skomer boat cruise

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SKOMER AND RAMSEY BOAT TRIP

Head out to Skomer Island, home to 35,000 Puffins, before returning to explore some of Ramsey’s dramatic scenery and wildlife.

Head out across St Brides Bay to the island of Skomer, home to 38,000 puffins

This trip runs from April to the end of July, subject to demand and weather.  The puffins have left Skomer by the beginning of August after which this trip will be run as an extended Ramsey and offshore islands trip. 

The trip is generally suitable for all ages, but please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns.

Skomer and Ramsey Trip

Terms and conditions apply

On this trip we head out across St Brides Bay to the island of Skomer, home to around 17,000 pairs of Puffins, 360,000 pairs of Manx shearwaters and the only Marine Conservation Zone in Wales. Sit in the tranquil waters of Skomer harbour watching the antics of the charismatic, technicolour Puffins as well as their larger cousins, the Guillemots and Razorbills, and learn about the flora, fauna and history of Skomer.  

You can also expect close encounters with Ramsey Island’s seals and possibly some of our resident Harbour porpoise (tide dependent), as we complete our excursion with an exploration of some of Ramsey’s coastline on our return from Skomer.

Impressive experience

Highly recommend the Falcon Boats Skomer/Ramsey island tour! It was particularly special as we have never seen puffins before and there were literally thousands of them all around. Quite magical! Also treated to porpoise, grey seals, other rare seabirds and a close up tour of caves/rock formations and a hairy but amusing shortcut through rapids! Comfortable sturdy rib with excellent Skipper and very knowledgeable commentary on the wildlife, the islands and the maritime history.

Fantastic – loved every minute!

Fantastic trip with knowledgeable boat staff. We had a brilliant journey round the islands including sightings of seals, porpoises, puffins and lots more!! Would recommend it to any and everyone. Thanks from us again!!

Amazing wildlife, expert team

How lucky we were to catch the end of the Atlantic puffin season this year. There were thousands flitting from the sea to their nests and it was wonderful to see. We also saw Common dolphins and porpoise during our two trips to Skomer and then Ramsey, not to mention the grey seals. Ffion and her team offered expert commentary throughout, teaching us about the fascinating behaviour and physiology of the animals, while remaining careful not to disturb them. The experience also felt Covid-safe. We’ll definitely do it again.

What You Can Expect to See

You can expect to see large numbers of Puffins as well as Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes.  Also many other resident birds, such as Oystercatchers, Shags and Cormorants, as well as the rare Chough and Peregrine falcon.

Year-round we are fortunate to enjoy the company of the Atlantic Grey seal; whilst they mostly frequent the shores of Ramsey Island, they also can be seen in the harbour at Skomer and along the coastline there too. We also regularly encounter our pod of Harbour porpoise as they feed in the tidal waters of the Sound and occasionally we are treated to sightings of Common dolphins.

Other Trips with Falcon Boats

Ramsey island special.

Adult £38 Child £25 Charter Price 375

Explore echoing sea caves, towering rock gorges, see complex and intricate geology and sit under the staggeringly tall sea cliffs

More Details

Skomer and Ramsey Puffin and Seal Trip

Adult £60 Child £40 Charter Price £600

Head out to the island of Skomer, home to 24,000 breeding puffins as some of Ramsey’s dramatic scenery and wildlife

Sunset Puffin and Shearwater

Adult £42 Child £32 Charter Price £400

Witness one of the wonders of the natural world as 360,000 Manx Shearwater return to their burrows at dusk

Grassholm and the Celtic Deep

Adult £70 Child £45 Charter Price 675

Go to the most remote of the Pembrokeshire islands, the offshore reefs and edges of the Celtic Deep

Latest Sightings

Falcon_boats.

•Wildlife Boat Trips in Pembrokeshire. A love and passion for the Pembrokeshire Coastline and Marine Life. #AWildlifeExperience

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Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Experience Skomer Island’s natural treasures

From puffins to porpoises, Skomer Island is a haven for wildlife. Explore nature's wonders just a short ferry ride from the coast of Pembrokeshire.

A haven for wildlife less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast, Skomer Island is a privilege to visit. Home to puffins, Manx shearwaters, dolphins, seals, razorbills and many more types of wildlife, it's loved by nature enthusiasts and photographers.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Visit Wales (@visitwales)

Why Skomer Island is worth a visit

One of the things that makes Skomer so special is its abundance of wildlife all year round. Depending on when you visit, you'll get to see different uncommon and rare animals in their natural habitat. At any time of year, you might see grey seals in the water (their cute pups tend to emerge between August and November), porpoises or acrobatic choughs taking flight.

It's one of Britain's best sites for seabird colonies; Skomer has the largest breeding colony of Manx shearwaters in the world - some 350,000 breeding pairs - who return every March until September. There are also northern ravens, razorbills, guillemots, storm petrels and kittiwakes, to name but a few of the other feathered friends who call Skomer home.

A puffin, guillemot and a razorbill on Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales

The Skomer Island puffins are perhaps its most famous inhabitants, who stay on the island from March to August. Adult puffins make nests and lay their eggs until mid May, when the chicks start hatching. From then, it's a feeding frenzy; adult puffins fish for food in the waters and bring it to their young, while the little ones practice daily life in their growing bodies. The chicks fledge in July and August, with the adults leaving shortly afterwards.

Puffin watching on Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales

If you visit in May and June, it's likely you'll see carpets of bluebells and red campion flowers across the island. Later in the year, thrift and sea campion are dotted along the cliff edges. As an exposed island with rocky outcrops, there's an abundance of marshland, bracken and grassland all year round.

During the open season, the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales hold events on Skomer , including guided tours, yoga retreats and overnight wildlife experiences.

To protect the island's natural integrity, ecosystems and inhabitants, the number of visitors allowed on the island per day is capped at 250.

Read more:  Meet the puffins and other birds on Skomer Island

Bluebells, wildflowers and puffins, Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales

How much does it cost to go to Skomer Island?

A visit to Skomer Island makes for an unforgettable day out. Only one tour operator runs Skomer Island Landing Trips . Board the boat at Lockley Lodge, Martin's Haven, for a 15-minute ride to Skomer Island. You'll be dropped off to enjoy the island at your own pace, then picked up for the return sailing 4.5 hours later. Tickets cost £24-£44 depending on the traveller's age and the time of year. Book your tickets in advance as space is limited, and check for weather updates nearer the time.

You can also take wildlife watching boat trips around Skomer .

Ferry to Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, West Wales

How long is the ferry to Skomer Island?

The journey to Skomer Island takes 15 minutes each way. Landings operate from Tuesday to Sunday between April and September. Check in an hour before travel, when you'll be allocated a return boat. Departures are every half hour between 10am and 12pm, with return sailings allocated in half-hour intervals between 3pm to 5pm.

Is there accommodation on Skomer Island?

There is a limited amount of accommodation on Skomer Island , which is provided by the Welsh Wildlife Trust. The Skomer Island accommodation consists of a converted farmhouse hostel in the middle of the island. It sleeps up to 16 people in single beds and bunks, with the option to reserve a bunk or a private room. There are basic kitchen, dining, living and bathroom facilities.

But the best part? Once the last boat of the day sails from the island, you get Skomer to yourself! Watch the sunset, see birds coming home for the night or chat to the Skomer Team about your sightings. Book your Skomer Island accommodation well ahead to ensure your space.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Skomer Island (@skomer_island)

Accessibility on Skomer Island

As a remote island, accessibility and visitor facilities are limited on Skomer Island. Make sure to bear this in mind ahead of travelling. There are four compost toilets at the centre of the island at the Farm, but no food or drink facilities except for bottled water for sale.

Please note that:

• There are 87 steep steps to climb to access the island
• The paths are uneven, rocky and hilly
• There are limited toilet facilities and no café facilities (water is available to buy)
• No dogs are permitted
• The island is exposed with very little shelter or shade
• There are no bins (take all rubbish home, including organic matter)
• Binoculars can be hired for £5 on the island

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Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Skomer Island

Puffin in a burrow - © Joshua Copping

Visiting Skomer Island

The Official Guide To Your Island Adventure

The Ultimate Wildlife Adventure

With nearly 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, over 42,500 Puffins (mid-April to late July), thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes and hundreds of Fulmars, Skomer is an internationally important seabird island.

Discover the wildlife and history of Skomer

Visit Skomer

Skomer is helpfully located less than a mile off the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast making it a great place to visit for the day or stay overnight.

Please call the booking office on 01656 724100 (select option 1 only), Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm and 1pm-4.30pm. If you are hard of hearing, bookings can be taken by email ( [email protected] ).

Book an overnight stay

2024 day visits  can be booked online. Please follow the link below. Online bookings can be taken at any time.

  Book a day trip

© Beth Thompson

Atlantic grey seal pup in Pigstone Bay © Beth Thompson

Short-eared owl on Skomer © Beth Thompson

Common dolphins off Garland Stone © Tom Malpas

Common lizard basking in the sun © Beth Thompson

Other Ways To Visit

Want to explore Skomer on one of our events? From bird migration tours to arts events and yoga, we have something for everyone.

2024 Events

Keen to land your own boat? You are able to land on Skomer between 10am - 5pm, Tuesday - Sunday in August. Please note that in September we are closed to all day visitors and private landers on Fridays .

Instructions for private landings

Want to join a private trip? Commercial operators run trips to Skomer throughout the season. These range from wildlife watching day trips to overnight photography workshops.

Find out how to book on to a Commercial Operator trip

Planning a school or university trip? We have amazing discounts available to help your students to discover this amazing habitat and the creatures that live here.

Book a school group visit   

How Can I Watch Skomer Live?

You can watch videos of Skomer, including 'Skomer Live' and an exclusive interview with Sir David Attenborough here:

Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales YouTube

Accessibility & Inclusivity on Skomer 

Progress Pride Flag - © Wikipedia

We are working to make our islands as inclusive as we can so that everyone can enjoy the wildlife that lives there. Find out how below.

Accessibility & Inclusivity on Skomer Island

How To Volunteer On Skomer

Skomer Weekly Volunteers - © WTSWW

Short-Term Volunteering

A long-term volunteer counting seabirds on the Amos - © WTSWW

Long-Term Volunteering

Adopt A Seal

Adopt A Puffin

Become a member

We're already making a big difference for wildlife across South and West Wales - but we need your help to do more.

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Skomer Cruise - Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips

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This was a bucket list trip and we feel so fortunate that we got to go on a beautiful day! All of... read more

I want to do it all again next weekend! And the weekend after that! This was an amazing experience... read more

Skomer Cruise

Loved this cruise. Managed to see a porpoise and its young, a seal and the puffins and other birds. Great commentary and felt really safe. Full social distancing adhered to.

Another fab trip over to Skomer island to see the puffins. Well organised trip over, so much better now you’re able to book in advance!

A lovely little boat trip with good and audible commentary. Lots of up to date information about the seabirds we saw, and loads of puffins flying and swimming nearby.

Puffins here Puffins there Puffins everywhere. What a lovely day. Beyond my expectations. At one point I was not sure who was watching who. Lots of other birds. I did see a Gannet and lots of different gulls. Rabbits as where. I will certainly go again.

What an amazing place. Puffins are amazing loved watching them Lots of other birds too and rabbits. Did not see the short eared owl unfortunately. Weather cleared so had some good views. Steep steps up and very open so prepare for a change in weather. Staff where good too

A very “young Jim” was our boat host for the trip around Skomer island, he was knowledgable, fun but most of all absolutely lovely and very kind. We didnt get to land on the island as places are limited due to a limit on visitors during breeding season but we were glad! We felt we much more….1000’s of Puffins they were all around us flying, nesting in their burrows or chilling on the sea around us, many other seabirds and some seals basking on the rocks too. It was absolutely amazing a great big thank you to the team :) ❤️ A minor negative were the loos, yuk yuk! And the National Trust car park -as usual ripping people off charging £6 per day if your are a non member and despite you only staying for the boat trip! You you have no choice but to use the NT car park there is nowhere else to park. Build it into your costs :)

Skomer Island Puffins

Join us on a boat trip to see the skomer island puffins, a mixture of exhilaration and sensitive appreciation of the wildlife., this is a 2 hour trip to see the skomer island puffins. we head out of ramsey sound and across st brides bay to skomer island. keep your eyes open, you may see diving gannets, shearwaters and if you are lucky some dolphins. ​.

Puffins can be seen around Skomer Island from April to the end of July.  By mid April the Puffins have settled on Skomer and have started building their nests.

In June to mid July the Puffins fly to and from the nest taking fish to their young. By the first week in August they have left the island and we won't see them again until next spring.

Arriving at Skomer you will find yourself amongst hundreds of Puffins in the bay. Look up at the cliffs and grassy banks, yet more comical puffins.

On the Skomer Island Puffin trip you will see various seabirds such as, Guillemots, Razorbills and Gannets, with Atlantic Grey Seals and possibly porpoise. Occasionally we may see Common Dolphins as we cross the bay between Ramsey Island and Skomer Island.

BASIC INFORMATION

Departure times

Trips depart daily 7 days a week

Adult £54.00 Child £27.00  (4 - 13 yrs)

You will need

Warm waterproof clothing, it is always colder at sea and sunscreen for sunny days.

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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What's better than a boat full of Newfoundlanders? When it's a cruise in the Caribbean

Odd coincidence led to newfoundland takeover of tropical trip.

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A gaggle of Newfoundlanders found themselves at home — far, far away from home — after boarding a Caribbean cruise with hundreds of other passengers from the party-loving east coast province.

Pam Pardy noticed a smattering of local sayings upon entering the ship's deck earlier this month, hearing the distinct Newfoundland accent around her as soon as she boarded.

"First when you get on, you go and get your lounge chair. And the girl next to us … dropped her sunglasses, and she goes, 'Oh me glasses, I can't leave they,'" Pardy told CBC News on Tuesday.

"Everybody understood what everybody else was saying. 'Get in the elevator, my ducky!' Usually everybody's avoiding eye contact, waiting for you to get the next one."

About 500 Newfoundlanders ended up together on the Celebrity Apex, which left Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on April 6.

"From what I understand, it was just a total fluke," Pardy said.

Pardy booked the trip over a year ago with her family and friends, but noticed around Christmas that she knew an unusual number of people also, by chance, on the same boat.

Posts about the cruise circulated online, until finally Pardy got a call from her travel agent, who told her so many Newfoundlanders had ended up booking the cruise, the company was throwing them their very own party.

Pardy was confident the massive coincidence would lead to a "rollicking good time," she said, laughing.

Mark Hiscock's travel agent also told him they'd be shacking up for the week with a few hundred neighbours (and perhaps some distant relatives). 

He didn't bring his accordion — "I was there to relax," he explained — but ended up singing during the onboard kitchen party, as others walked around the deck playing spoons.

"There was a lady down in the back, she was givin' 'er," Hiscock recalled. 

Besides music and a wild gathering, what happens when you gather 500 Newfoundlanders on the deck of a tropical cruise ship?

"You get a lot of conversations, a lot of connections," said Darrin Feehan. "Running into old friends. It was almost like a high school reunion."

Pardy said meeting people from the rest of the world was also a blast — but she's already asking her travel agent if a Newfoundlander-packed cruise might be on the books next year.

"Let's see if we can spread the word and this can happen, because this was a lot of fun," she said.

"When you're on the islands and you're expecting island music, and you hear, 'Any Newfoundlanders here tonight?' That's incredible."

Download our  free CBC News app  to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.  Click here to visit our landing page .