Achill Island’s Keem Bay has been crowned as Ireland’s best beauty spot for a scenic Autumn getaway in a new national poll.
The rankings were compiled by travel insurance experts CompareNI.com and compared seven prominent beauty spots across the island of Ireland. The research looked at factors such as traveller ratings, accommodation quality, and affordability. It even considered criteria such as accessibility from the nearest airport, though the report rated Keem second-lowest on this aspect as it estimated the journey from Dublin Airport at four hours 27 minutes. It did not reference that Keem is less than two hours drive from Ireland West Airport Knock. However, the report turned this accessibility score into a positive, suggesting that the remote nature of the Achill location may be part of its appeal, giving visitors a sense of escape from crowds and commercial tourism.
Speaking about the research, Ian Wilson, Managing Director of CompareNI.com, said the study showed that some of Ireland’s lesser-known landscapes can offer experiences sometimes better than the country’s more famous attractions. He said, “This year’s results show Keem Bay leading the way, outperforming many of the more well-known destinations!. And underlining the accessibility advantage, he continued: “It is perhaps Keem Bay’s remoteness and sense of isolation that visitors love the most, keeping it from feeling overly crowded or commercialised.”
Keem beat competition from internationally renowned destinations such as the Cliffs of Moher (ranked at #16) and the Giant’s Causeway (outside the top 5). It achieved an overall score of 48.5 out of 68, with both the the bay and nearby accommodation receiving an average traveller rating of 4.8 out of five. The study also found that accommodation in Keel, on Achill Island, had the highest average rating among the all destinations included in the research.
Plan your Autumn getaway to Achill with our Achill Island Short Breaks itinerary suggestions.
