Port Askaig Ferry Terminal
Transport
Why you should definitely visit
Every CalMac sailing to Islay lands here now — a proper terminal building, a pierside hotel whose bar traces back 400 years, and three distilleries within a short drive.
About
Islay's main ferry gateway, tucked on the Sound of Islay looking straight across to Jura. Since Port Ellen's terminal closed for redevelopment in June 2026, every CalMac sailing between the mainland (Kennacraig) and Islay now lands here. A hotel, a shop, a petrol station and the Islay RNLI lifeboat station cluster around the pier, and Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila and Ardnahoe are all a short drive north — arguably the island's welcome committee now.
Highlights
- Proper terminal building with ticket office, indoor waiting area, accessible toilets and free WiFi
- Crossing time to Kennacraig: 1 hour 55 minutes, carrying both vehicles and foot passengers
- Port Askaig Hotel, right at the pierhead — its public bar traces back to an inn on this spot 400 years ago, reputedly the oldest licensed premises on Islay — with a beer garden over the Sound
- Despite looking close on a map, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila and Ardnahoe aren't a realistic walk — all three distilleries' own sites steer visitors toward a car or taxi
Gallery