The Island is a unique self-governing kingdom - a Crown dependency which belongs to neither the UK nor the European Union. It has its own parliament (called Tynwald), laws, traditions, culture, cuisine and postage stamps. But as a holiday island it is best known for its very agreeable and relaxed pace of life, along with a wealth of attractions and places to stay. And while other differences include the Manx language and currency (though English is the spoken tongue and English and UK currencies are accepted everywhere), there are also reassuring familiarities - such as driving on the left and road signs in English.

Where is the main centre of the Island?
The thriving east coast town and port of Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man. The hub of much Island activity, it offers a great variety of accommodation, holiday attractions and other visitor facilities such as first-class shopping, banks, building societies, and car hire. Douglas is 16 miles from the northern coastal town of Ramsey, 12 miles from Castletown on the south coast, and 11 miles from the west coast port of Peel.