of them stay there and you always run into some of those on most dives.

Camouflaged fish

One of the dive instructors was on his off day and was doing a deeper dive (100 meters) using 3 oxygen tanks. We dropped him off at a different location and were to pick him up at the end of our dive. We had a few anxious minutes when we didn't see him for 10 minutes when we went to pick him up. We did eventually spot him, though very far from the spot we had dropped him because of the wind. But it did give us all a few difficult minutes for sure.

Overall, the water was coldish but very clear, and the dives were lovely. We totally enjoyed it. Sometimes if you are lucky, you can also spot dolphins in this area but we didn't get to see any.


Teide

Mount Teide is kind of the soul of the island. It is located in the centre of the island and everything on the island centres around it. No visit to the island is complete without a visit to Teide and there are many ways you can explore it. My friends cycled till there one day which is quite tough. You can hike all the way to the peak, which again some of my friends did. It is quite a strenuous climb and takes more than usual effort, given its high altitude. Or you can take a cable car up the peak, which is what I and a few of my friends did.

It takes an hour or so to drive up to the Teide, and on the way you pass through some bright coloured Spanish villages and a few vineyards. The vegetation on the way is mostly scrubs, with only a few trees as you get closer to the crater.

Teide is a peak within a volcanic crater, as when the eruption happened, the crater collapsed inwards and then erupted again. This created an interesting landscape where there is a huge very high circular crater all around and a gap in between through which the peak emerges. And once you get inside the crater, it has its own micro climate, different from the rest of the island. Inside the crater, all structures are from the volcanic eruption, and it feels like a place from outside of earth, the kind they show in Star Wars and other such movies.

Teide peak

We drove to one of the stops inside the crater - Rocques de Garcia - and hiked around that area for about 2 hours, while the rest of our friends started the trek up to the Teide peak. Even our short hike turned out to be quite strenuous as we had planned and dressed for a cold weather trek while it had got very sunny and hot when we were walking. But overall, it was fun to do the round trip around the rock formations.

We got some magnificent views of the Teide and its neighbouring Piejo peak, but also of the different rock formations and the soil layers which were all created during the eruption. This place would be heaven for anyone studying lava flows and different kind of rock formations from lava flows. We could see different coloured rocks, layers of different rocks and many other different formations all along the trek. In fact, there were so many intricately and differently structured rock formations along the way that you would not be blamed for thinking all of this was man made rather than naturally created!

After this trek in the heat, we headed to the cable car to the peak. There was a cafe at the base where we had something to eat, with a stunning view to the crater outside. And then we took the cable car up, to be greeted with even more spectacular views of the crater around. You can even go higher till the peak but you have to register beforehand if you want to. So we only went up till where the cable car takes you and spent some time there.

View of crater from the peak

It was very sunny up on the mountain but windy too, and we had to take out all our warm clothes. We walked to one of the viewpoints (mirador) nearby and could also smell sulphur on the way there. Once at the mirador, we got a full 180 degrees view of the crater, with its various layers. We saw the different shades of the lava rocks, depending on when it erupted, from which part of the earth, and how the lava cooled down. It was actually quite a fascinating view to see what an artist nature can be.

Lava Lake

On one side we got a view of the lava lake of the neighbouring peak. Next to it, we could see clouds below us, at a height of 1500-1800 feet. Apparently, the clouds on that side of the mountain always stay at that height, every day. On a clear day, you could even see the faraway island of Gran Canaria from the top, though that day they were not visible because of the fog.

From the top, you can also see bits of the north side of the island which is green, full of dense forests, where it rains most of the year. It was just the opposite of what we had seen in the south, bare, yellow rocky desert and only dotted with some shrubs. We stayed there for a bit, as it was very interesting to be there. And we were actually one of the last ones to take the cable car down to leave. But good we made it as as none of us wanted to walk down.

The most popular walking trail up is about 9 kms, though there are multiple other routes. And all along, you get some stunning views of the crater all around. It was very very warm, sunny and bright that day which made it easier to climb. There were also too many people as compared to usual, given the weather. I didn't do the trek that day, but may go back sometime, to get a chance to walk all the way up. Lets see...

It is said that Teide crater is one of the places on earth to stargaze, given the limited light pollution. And you can see the milky way on a clear night with no moon. One of my friends drove to the crater one night as it was clear and the moon wasn't as full. Apparently the views was breathtaking and he could almost see the Milky Way. Its definitely something I missed this time, maybe this will also be for some other time?


Siam Water park

Siam Water park is a popular water park located in the south of the island and we got complimentary passes to the park along with our hotel stay. So we spent one day, morning till park closing, in the park, enjoying all its rides. The park is made on a Thai theme, the names of the rides all have a Thai touch to it, the buildings and ride structures are built in the Thai architecture style and there is a lot of greenery in the park which is also very tropical in its feel.

There are multiple rides in the park for adults, plus some smaller ones for kids and a few relaxing areas with wave pools when you are tired. We spent most of our day on the rides and they were exhilarating. The slides were not extraordinarily scary, but still fun. It was a warm day and all the water showering on us during the rides was totally welcome! The best rides of the day were the Kinnaree and the Tower, both a definite recommend. Other than the rides, they also had a pool with small sharks and fishes, and one with sea lions, for anyone who wanted to just enjoy the sea life.

We went on a Monday expecting crowds to be less given it was a weekday but it was not to be so. So we had to buy fast track to be able to get onto the rides without having to stand in queues for long. And by the evening we were tired with all the running up the rides, and going down. But it was definitely a fun day and when the passes are complimentary, it feels even better 😜.


Villages of the north

The last day on the island was particularly enjoyable for me as I got out and explored the island beyond the resort areas of Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos. I saw what else was Tenerife about, the relaxed pace of Spanish life, the brightly coloured yellow and orange Spanish villages nestled in the mountains, living their life just as they did years ago.

There were two options to drive, either to go along the west coast of the island, or the east all the way to the north. Since we didn't have a lot of time before the flight, I drove towards Masca which is along the west coast of Tenerife. The drive was first all along the coast, through small towns, beaches and resort areas. And there were impressive views all along, of the sea, and the mountains right next to the sea.

Los Gigantes cliffs

My first stop was the cliffs of Los Gigantes, right next to the sea. Then I continued driving, towards Masca. The drive to Masca thereafter was through single laned mountain roads snaking along the mountain side. It was a dicey drive, with lot of turns as you go up and down the mountains.

Santiago de Teide

I passed a few beautiful villages on the way, some of them in valleys and some on cliffs next to the sea. I wish I could have stopped and taken pictures of those villages, but whenever I got a good view, it wasn't a place to stop! One particular village on the way, Santiago de Teide was especially picturesque, located in a valley, surrounded by high mountains on all sides.

Drive to Masca

And the drive from there to Masca was even more risky, but breathtaking at the same time. It was single laned with lot of hairpin bends going up the mountains. On the way, I stopped at a viewpoint, where I finally got a view of the nearby Canary islands of Las Gomera and Las Palma. And also of the snaky road, all the way to Masca. The weather was gorgeous and it was quite a picturesque drive. At times I had to force myself to focus on the road and not the fabulous views around!

Masca on cliffs

Masca felt like it belonged to a different era all together. The village had houses perched all along the cliff, and a ledge, culminating on a huge rock. Apparently the locals of the island used to hide here from the authorities. I was surprised by how many restaurants there were in the village. And how many tourists too!

Lunch view from El Guanche

I had lunch at El Guanche, a restaurant serving vegetarian food and with an interesting history. Everything they made was grown here itself in Masca. It also had a striking view of the village on the ledge. The food there was tasty, and it was fun to sit there in the sun, eating lovely food and feeling disconnected from the world.

There were a few other pretty villages along the way if I had continued on, but I had a time limit and couldn't. So I headed back to the resort and the airport. But when I read about them later, I realised that these are definitely worth going to: Garachico (the prettiest and unluckiest town in Tenerife) and San Cristobal De Las Lagunas (with its pretty coloured streets).


Resort area of Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos

This is the resort town of the south near where we stayed. To be honest, there wasn't a lot to do there. It was full of holiday homes, and some beaches which did not look inviting. It was all built up, with multi-floored buildings, huge roads lined with palm trees, lot of malls and anything else a tourist would need. The town felt greener, but all around it was bare and yellow.

 We went into the city centre twice to eat, eating lunch at a Pizzeria which had an outside seating area and made one the tastiest pizzas I have eaten. We also once ordered food from Mr Singh, which offered very tasty Indian food. Apparently there are a few Indians on the island too, one of whom was from Punjab and had opened the restaurant. Other than that, we didn't really explore the town much as the place didn't look very inviting.


Hotel Regency Club

We stayed at the Hotel Regency Club which is located in the mountains, overlooking Los Cristianos and the sea below. All around the hotel were bare mountains, with nothing growing on the them. Its location made it ideal to watch sunsets, and you could see it from most of the rooms. Down below, the twinkling town, behind it, the sea and the orange sun dipping into the water slowly and slowly, every evening...

Twilight at the hotel

The hotel was quite spread out and had lot of things to do. It looked very inviting, and relaxing because of its Balinese decor. It had a heated infinity pool and jacuzzi in the main area. It had a library, a spa and mini-golf to keep people busy. And they also organised events in the evenings for the guests. We got to see a Flamenco show one of the evenings which was fabulous. And at night the resort literally twinkled.

We were staying in a grand villa, all decorated in Balinese style, with painted roofs, huge wooden doors and sculptured cupboards. The villa had its own jacuzzi and sauna which felt perfect after all the active days we had. And we enjoyed a few nice evenings, sitting outside on the terrace, enjoying the views of the sea and sunsets below.


The weather was overall warm during the day. And it got coldish at night which I hadn't planned for. Given it was such an active vacation, I didn't even realise how time passed. We were either doing an activity, or eating or enjoying the sauna/pool/jacuzzi or sleeping. And the vacation soon got over. I don't really think we relaxed as much as I thought we would😊. But I totally enjoyed the vacation. I just wish I had got more time to do some of the things I couldn't, like star gaze, trek up Teide and explore the other parts of the islands. As I usually say, maybe for the next time...

A week in the Emerald Isle, Ireland (2)

A week in the Emerald Isle, Ireland (1)

Day 4 - Drive to Killarney (4.5 hours drive); stop at Galway, Dunguaire castle, Doolin village, cliffs of Moher (Maybe Black head, Fanore beach); stay at Killarney

Today, we were shifting our base from Galway to Killarney, and it was a driving day with a few stops on the way. We first stopped at the town of Galway and walked around in the town centre. We were surprised to see that it was actually quite pretty.

Galway Latin Quarters

We first walked along the Latin Quarters street which was quite lively at that time of the day. There were a few street performers around and we stopped to listen for a bit to one of the Irish band which was playing there. The weather had suddenly turned warm and sunny which made walking about a pleasure.

We shopped a bit there and then walked towards Eyre Square which was quite a picturesque square, with a small garden full of colourful blooming flowers. After that, we walked along one of the canals in town which was lined with some scenic buildings next to it. And a few museums too. It never stops to amaze me how much tourism is promoted even in small towns of Europe.

Dunguaire castle

After seeing all there was in Galway, we were off on our long drive to Killarney, which was towards the south of the island. On the way, we first stopped at the Dunguaire castle which is known to be one of the most photographed castle in the country. It was quite standalone, located in the middle of nowhere next to a water body which might be filled with water only during high tide. The castle was closed when we stopped there so we just walked around it. Apparently, you can host a dinner at the castle for special occasions, which would certainly be impressive.

Our next stop was Doolin, a small little village on the way. It was not like a typical village but quite spread out, with some colourful houses located right next to the sea. It shows up on tourist recommendations but I would suggest to give it a miss. There is a walking path of about 14kms, all the way from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher, and I could see a few people taking the route. I am sure it would have had some majestic views on the way. We however didn't walk there. We drove from Doolin to the Cliffs of Moher, which turned out to be adventurous in its own way. The road was quite steep and narrow, all along the edge of the mountain, with some crazy turns. It was scary to drive there at times when you looked down at the sea!

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are again quite famous and apparently the most visited tourist place in Ireland. As you enter the area, you come by a visitor centre. From there you can go either north or south, along a narrow walking path all along the top of the cliffs. Part of this walking path is maintained by the visitor centre and protected. You can also continue walking must further after the visitor centre if you wish but there are no rails to protect from gusty winds.

At the Cliffs of Moher

These cliffs were quite high, rising up 700 feet from the sea and have quite steep faces. They look quite majestic actually, extending all the way facing bravely the waves from the sea. We walked along the route for a bit and saw some interesting birds around. But it was extremely windy, and just walking on top of the cliffs felt quite brave (and tough!).

There is a small island near the cliffs which apparently has a colony of puffin birds. We didn't spot any of them though. Other than the walk on the cliffs, you can also explore the visitor centre there which had a few exhibitions on. Overall, I would say that the Cliffs weren't anything extraordinary. And can very easily be given a miss. (Tip - you can buy online tickets for the cliffs at 50% of the price at the entrance)

Views during the drive

Most of the drive to Killarney was along the coast. And whenever it was next to the sea, it was quite scenic. We once drove past a few mountains all of which looked like they were covered with purple coloured flowers except they were grey stones which were shining in the sun! There was a lot of greenery around, with majestic valleys, inland waterways, beaches, small castles, huge luxurious houses, villages with coloured houses, golf clubs, and it was a pleasure to drive through these narrow country lanes. Especially with all the green around, the rolling hills made for some pretty grand views. The weather was predicted to be rainy but it turned out to be sunny, definitely something we didn't mind. The second half of the drive was not along the coast and wasn't as picturesque. One town stood out though, Adare which seemed different and definitely worth a stop.

Our stunning airbnb

After a long drive, we reached Killarney in the evening, and checked into our airbnb which was located in a farm outside town. It had a huge lush green garden and lot of space outside to walk around. Right in front were views of huge mountains and behind our airbnb were woods with a small stream, to go for morning walks. It was such a stunning place to stay, it felt like we had come to the countryside from old times.


Day 5 - Day trip to Muckross House, Muckross Abbey and Lake, Torc waterfall, Ladies View; stay at Killarney (1 hour drive)

The day today overall was a relaxed one after the long drive the previous day. We started our day with a morning walk around our airbnb, just taking in the fresh farm air. And finding a Lidl nearby to stock up on our groceries 😜. We spent the rest of our time today in Killarney National Park, in and around Muckross House.

Muckross House

We first drove to Killarney Park, which was a densely forested area with huge trees which almost blocked out the sunlight. It already felt so refreshing drive up to here. We first stopped at Muckross House which is an old manor house located right next to two lakes and with a huge estate around. You can explore this whole area on old style horse drawn carriages run by Irish ponies. They seem to be quite popular with tourists in this part of the country. We however decided to explore the place on our own pace, walking around the woods and the gardens.

Around the lakes

We first walked around in the park around the House, with its flowers and well manicured gardens. And then, we just walked into the woods next to the lakes and just kept walking on wherever we wanted to. We first walked around the Muckross lake in the woods around it. Sometimes there was some sun, and sometimes it would get windy. We stopped at a few places which had gorgeous views. The walk was mostly through wooded areas with huge trees, and some grasslands, and flowers peeping in. And there was lot of moss everywhere, it was so humid here all around. The walk felt like being away from everything else, like being in the tame wild.

In the garden

We then reached the other lake, Lough Leane and walked towards Muckross Abbey. It was totally in ruins and seemed like one of those places in horror movies which always have a deep dark history. We then walked back to the House and spent some time shopping the local Muckross brand there. They have a shop in the House itself which sells purses and scarfs, all woven by local artists. The designs were quite exquisite, and we bought a few things from there. Though simple, the whole Muckross House turned out to be quite interesting and we spent about 4 hours in and around the area.

Ladies viewpoint

Then we drove off a bit on the Ring of Kerry. We first stopped at Ladies View which you can reach through a narrow road up the hill and had a panoramic view of the lakes we had just left behind. While coming back, we stopped at the Torc waterfall which was also nice, though small. There were many other walking trails all around the park and one could explore the area walking through them too. There were some tourists doing that but not a lot. Most like us chose to drive around.

After Torc waterfall, we drove back to our airbnb through a smaller non-descript road which had huge grand houses on the sides. It felt nice to drive there, through the rich side of Ireland. And at the airbnb, I sat outside in the sun for a bit as it had been some time without the sun. But I couldn't sit outside for long, as the air was still coolish. So we went inside, from where it all looked very warm and bright 😊.


Day 6 - Drive around Ring of Kerry Road (3.5 hours drive); stop at Kenmare village, Derrynane Beach, Portmagee village and Valentia Island from Portmagee; stay at Killarney

Irish countryside

Today was a long day, full of driving and stopping. We covered the round on the Ring of Kerry, a scenic road will runs all around the peninsula, passing through some small and big towns, islands, cliffs and other places to visit. There is a long list of places to go to, we did a few of those given the time available. But I can imagine most of them being absolutely magnificent.

Kenmare village

We were driving (clock-wise) along the ring as apparently the buses all are obliged to drive anti-clockwise. And this way you can avoid the bus crowds wherever you go. Our first stop on the drive was Kenmare village where we drove directly through a shortcut rather than along the Ring as we had covered the first few places the previous day. We walked around the city centre and it was stunning. With its bright coloured market street and some amazing crockery and antique items (and of course Aran sweaters!) it was a pleasure to explore all it had to offer.

Glenbeg caravan park

It was then a long drive of more than an hour to our next stop, the Derrynane beach. On the way, we caught site of Glenbeg caravan and camping park, located on a beach which was absolutely fabulous. It was visible right from the main road itself, and made for some very stunning pictures. It would definitely be a place I would recommend. Imagine staying on your own very private beach!

Derrynane Beach

Our next stop was Derrynane beach near Catherdaniel town for which you had to take a small detour inside the Derrynane park, away from the main road. The beach was huge and swimmable. It had white sands, and blue green waters which sparkled.

Abbey on the side of the beach

There was an old abbey on the mountain on one side, and huge boulders under which you could sit on a sunny day. It wasn’t sunny that day though, it was a bit cold and not really worth getting into the water. But it would have been a lovely place to chill for a bit, when there was sun. There were also a few watersports options on the beach though not many people were out there that particular day. But it still felt nice to sit there for a bit, and have our packed lunches, with the sounds of the waves lashing on the stone, in the background.

Colourful Portmagee village

We then drove through some breathtaking countryside, with views of islands, mountains and the sea all around. It was very refreshing and there were more than a few stops to just get out of the car and walk around a bit. Our next stop was the town of Portmagee which was a small place on the sea and had the typical rows of colourful Irish homes. There is a heritage walk there to take you through its history. You can also visit Kerry cliffs, or take a ferry to Skellig island, which is an isolated island, and home to a very old monastery. We didn’t have time to do it though but it comes highly recommended.

Valentia Island

Then we drove to Valentia island right across Portmagee. Apparently this island was isolated from the mainland for years, with only boat connections till the 1900s. It was a pretty and huge island, with a view of Skellig island. We drove to Bray head for the view, and some memorable vistas of the sea. This is also the farthest point of Europe and was used to telegraph to the US during the ware years. There was something like a Scotland like feeling when we got to this island.

Killorglin town

While driving back to Killarney along the Ring, we stopped at Kells town which had a view of the Dingle plateau. And then walked through Killorglin town which was quite pretty. It had a small river flowing through and brightly coloured houses all around.

It had been a cloudy day today, so was not as much fun as usual. Bit it wasn’t too cold, so that was good. The upside of the weather though was that there weren’t many tourists around. Places were definitely busy. But not overcrowded. July is the worst time to go to Ireland apparently but June is relatively quiet.

Killorglin town

Overall it was a fun day. And the Ring was picturesque but nothing extraordinary I would say. There are a few other places along the way which are popular with tourists but we couldn't stop at, like Skellig Islands boat tours, Kells, Cahersiveen village and Cahergal Stone Fort. Maybe you would have the time?


Day 7 - Hike Gap of Dunloe, visit Inch beach and explore Killarney town; stay at Killarney

Gap of Dunloe

We started the day today with a hike on Gap of Dunloe. You can drive up to the Kate Kearney's cottage and then you have to walk up to the gap and beyond. You can always take a horse-drawn carriage to explore the place but we chose to walk it around. It is a bit of a hike to get up to the hike, but after that, you can walk all the way through the long plain valley. The Dunloe gap is actually a plain valley located between two mountain ranges on both side and goes for a couple of kms. There are lakes in the valley, small houses, some fields and a lot of greenery. It felt very refreshing to walk there in the rural green world and it was a fun hike.

The vast Inch beach

We then went driving on the Dingle plateau which was north of the Ring of Kerry drive. The drive was less dramatic and picturesque than the Ring. So we drove only up to Inch beach which was an extremely long never-ending beach. There were hundreds of cars all parked on the beach with some people brave enough to get into the water. A lot of people were surfing though which was perfect, as it was a windy day. We spent most of the afternoon walking on the long beach and at the cafe there. And I could easily imagine how stunning this place would be on a sunny warm summer day. But that wasn't our luck clearly as it was a cloudy day all day.

Killarney city centre

After Inch beach, we came back from Dingle plateau to spend some time in the town of Killarney. It is a small town by itself, with a population of only 1500. But since its a tourist hub, it seems much bigger. It had a few majestic churches to explore in the city center. Most of its shops and houses were painted in bright colours, giving it a nice pleasant feel.

It also had loads of shops, for all the tourists around. And there were lot of Irish bands playing local music in the city centre. The most popular shops of course were of woollens. We also found some very unique antique pieces in the antique stores. It looks like Ireland is a storehouse of antiques. I also noticed lot of tourists come back to Ireland to trace their Irish roots, as lot of Irish have left their country in the last few centuries. So there were a few such shops helping people find their ancestors. On the whole though, there wasn’t much to shop there other than woollens. So after buying some, we just spent our time walking around and enjoying the city centre.


Day 8 - Drive back to Dublin (3.5 hours drive); stop at Adare; fly out to London

Our last day was quite a slow day actually. For one, the rains finally caught up with us and the full day it was raining. As we were supposed to be driving all the day to Dublin, we had a late start to the day. The drive overall was quite boring too and we ended up reaching the airport earlier than planned.

Ancient Abbey

We stopped at the town of Adare on the way which we had noticed while driving towards Killarney. It was a very small village and surprisingly had a long traffic jam! We wanted to avoid the jam too and decided to stop there. And were pleasantly surprised, that even such a small village had so much history and tourism to offer. It is home to the Desmond castle located on the river. And two huge Augustinian and Francisian Abbeys from the 1300s. We explored these two places which were quite majestic in their appearance. And we walked around in one of the parks in the area. We also went in to the museum where I learnt that this town was an important one in olden times. But after Desmond Castle was destroyed, it lost its significance. There is also a huge country house, the Adare Manor located inside the park which is a picturesque place to stay. It was raining a lot through the day, so we didn't really feel like walking outside too much. And left Adare once the traffic jam had cleared.

Another stop which came up on the way was the Barack Obama Plaza which is apparently the village where Obama's great grandfather belonged to. The plaza however turned out to be just a statue of Barack and Michelle near one of the service exits! So we didn't stop there. And as I said, it was raining most of the way and the drive was boring, so we didn't stop anywhere else and reached the airport much before planned.


And it was very soon time to say goodbye after a week long vacation. I would say that Ireland is a place for visitors who are keen to experience the culture and nature of the country as its got some majestic and dramatic landscapes. Its perfect for people looking to just walk in the woods, admire the greenery and enjoy the fresh air. But its not for people who like more urban tourism. For me though, it was the perfect place to be close to nature, and I loved the refreshing experience of this week.

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A week in the Emerald Isle, Ireland (1)

The Irish countryside

This summer we spent a week exploring the island of Ireland, mostly along its west coast. We spent the 8 days in and around the towns of Galway and Killarney. It was a driving holiday where we would drive every day to a new place near these towns. Tourism in Ireland mostly revolves around nature, with its bright green mountains and forests and numerous lakes providing enchanting locations to explore. The locations were stunning and we ended up having an active but refreshing holiday. The weather was a bit coldish which put a bit of a dampner on some of our plans, but hey, at least it wasn't raining 😜.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Land in Dublin, explore Dublin - Trinity College, Temple Bar, Christ Church Cathedral (Other places to visit are Poolbeg Lighthouse, Phoenix gardens, Henrietta Street, Grand canal); drive 2.5 hours to Galway; on the way, stop at Athlone, at Hodsons Bay Hotel; stay at Galway for next 3 nights
Day 2 - Day trip to Connemara National Park (2.5 hours return drive); visit Kylemore Abbey, Diamond Hill hike, Clifden town on the way back; stay at Galway
Day 3 - Ferry trip to Aran island of Init Mor (1.5 hours return drive to ferry); stop at Salthill promenade, Silverstrand beach; stay at Galway
Day 4 - Drive to Killarney (4.5 hours drive); stop at Galway, Dunguaire castle, Doolin village, cliffs of Moher (Other places to visit are Black head, Fanore beach); stay at Killarney
Day 5 - Day trip to Muckross lake, Muckross Abbey and House, Torc waterfall, Ladies View; stay at Killarney (1 hour drive)
Day 6 - Drive around Ring of Kerry Road (3.5 hours drive); stop at Kenmare village, Derrynane Beach, Portmagee village and Valentia Island (Other worthwhile stops are Kerry cliffs, Skellig Islands boat tours, Molls Gap, Caherdaniel village, Kells village, Cahersiveen village, Cahergal Stone Fort); stay at Killarney
Day 7 - Hike Gap of Dunloe, visit Inch beach and explore Killarney town (Can drive around Dingle and Slea head drive, climb Mt Eagle); stay at Killarney
Day 8 - Drive back to Dublin (3.5 hours drive); stop at Adare (Can visit Glendalough and Sally Gap); fly out to London


Day 1 - Land in Dublin; explore Dublin; drive 2.5 hours to Galway; stop at Athlone, at Hodsons Bay Hotel; stay at Galway

Bridges of Dublin

Our first day in Ireland was spent exploring Dublin where we had landed from London. It was a slightly rainy day, so we had to take breaks while exploring the city. We parked our car next to the river in the city centre and just walked around the central area. We first walked around the river which had some magnificent buildings on its sides. And many famous bridges along it, some of them quite striking in their views.

Trinity college

Our next stop was the famous Trinity college which has a huge campus to walk around. The weather had also got sunny by then, and so we were able to walk around its gardens a but. We then walked around in the market area and window shopped the local hand knitted warm clothes being sold there. The most famous brand was of Aran sweaters which are produced and hand knitted in Ireland. They were lovely, very warm and being sold in all the tourist areas we visited the next week.

Temple Bar

We then walked to Temple Bar which is not a bar but a lively cobbled pedestrian street, lined with unique shops and places to sit and eat. The street is painted in bright colours, and with all the summer flowers in full bloom, appeared very striking in its colourful appearance.

Latvian musicians and dancers

And on our way back to our car, we ran into a Latvian cultural program which was in its final day. There were singers and dancers from the country, who were showcasing their culture in one of the open air parks. They were dressed in bright colours and enjoying the show totally. In fact, when one of the group started singing, a few of them got up and impromptu started dancing. Apparently, they had all congregated here from different parts of Europe and were feeling nostalgic to be able to connect with their culture, their songs and dances again.

Christ Church

We then walked to the Christ Church which was huge and quite imposing. It felt straight out of one of those fantasy Hollywood movies or Game of Thrones where something was going to happen. And then we were off to Galway. It was alternating between rain and sun on the way, but when it was sunny, it looked glorious. All through the drive, there was greenery on both side, with some farms here and there full of cows and sheep and some small little captivating towns too.

During the drive, we stopped around midway at Athlone, at the Hodsons Bay hotel which a huge resort on the bank of a huge Bay. It got sunny right then and we loved our stop there, walking next to the huge bay, with kids playing there while their parents relaxed at the hotel. This would definitely be a good place to stay to enjoy a nice time in the Irish countryside. We had lunch there, sitting in the glass cafeteria, with a view of the ever extending bay outside. And very soon we were at Galway. There weren't a lot of cars on the way and it was fun driving all the way through the refreshing rain washed scenery.

Our airbnb was a bit outside Galway in the area of Clybaun, away from the city centre. It was a nice 2 bed apartment, very comfortably stocked, 15 mins from the sea and near an Aldi store. So that day, we just walked to the Aldi, bought groceries for the week, and just enjoyed the Irish air while relaxing on the airbnb balcony.


Day 2 - Day trip to Connemara National Park (2.5 hours return drive); visit Kylemore Abbey, do Diamond Hill hike, stop at Clifden town on the way back; stay at Galway

The day today was spent driving towards Connemara National Park which is North of Galway, and exploring the area. And it was one of the best drives of the trip with very dramatic landscapes all the way. The weather after the rainy day yesterday turned out to be quite sunny, though still coldish. But the sun made it bright all around and enhanced the scenery even more.

This drive was part of the Wild Atlantic Way, and quite stunning I must say. Our destination of the day was a hike up Diamond Hill, but we stopped at a lot of picturesque places on the way too. The drive was through lush green countryside, with green in various hues all around. There were loads of lakes at every turn, and then small peaks next to them, providing magnificent views all around. And at times, the sea would come in along the coastline creating majestic panoramic vistas of the sea. The landscape was quite dramatic and captivating all along. We also passed by some huge luxurious houses on the way. The traffic wasn't much, though we did encounter a lot of slow cars on the way.

Random stop next to a stream

Our first stop was an impromptu one at a small striking garden next to a stream in the village of Oughterard. It looked so picture perfect that we had to stop there. It was green, with blooming flowers, a small bridge on the small stream and a few benches to just sit and enjoy the gurgling water. It is one of those idyllic places that we read about often in old English poetry. Our next stop was at the Joyce craft shop, located right next to a huge lake. It had a very quaint collection of things, especially local pottery. And the woollens that we were getting there were of a very high quality as compared to a lot of other locations.

Kylemore Abbey

The next stop was the Kylemore Abbey which was absolutely fabulous. Its a huge white thing of beauty located next to a huge lake and has a huge estate for people to explore. The weather had also got sunnier by then and it felt like we were in one of the fairy tales we have all read. It would have taken long to explore the Abbey and we were getting late for our hike. So we did not stop here long but I can easily imagine having a full day picnic in and around this place.

Drive through Connemara Park

After that, we entered the park and were greeted with some amazing landscapes. Of lush green mountains dotted with pink flowers and small houses, of small lakes and vast valleys, and of clouds above. It was a fun drive and we drove till Letterfrack town to start our trek up Diamond Hill.

The walk up Diamond Hill has 3 levels, and you can choose to either go all the way up, or do part of the trek depending on your mood. Its about 3.7 kms to go all the way up and took us about 4 hours to complete the 6.7 kms trek, keeping enough time for breaks to enjoy the majestic views this trek offers.

The first part of the trek had a slow gradient, through green fields. But from there itself, you can see panoramic vistas all around. After the initial easy half, the next half is the steep part of the trek, and involves walking on steps made of rocks, going all the way up to the peak. And the views from the peak are even more mind-blowing.

View from Diamond peak

You can see a couple of lakes and small villages, green forests and valleys surrounded by mountains on all sides, and then the sea, dotted with some islands till as far as your eye can see. Once you reach the peak, you can get a 360 degree view all around the mountain, including the Kylemore Abbey. And it felt exhilarating to be at the peak and look all around. There were lot of tourists on the way, especially from UK and France but it didn't feel crowded at all.

View of the Abbey from the peak

I would definitely rate this as one of the better hikes I have done. I found this description on one of the sites which explains better the views you get from the top. "From here, look to the sea to Inishturk, Inishbofin and Inishshark; to Tully Mountain rising over Ballynakill Harbour and along the intricate Connemara coastline.To the north and east, the Twelve Bens are nothing short of sensational. To the northeast, Kylemore Abbey’s gothic turrets stand out from neighbouring Kylemore Lough; and directly north, the summit of Mweelrea, Connaught’s highest mountain, can be seen peeping out."

By the time we came back down the peak, it was getting late. And we wanted to get home on time, so we started the drive back soon. We only stopped at one town, Clifden on the way. It was a small colourful town, right next to where the sea juts into the land. It had a row of colourful houses and was quite charming. The drive back to Clybaun was relaxed as usual and we were back home by daylight (as night used to be around 10 pm in June) to have a nice home cooked Indian meal at home and call it a day after some strenuous climbing during the day.


Day 3 - Ferry trip to Aran island of Init Mor (1.5 hours return drive to ferry); stop at Salthill promenade, Silverstrand beach; stay at Galway

This was one of my most memorable days of the trip. We took a ferry to one of the Aran Islands and spent our day there. It felt like those islands were from a different times altogether, as if time had come to a standstill. It was also one of the sunniest days of our trip and I think that may have something to do with my loving the island so much 😜.

There are ferries to Aran island from Rossaveal and Doolin. As Rossaveal was very close to where we were staying at Clybaun, we drove there in the morning along the Wild Atlantic Way, for about 40 mins or so. The weather was sunny and awesome from the morning itself, though it was still cold. The views on the drive were scenic and we drove through lot of small villages on the way. Some of the places looked very English, maybe they were settled by the English? There was a lot more traffic on this route than usual though.

There are multiple ferries taking tourists to the island. We took the early morning one at 1030 am, which costs EUR 25 for return. The trip took about 40 mins and though sunny, it was still windy. We did try a bit to stand outside on the ferry terrace but preferred the warmth of inside the ferry.

Houses on the island

We went to Init Mor which was a small island, about 31 sq km. And it felt like a world by itself. It had its own history and culture, and many different kind of places to visit. It has old forts, tall cliffs, old churches and ruins, some villages, shopping and many other things to do. You can explore the island on foot, by bike, tour bus or on a horse cart. We decided to explore a few of the places by foot itself.

View from the fort

First we walked up the Dun Eochla, which is an old fort and a lighthouse on top of a hill which is visible from most places on the island. From the top, you can get quite an expansive view of the whole island and the seas around. There were vast green fields and old stone houses all around. The water was also a very bright blue which sparkled brilliantly in the sun.

Village pathway

Then we walked down through one of the village trails, through white flowers and ponies grazing in the fields. It felt like being in the wild as we found our way back to the coast where there was a seal colony. Most of the seals had gone into the sea but there were still some 5-6 of them sunning themselves out in the sun. And then we walked back to the main town of Kilronan all along the sea. Every spot here was worthy of a stop, to sit and admire the views around.

The whole walk was outstanding! Through rich green grasslands and luxurious picturesque houses. There weren’t a lot of people around. But the views of the sea, the rocks, the houses, the grass, the ponies and the fields was enchanting. And the day was so sunny, we loved the day walking around and exploring the island. The town of Kilronan where we took the ferry back from was also cute, with some shops and small little houses everywhere.

Seafront at Kilronan

There are a few other places to visit on the island, like the Aonghasa fort, which is quite old and located on a cliff and the seven churches which are ruins from ancient times, the Blackfort and a few other spots. All for the next time 😊. I loved our time here and would totally recommend this trip to everyone. Its worth coming here for a day, just to slow down your pace of life and unwind. Some people also stay on the islands, and I can imagine how awesome that would also be.

After taking the ferry back, while driving back to Clybaun, we stopped at Salthill promenade and walked around next to the sea. It was full of tourists, but given that it had got windy, we did not stop there for long. After that, we stopped at the Silverstrand beach which looks awesome in photos but by the time we got there, the high tide had hidden the beach. A few people were still brave enough to get into the water but it wasn't for us for sure. The whole day had turned out to be very sunny and a very satisfying day. It was also tiring, and so we were back home soon at 8, had dinner and crashed in early, to get ready for the long driving day ahead.

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A week in the Emerald Isle, Ireland (2)