Ireland – The Emerald Isle

When Ireland comes to mind, I think of green pastures, rugged cliffs and the lovely musical Irish accent. It is a beautiful island steeped in history and well worth a visit. You can’t truly experience Ireland without tasting a good single malt whiskey, trying haggis, drinking a Guinness and spending the night in a local Irish pub joining a singalong.

The good news is that South African citizens with a valid passport do not require a visa for entry into the Republic of Ireland but must be able to convince the Immigration Officer at the Port of Entry that they have a valid reason for entering Ireland. They may be asked to provide additional documentation to support their case. South Africans visiting Northern Ireland need to apply for a visa prior to travelling, as it is part of the United Kingdom. You need to apply for a UK visa even if you just transit London to go to Dublin so it is not the suggested route.

July is the hottest month in Dublin and the coldest is January with the most daily sunshine hours at 6.3 in May. The wettest month is August with an average of 80 mm of rain. The Republic of Ireland makes use of the Euro and Northern Ireland the British Pound. The capital is Dublin which is the republic. They speak English, be it with a lilt, and Gaelic if you are lucky enough to find somebody who still speaks it.

I am going to tel you more about the Republic of Ireland and suggested must-see sights. The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin; The Waterford Crystal Showroom in Waterford; the Ring of Kerry; the Cliffs of Moher; Trinity College and the Book of Kells in Dublin. There is a Literacy Pub Crawl Tour in Dublin. You are entertained by actors re-enacting the works of the likes of James, Joyce and Wilde, all while pub crawling. You can choose a coach tour of Ireland or a self-drive. It is one of the nice countries for a self-drive with everything in English on the same side of the road as us. A good length of time for a visit is 12 to 14 days as you can see a lot and enjoy some downtime. For the more energetic you can do a bicycle trip around Ireland. If you like the idea of cycling but not for a lengthy time, you can rent a bike in Dublin. There are 44 self-service bike rental stations around the city.

Festivals are becoming very popular especially St Patricks Day which is celebrated on the 17th of March.

There are also numerous golf courses to play on. While traditionally the men play golf, the woman can visit a spa or shop and everyone is happy.

If you are a Game of Thrones fanatic you would need to travel to Northern Island to see where a lot of the series was shot.

Ireland has something for everyone and if you are interested in visiting it please contact me to put together the perfect holiday for you.