The island is open from mid-May to the end of September, weather permitting. Visitors should check with local boatmen who hold permits to land visitors on the island. The island is closed at all other times and visitors should be aware that there is no guide service or health and safety service on the island outside these times.

Boats leave from Knightstown (Valentia), Portmagee, Ballinskelligs and Caherdaniel. The island is 11.6 km from the mainland and the boat trip takes between 45 minutes and a little over two hours, depending on the point of departure. Sea conditions can be rough and those who suffer from sea-sickness or who dislike open boats should only make the journey in fine weather.

When the island is open there is a guide service, based at the monastery. The guides give talks at the monastery and are available to answer your questions. The guides also look after your health and safety so please pay particular attention to any instruction or direction they might give.

There is no visitor accommodation on the island.

There are no toilets on the island and refreshments are unavailable. Visitors should use the toilets on the mainland and should bring food and drink with them for the trip. Visitors are requested to consume food at the bottom of the steps or at Christ’s Saddle. It is recommended that visitors take plenty of water with them as in hot weather, dehydration can be a problem. Visitors are also reminded to bring all rubbish back with them when they leave the island.

The weather on Skellig Michael is unpredictable and therefore visitors should bring warm clothing and wet-gear with them. Appropriate footwear is essential as the steps can become slippery particularly during or after rain.

Skellig Michael is a precipitous island and the route to the top involves climbing about 600 steps to the monastery which is at a height of 180metres. Any visitor with health problems or a fear of heights should consider whether visiting the island is appropriate. All visitors should take care when climbing both up and down the steps as there is no hand rail and the ground slopes steeply away from the steps.

Visitors are discouraged from bringing small children to Skellig Michael. Older children are of course welcome but parents are advised to explain the dangers to them and to supervise them closely at all times.

There is an exhibition and a video presentation in the Skellig Experience on Valentia Island, just opposite Portmagee.

It is not permitted to bring animals on to the island as it is a designated Statutory  Nature Reserve.