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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Looe
Spend 1‑2 days in Looe: beach, island boat, museum and monkey sanctuary; walk the coastal path to Talland or Polperro.
Looe is a small fishing town on South Cornwall’s coast. Its compact centre is walkable, with a beach, historic guildhall museum, boat trips to Looe Island and the nearby Woolly Monkey Sanctuary. A half‑day covers the main sights; a second day adds the coastal walk to Talland or a short drive to Polperro.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, limited services)
- Stay
- 1‑2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £30–£50 excl. bed · Mid £50–£80 excl. bed · High £80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Fire & ambulance 999 · NHS non‑urgent 111
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Cornish pasty | £3–£5 |
| Fish & chips | £6–£9 |
| Coffee | £2–£3 |
| Ice cream | £2–£4 |
| Bus ticket (local) | £2–£3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NQY · Newquay Cornwall Airport
- —
Typical fares
- Looe train → Plymouth
- ≈£15, 45 min (check)
- Bus to Monkey Sanctuary
- ≈£5 round trip (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town centre is flat and walkable; a short bridge links East and West Looe. Parking is limited, use the large car park at the village entrance. No public bus needed for main sights.
See and do
Known for
- Looe Island boat trips
- Old Guildhall Museum & Gaol
- Woolly Monkey Sanctuary
- Fresh fish and Cornish pasties
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Looe Island | Boat from Looe harbour, 5‑min walk to pier | ≈30 min round trip |
| Woolly Monkey Sanctuary | Bus or taxi from Looe, 5 km (3.1 mi)Bus or taxi from Looe, 3.1 mi (5 km) | ≈20 min |
| Talland Bay | Coastal footpath from Looe, 2 km (1.2 mi)Coastal footpath from Looe, 1.2 mi (2 km) | ≈45 min walk |
| Polperro | Coastal path via Talland, 6 km (3.7 mi)Coastal path via Talland, 3.7 mi (6 km) | ≈2 h walk |
Sleep
- Beach House
- Seafront B&B, double £100
- Talland Bay Hotel
- Cliff‑side B&B, double £250
- Trelaske Hotel
- Midway between Looe and Polperro
- Camping in Cornwall (Penhale)
- Caravan & camping park nearby
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Sori |
| Thank you | Diolch |
| How much is it? | Faint sut mae'n costio? |
| Where is the beach? | Ble mae'r traeth? |
| Can I have the bill? | A allaf gael y bil? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Roads into town are narrow; allow extra time for driving.
- Looe Island boat service runs seasonally; check schedule in advance.
Looe is generally safe; watch for slippery rocks on the pier and keep valuables secured in crowded summer spots.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Looe yet. Suggested stay: 1‑2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Looe Island boat trips
- Old Guildhall Museum & Gaol
- Woolly Monkey Sanctuary
- Fresh fish and Cornish pasties
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Looe: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Looe, revision 5242494 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242494
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/looe). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.