You're going to get wet and windswept in Ireland anyway, so you might as well do it on a surfboard. The water is at its warmest and the swells are highest in September and October when world-class waves crash into the West Coast from the Atlantic.

Top places to surf include Inchydoney and Barleycove in County Cork, Achill Island in Co Mayo, Easky in Co Sligo, Lahinch and Spanish Point in Co Clare, Castlegregory in Co Kerry, Rosslare Strand in Co Wexford, Portrush on the Antrim coast and Bundoran and Rossnowlagh in Co Donegal.

Ireland also has some of Europe's best scuba diving: the reefs around Baltimore in Co Cork are great for exploring sunken shipwrecks, while the Green Holes of Doolin just north of Doolin harbour are a fantastic network of underwater caves.

If you're in Ireland on New Year's Day, you might want to join the locals in the tradition of taking a plunge in the nearest icy body of water.