The remote island was lauded for its unspoiled beauty and uniqueness.
Global travel site Big 7 Travel have named Skellig Michael as one of the 50 most remote and beautiful places in the world, alongside destinations such as White Desert Whichaway Camp, Antarctica and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.
The
Ultimate Bucket List of Remote and Beautiful Places in the World featured far-flung and hard-to-get places on nearly every continent, with Kerry's Skellig Michael placing 25th on the list.
Destinations were ranked on their remoteness, number of inhabitants, unspoiled beauty, and uniqueness.
Skellig Michael earned its spot on the list for its unspoiled beauty and uniqueness. Image via Shutterstock.
Prayers and Puffins
Skellig Michael is the largest of the Skelligs, a pair of rocky and remote islands located off the coast of Kerry. During the time of the Penal Laws, Skellig Michael and Little Skellig became a haven for many Catholics whose beliefs and rights were being suppressed, with Skellig Michael being home to one of the earliest monastic settlements in Ireland.
The island is known for its wealth of birdlife - puffins tend to arrive on the island in late spring and gannets start to arrive on the small Skelligs in March. By April, they have usually covered every available ledge on the island.
The island is one of Ireland's most important sites for birdlife. Image via Shutterstock.
Skellig Michael was also the location for scenes from the most recent Star Wars trilogy, starting with Episode VII “The Force Awakens”, some of which was filmed around the islands in 2014.
The number one spot on the list was claimed by Blue Eye, Albania; a freshwater spring surrounded by lush greenery in the small village of Muzinë. White Desert Whichaway Camp in Antarctica took the second spot, with Macquarie Island in Australia coming in third.
Tours and boat trips to the island tend to fill up quickly once the summer months arrive - if you'd like to add it to your bucket list this summer, head to
Skellig Michael Boat Tours to nab a coveted spot.
Header image via Shutterstock
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