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Crab Island, Ireland

Stay in Doolin: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Doolin

All 9 on Doolin's map

Watch this spot We email you when Crab Island is worth the trip.

About Crab Island

Facing, offshore wind, exposure and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces W (280°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (100°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits expert surfers. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 12). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 9°C in January, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in July, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For expert surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and November, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Doolin, 2.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 2 surf spots.

Water about 14°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 15 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Dublin Airport (DUB), direct. About 26 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → DUB · Skyscanner from about £370 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 3 h 40 from the airport to Crab Island, 265 km.

    By bus and train: Dublin Express, Iarnród Éireann / Irish Rail, TFI Local Link Limerick Clare. Time from the published timetables, on a weekday.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in DoolinAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Surf lessons in Doolin · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Doolin · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Crab Island on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Crab Island does not suit intermediates. This is the forecast for experts, so you can see what it does.

The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

DayScoreExpertSwellEnergyWindTemp
Sun 18Oct234 ft7 shollow120kJ12°C
Mon 19Oct647 ft11 shollow882kJ10°C
Tue 20Oct355 ft10 shollow468kJ10°C
Wed 21Oct187 ft9 smushy613kJ11°C
Thu 22Oct449 ft9 shollow1,014kJ9°C
Fri 23Oct158 ft9 smushy972kJ10°C
Sat 24Oct318 ft9 shollow889kJ12°C
Sun 25Oct53 ft11 shollow138kJ11°C
Mon 26Oct1310 ft9 smushy1,504kJ12°C
Tue 27Oct127 ft9 smushy845kJ10°C

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 40 by road (or about 5h 35 by bus and train, two changes, 6 a day). About 15h 25 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Surf Aileens

    Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 6 ft at 10 s, offshore wind.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 25 of 80.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Surf Crab Island

    Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 9 ft at 9 s, offshore wind.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 16 of 80.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Surf Crab Island

    Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 8 ft at 9 s, wind 13 kn (25 km/h).

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Direct flight ORD to DUB, then 3h 40 by road (or about 5h 35 by bus and train, two changes, 6 a day). About 15h 25 door to door

The plan picks the best of 3 spots near Doolin each day: Aileens, Crab Island, Doolin point.

The trip from Doolin, with every spot near it

Rough cost

About £1,115–£2,055 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.

WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to DUB, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag£370–£770
To the UK airportparking or the train, there and back£35–£65
Hire car6 days, shared£110–£180
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, shared£260–£430
Food7 days eating out£245–£455
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about £85 to fly your own£95–£155
Total£1,115–£2,055

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

Places to eat near Doolin

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.