In the second half of 2024, several Achill Island beaches were awarded a Blue Flag!
The island, which is home to some of the finest beaches in Mayo, boasts a very varied mix of beaches and bays, many of which are great for a swim!
Below, you’ll find a map of the different beaches in Achill along with info on which are popular swim spots. Cheers!
The best of the Achill Island beaches
A quick warning – it’s safe to swim on some of the Achill beaches below if you’re a capable swimmer (see comments below each beach).
Understanding water safety is absolutely crucial when visiting beaches in Ireland. Please take a minute to read these water safety tips. Cheers!
1. Keem Bay
Photos via Shutterstock
You’ll find the horseshoe-shaped Keem Bay on the northwestern side of Achill Island where it’s reached via a long, winding road.
You’ll admire it from afar, first, as it’s golden sand comes into view after you drive over the brow of the hill.
The gorgeous horseshoe-shaped bay boasts soft golden sands and crystal clear, azure waters.
It’s bordered on each side by steep, green slopes, providing a nice, sheltered bay that’s great for swimming in. The Cliffs of Croaghaun hike can be started from the car park.
A Blue Flag Beach, it’s one of several Achill beaches that’s lifeguarded throughout the bathing season. There are also public toilets nearby.
Beware the summer chaos: Keem gets very very busy during the summer, with parking almost impossible
2. Keel Beach/Trawmore Strand
Photos via Shutterstock
Keel Beach is arguably the best-know of the many Achill Island beaches. And for good reason.
This Blue Flag Beach stretches on for what seems like miles (4 km in reality), with soft golden sands sinking into the turquoise sea.
It’s bordered by the beautiful Minaun Heights, while the vibrant village of Keel, with its many cafes, restaurants, and craft shops, sits on the other edge.
Keel Beach also enjoys excellent amenities, including a large car park, well-maintained toilets and a coffee van.
There’s a lifeguard service throughout the bathing season, with clearly marked areas that are safe for swimming in.
Fancy hitting the waves? Keel is the best of the beaches in Achill for surf, with several schools operating nearby
3. Dugort Beach
Photo courtesy Christian McLeod via Ireland’s Content Pool
Sitting at the foot of the mighty Slievemore Mountain, Dugort Beach is the smaller of the two beaches around Dugort village.
The small, sandy bay offers superb views of the mountain and is nicely sheltered, making it a good place for swimming, with lifeguards on duty throughout the bathing season.
It’s also the place to be for the New Year’s Day Dip, where hardy locals and visitors brave the chilly waters for their first swim of the year!
Another of the Achill beaches boasting a Blue Flag, Dugort has good facilities, including a spacious car park, coffee stand, picnic areas, and toilets.
4. Golden Strand
Photos via Shutterstock
Next up in our Achill Island beaches guide is the stunning Golden Strand – the larger of the two beaches at Dugort.
The gorgeous sandy crescent-shaped bay is a mix of pebbles at the upper end, and soft white sands further down.
Sand dunes lay behind the beach, making it another great spot for a long walk.
Blue Flag certified, it enjoys excellent water quality, good facilities, and stands selling refreshments during summer.
The beach is also popular with kayakers and there’s a good kayak trail that hugs the coast and leads to Dugort Beach.
Do note that there are no lifeguards on duty at the time of writing.
5. Dooega Beach
Photos courtesy Christian McLeod via Fáilte Ireland
While still a Blue Flag certified beach, Dooega Beach is something of a hidden gem in Achill.
The small bay sits on the edge of the former fishing village of Dooega, along the Atlantic Drive.
The views from the beach are spectacular, taking in the majestic White Cliffs of Ashleam on one side, the mighty Minaun Cliffs on the other and Clare island across the bay.
This tends to be much quieter than the other Blue Flag beaches on Achill. Note that there is also no lifeguard service.
Explore Achill’s beaches on the Atlantic Drive
Arguably the best way to see the various beaches in Achill, along with the islands many other attractions, is on the Atlantic Drive.
Best tackled over the course of a day, this is a glorious driving route that takes in:
- Minaun Heights
- Grace O’Malley’s Castle
- Ashleam Cliffs
- The various Achill beaches
Keith O’Hara has lived in Ireland for 35 years and has spent most of the last 10 creating what is now The Irish Road Trip guide. Over the years, the website has published thousands of meticulously researched Ireland travel guides, welcoming 30 million+ visitors along the way. In 2022, the Irish Road Trip team published the world’s largest collection of Irish Road Trip itineraries. Keith lives in Dublin with his dog Toby and finds writing in the 3rd person minus craic altogether.