THESE are the beautiful Irish islands with crystal clear waters and paradise white sand beaches.
The Inishkea islands are located just off the coast of Belmullet, Co Mayo.
The islands boast stunning white sand beachesAlamy
Cows beside the deserted village of Inishkea South IslandAlamy
The islands have crystal blue watersAlamy
The islands, which look like an isolated paradise, are just a short boat trip from the mainland.
Punters need to charger a boat from one of the local companies to reach the shores.
The island has heaps to keep you entertained on a day trip, especially during glorious summer weather.
And visitors may also get a glimpse of an unusual feature – swimming cows.
One travel fan who recently visited the Inishkea islands shared a video of cows jumping from a boat and swimming a short distance to the shore.
Josh, who posts on Instagram under the username @joshuanueva, said: “Incredible (and hilarious) to see this old traditional Irish method of transporting cows to an island by making them swim across.
“These cows swim better than me.”
There are two islands in the area – Inishkea North and Inishkea South. Inishkea North is the larger of the two.
The islands both have beautiful sandy beaches with crystal blue water, which are perfect for relaxing, sunbathing or walking.
The islands are steeped in history which provides for an interesting experience for tourists.
Visitors can choose to explore the islands by themselves or they can take a guided walking tour.
During the wander about, visitors will see the stone remains of cottages from the 1800s, including a church, shebeen, schools and a shop.
For those more interested in nature, there is plenty of beautiful wildlife to observe.
The islands are home to many endangered species of seabirds, grey seals, flora and fauna.
WILDLIFE HAVEN
They are home to over 200 plant species, including stunning wildflowers.
The islands are also frequented by plenty of bird life, including at least half of the Irish wintering population of Barnacle geese.
The low lying coasts of the Iniskeas are important sites for the Atlantic Grey Seal. About one third of the country’s population live here.
From September to the end of October female seals come ashore and give birth to their pups.
Around 150 seal pups are born ever year on the islands.
Some lucky visitors may also get lucky and stop a dolphin, whale, basking shark or porpoise swimming between the islands.
Back on the mainland of Belmullet there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or a drink and enjoy the scenery.
And the town also has accommodation options including B&B’s, hotels, hostels and camping.
The islands have old deserted stone buildingsAlamy
Cows are seen swimming from a boat to the shoreSocial Media Collect Read More