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The stunning British islands with dolphins, clear blue seas & sandy beaches

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The stunning British islands with dolphins, clear blue seas & sandy beaches
The stunning British islands with dolphins, clear blue seas & sandy beaches

A STUNNING set of British islands have been wowing visitors, with some even comparing them to exotic places like the Maldives.

With prices for flights and accommodation soaring at the moment, more and more Brits are looking at options closer to home for their summer holidays.

Les Minquiers can only be reached by boat from mainland Jersey qhiquqiqzkidzuprw
Les Minquiers can only be reached by boat from mainland Jersey
The archipelago stretches over an area of land bigger than Jersey's mainland
The archipelago stretches over an area of land bigger than Jersey's mainlandCredit: Visit Jersey
Some visitors have likened its clear blue waters to those in the Maldives
Some visitors have likened its clear blue waters to those in the MaldivesCredit: Alamy

Fortunately for them, there are some places in the British Isles that are just as stunning as some of the world's most beautiful destinations.

One such place is Les Minquiers off the coast of Jersey, which look like they could be straight out the Caribbean.

The archipelago sits nine miles south of the Channel island and is only reachable by boat.

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The sandbanks of Les Minquiers actually span a larger area than Jersey and are home to several crystal clear lagoons.

Visit Jersey claim that anyone visiting on a sunny day "could be on a tropical island straight out of the pages of Treasure Island".

Despite their remote looking location, they're pretty easy to get to and explore.

Several local adventure companies take visitors out to the area in RIB boats.

Once there, tourists can try activities like kayaking and snorkelling, or just enjoy the scenery.

One local company Jersey Safari frequently takes groups out to the islands for tours - and rarely fails to impress.

From 620 reviews on TripAdvisor, 590 people gave them a score of 5/5, with some amazed by the islands, comparing them to some of the most iconic island destinations in the world.

One wrote: "The Minkies themselves were amazing: as we paddled in the waves on the sandbank my girlfriend said it was like being in the Maldives."

There's plenty to see in the islands' clear blue waters too, with pods of dolphins often stopping by to show off to tourists.

Dolphins are frequently spotted swimming around Les Minquiers
Dolphins are frequently spotted swimming around Les MinquiersCredit: Alamy
The islands sit nine miles off the coast of mainland Jersey
The islands sit nine miles off the coast of mainland JerseyCredit: Getty - Contributor
Tourism companies take visitors out to Les Minquiers in small boats
Tourism companies take visitors out to Les Minquiers in small boatsCredit: Visit Jersey

Another of Jersey Safari's guests wrote on TripAdvisor: "Shortly after leaving, we were joined by a pod of dolphins, so we spent time with them getting great photos."

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Les Minquiers have also amazed people on Tiktok too, with user Tom Webster (@tomwebster3) amazed that it was so close to home.

In a video, he described it as the "coolest place" in Britain.

Several people couldn't believe that the footage in his video was from a British location, with one saying: "Is there a new Britain I didn't know about?"

The boat trips to Les Minquiers set off from either St. Catherine’s Breakwater or Albert Pier, St. Helier.

Sun Online Travel found two nights in a bed and breakfast in St Helier for £20.75pp per night.

However, pricier options are available for those with bigger budgets, with sea view rooms in a three star hotel available from £54.50pp per night.

On the mainland, several pubs and restaurants cater for a variety of tastes and budgets.

The island is also home to the maritime museum, the Jersey war tunnels, Elizabeth Castle and Jersey zoo, among a number of attractions.

Getting there from the UK is pretty simple too, with return journeys available from £90pp on the ferry from Poole in Dorset.

Meanwhile, Sun Online explored the Channel Islands - and we weren't disappointed.

And these are the passport rules for people from the UK visiting Jersey.

Once on the island, visitors can snorkel, kayak or simply explore the beaches
Once on the island, visitors can snorkel, kayak or simply explore the beachesCredit: Visit Jersey

Ryan Gray

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