The Channel Islands have been under British rule since 1066, despite being located off the shores of France. They are however not considered officially part of the United Kingdom. The main island of Jersey, with its capital of St Helier, is home to the world renowned Jersey Zoo, a host of fantastic beaches and chilled out resorts. Ferries frequently run to and from England, France and Guernsey.

The ferry terminal provides a number of shops of travellers as well as restaurants and snack stands. Duty-free shopping is also available, with shops onboard a great deal of the ferries. Disabled travellers will find good wheelchair access inside the ferry terminal, whilst onboard assistant is provided to those with mobility difficulties. It is advised that staff are pre-warned of the time of booking in advance however.

Condor Ferries runs services to various destinations in the United Kingdom and France. Ferries run from St Helier to Poole, Portsmouth and Weymouth in the United Kingdom and St Malo in France. There is also a regular shuttle service to and from Guernsey. The ferry to Poole or Weymouth takes about three hours, whilst the ferry to Portsmouth takes around 10 hours so bring some entertainment with you.

The Emeraude fleet has 10 chips of varying size and type and provides a year-round service between Jersey and France. Ships leave from St Helier and dock at St Malo, with a handful of tips running daily.

Because the island is quite small all parts of the island can be easily reached by 20 minutes by car. Roads criss-cross all over the island making it convenient to get wherever you need to go post-haste. Buses run from the port to all parts of the island and arrivals are timed in conjunction with incoming ferries. There is also a small airport on the island which runs services to the UK and Europe.

Tags: England, France, Guernsey, Jersey Port, Jersey zoo, Poole, Portsmouth, St Malo, United Kingdom, Weymouth