There is no option other than driving. Start in Dublin and follow the coast down through Cork and into Kerry (Ring of Kerry especially), Limerick, Galway and end up in County Mayo. This could easily be done in 5 days with only driving max 4hrs a day. Return the car to Dublin and spend 2 days there before flying back home. Driving around Ireland is easy as fuck, with little more required than the map the rental agency give you. I really don't think there is any other way to see the place. My only tip is avoid the Blarney Stone, it is probably the biggest tourist trap I have ever been too.
I'm surprised you feel this way, the roads in Ireland are often quite poor, a lot of time would be spent driving. However the beauty of Ireland's Atlantic coastline probably makes it worthwhile. That tour however would exclude the North, which has it's pro's and con's. It's not exactly a romantic place, but a lot of Americans get a kick out of the recent history and all the tours available and that.
I did pretty much that exact trip last November and found no issue with the roads in both quality and ease of use. I had a small map given to me by the rental agency and never was lost nor needed directions. Maybe it is different if you get into more rural areas but in terms of driving between the main cities/towns I had no problem. The drive is very manageable with no more than on average 4 hours a day required on the road. Agreed- depending on inclination a second way to do it would be to fly into Dublin and cut West through Galway, up through Counties Mayo and Donegal, into Northern Ireland and back to Dublin. I would imagine the roads are a poorer quality this way, although I have heard Donegal is brilliant.
Wow, I'm impressed at all the knowledge here. It sounds like driving is definitely the way to go...but I have a stupid question: Is driving on the wrong side of the road a total mindfuck, or does it come pretty easy after a few minutes? I went to Japan when I was much younger, and the family that I stayed with scared the bejesus out of me with their driving and seeming inability to compensate for the fact that they were sitting on the other side of the vehicle. Thanks all for the tips.
Since so much is being made of driving in Ireland I'll say this... It's no worse than driving in Boston or NYC or any other major city where people drive aggressively. The one issue that may freak you out a little is the physical width of the roads. They're about 3/4 the width of most streets you'll find in the US and Canada. Some of these roads are literally right along the edge of cliffs in the coastal areas so when you see a large truck or more likely a bus coming towards you you'll shit the first time. Having to pull over and let a bus by happens quite a bit around the Cliffs of Moor and the Ring of Kerry. After about 15 minutes driving on the "wrong side" of the road I get used to it. After the first day of readjusting to the width of the roads I'm perfectly fine.
Well I should preface this by saying that the only place in the south South I've been to is Dublin. I've been to Donegal which is north, but not 'in the North' if you catch my drift. The roads in Donegal are really something quite something, but they have been improved over the years. Most of them are something like this However, saying that, Donegal is absolutely beautiful, I spend many summers there and a lot of Irish people would say it's the best part of Ireland, it's just perhaps not all that accessible from Dublin. However, the plan you mentioned is delightful if quite time consuming with regards to driving. Either way, whatever the guy does, he's going to have a blast. You really can't go wrong. Céad Míle Fáilte.
TIP: Don't go to Iraq, they will shoot you and try and blow you up. In all seriousness after the war if this place doesn’t become a terrorist hot spot, I will go back. In the 2 and something years I spent there atop a humvee on a machine gun, I saw a lot of culture and the birthplace of civilization. I walked though Babylon, I have driven under the crossed swords and have seen many many sites. The locals (who aren’t trying to kill you) will put southern hospitality to shame. The local food is good, lots of chicken, lamb and veggies. late spring or early summer is the best weather, it is warm but not 136*. I would like to go back and experience the country on a more intimate and normal level. Doha, Qatar is another nice place to go and check out if you are curious about Middle East travel. It is being developed everywhere, bigger than most major US cities, and it is right there on the gulf. Went Jet Skiing in the Persian Gulf, the water and weather were awesome.
Continuing to plan my trip, it's gotten a lot less vague at this point. Please let me know if any of you have suggestions based on what I've got now. The two of us traveling together decided to cut down our time in Loire (our friend whose family owns the place is there now and apparently there isn't much to do) in favor of more time in Greece. 6/20 -arrive in Paris in the morning, either going to Versailles to meet our friend, or doing our own thing in Paris until we leave. I've been to Paris before so I am not worried about only spending a couple days there. 6/23 - fly to Athens, spend 2-3 days there, any must do things beyond the obvious? 6/26 ish - ferry from Piraeus, probably to Mykonos. We are thinking about 4 or 5 days each in Mykonos and Santorini, but are definitely open to spend less time in either/both if other islands are worthwhile. I would appreciate any suggestions for how best to travel/stay in the Greek isles. 7/7 - fly to Rome, thinking at least a day trip to Florence if not more 7/14 - fly to Amsterdam, for this flight easyjet was really the only affordable one ($80 vs $200 or more right now). Are the budget airlines as big a pain in the ass as the internet makes them seem? FWIW I'm not too worried about the weight restrictions (20kg checked bag plus a carry-on seems like plenty) 7/19 - bus to Paris, then a road trip through France/Spain ending in however many days seem appropriate in Barcelona. For this last bit, I would love any suggestions as to good cities to visit, or parts of Spain within reasonable driving distance of Barcelona we should travel to. 8/1 - fly from Barcelona to the US
Dude the tourism has already started, I think tour companies have been going there for at least the last year. I am going there for a 9 day tour in October. I usually hate organised tours; however in this case it seemed liked a trade off to reach a destination before it got 'touristy'. Although the trade off for this trip was my wife getting something shiney.
Thanks for the help guys. Is Ibiza actually as crazy as everyone from the internet says? Im really interested in going while im out there as the only negative thing I heard is that its pretty expensive compared to most places, but thats obvious as it seems to be a tourist hot spot.
It is insanely expensive if you want to go to the superclubs. Drinking around San Antonio isn't too bad. I would instead suggest going to Pag Island in Croatia.
I'm not a huge fan of Pag personally, because it's all Italians there and it's only good for a month, but it's pretty cool I guess. And to second what was said about Ibiza, yeah the clubs are what's really expensive. Drinking in the west end of San Antonio is really popular and not that expensive at all. Hotels aren't too bad either. And yeah, it's pretty crazy...I saw some pretty nutso shit when I was there.
I'm going to be goofing off in Western Europe for the first two weeks of August, with at least a bit of that time spent in the Netherlands (Leiden, Amsterdam, Arnhem). Anyone have any suggestions for awesome things to do in that neck of the woods besides check countries off my map?
Has anyone here ever been skiing in Argentina or Chile? I think I want to head that way next summer, and wanted to know the opinions of some of the wonderful members here.
I'm going to Mexico City for 10 days later this week, and I've never been before. Other than the obvious tourist sites and avoiding street taxis and trying not to get kidnapped, does anyone that's been there have some insight on the place? I'll be staying right beside the Zocalo in Centro Historico.
I just got back from Ibiza so I can shed some light from my perspective. I'll start off with the party scene. Ibiza is definitely fucking crazy, but it all depends on what you are in to. Personally I had a pretty good time, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. If you are into club drugs, techno music and don't mind dropping 50 euro to get in a club, then you will have the time of your life. I went to two different clubs. I fucking hate techno but I still had fun at both, although I'm pretty sure I was one of the few people in the club that wasn't rolling. Also, It is absolutely fucking expensive. 20 euro for a redbull and vodka, 8 euro for a bottle of water, 14 euro for a beer is the norm. It's cheaper to do drugs. As for the island itself, it's absolutely beautiful. The beaches are full of gorgeous (topless) women, the water is crystal clear and there are some truly beautiful beaches on the island. If you have any questions or are looking for suggestions for Ibiza or Barcelona let me know, I have tons of info about both places.
I spent 6 weeks in Mexico City (DF) two summers ago and was surprised by how much I loved the place. I was initially concerned about getting kidnapped and such, but never had any trouble and had a blast. Being by the Zocalo I'm sure you'll hit up the ruins there and the Catedral to see the black Jesus. There were a few bars around there that were very cool. Some were nicer, like a bar on the roof of an art museum, and others were more "authentic", where you could buy beers by the crate. Eat Tacos al Pastor. You will see many taquerias with spindles of meat on them like gyro places, but it's pork instead. Pineapple juice drips down on it. Served with cilantro and lime. Delicious. I stayed with a family in Colonia Doctores and spent a lot of time in Roma Norte and Condesa. Garibaldi is the mecca for mariachis. Xochimilco is great for a group of people to rent a boat and get hammered. Their metro system is, while not the cleanest, very quick and cheap (how I like my women). I could go on. I loved my time there. Feel free to PM for more info.
Angkor Wat is absolutely worth it. The thing is there are dozens of temples, some of which are as much as an hour away from Siem Reap (the major city in the area). Angkor Wat is just one of them, and the most famous. My favorites were actually Beng Melea and Ta Prohm (which was seen in the Tomb Raider movie). Cambodia is also cheap as fuck and the food is outstanding. The poverty will get to you, though.