LONELY PLANET HAS NAMED SKELLIG RING IN ITS TOP 10 TRAVEL REGIONS

For an ancient rock formation, the Skelligs have done very well to become internationally famous, especially the past year.

This was probably helped, at least a bit, by a small production called Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Now it looks like the Kerry islands and their mainland area - The Skellig Ring, have been given another tourism boost, after being named in Lonely Planet's list of Top 10 Travel Regions.

We can't ever imagine why!

Thank you Max ✨@ihaveadarksoul✨ for using our tag #inspireland_ from which we selected this photo taken of the Skelligs ?KERRY? We are delighted to share this here on @inspireland_ ~ Please show your support to our featured artist and visit their gallery for more great shots! ~ Selected by: @katiepierceoshea Cc.:@thejamescarr @digilou48 ~ If you want a county to be featured then tag your best Irish pictures with #inspireland_ or #inspireland. All pictures should be your own. Please don't forget to mention the Location and County! Thank you!☘ ~ #igersireland #loves_ireland #icu_ireland #insta_ireland #ireland_gram #instaireland #discoverireland #irelandinspires #visitireland #thisisireland #eire #ireland #ig_ireland #travelireland #loveireland #tourismireland #wanderireland #irishpassion #pocket_ireland #irelandcalling #kerry #countykerry #munster #wildatlanticway #insp_ker #skelligs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A photo posted by Every County counts!? (@inspireland_) on Oct 3, 2016 at 11:47pm PDT

Irish sunset #skelligs #skelligs #ireland #starwars #lukeskywalker #puffin #ringofkerry #kerry #countykerry #natgeo #nature #jw #pentax #k3

A photo posted by Nathan Nicholson (@nathan_creektrails) on Oct 8, 2016 at 11:54am PDT

Skelligs, Ireland. #ireland #skelligs #sunset #sunsets #silhouette #silouettes

A photo posted by Les Wilcockson (@leswilcockson) on Oct 7, 2016 at 12:01pm PDT

#Jedi searching earlier this year. #skelligs #starwars #worldheritage

A photo posted by banburyroad (@banburyroad) on Oct 3, 2016 at 4:40pm PDT

County Kerry is in good company in the list, along with Choquequirao, Peru, Taranaki, New Zealand and The Tuamotus, French Polynesia.

Otra maravilla #inca #Choquequirao. Solo se puede llegar caminando en 4 días. Una caminata durísima, pero cada gota vale la pena. Se dice ser la hermana gemela de Machu Picchu pero con solo 4 visitas al día. Ojala todo tengan la posibilidad de conocer esta belleza de #Perú

A photo posted by De Alaska A Patagonia (@dealaskaapatagonia) on Jun 26, 2015 at 3:48pm PDT

Congratulations to @lonelyplanet for having the good sense this evening to list beautiful #taranaki as one of the best places in the world to visit in 2017. The region made it to the No. 2 spot in the travel guide's "Best in Travel" yearbook, behind only Choquequirao, Peru. Link to the full story in our profile. Thanks to 1 NEWS viewer Wendy Stewart for submitting this beautiful photo of Mt Taranaki, taken this week from Strathmore Saddle. #newzealand #nzlife #nz #mountain #meanwhileinnz #travel #beautifulnz #traveling #mountains #nzmustdo #nature #earthpix #mountainlife #naturephotography #travelgram #naturelovers

A photo posted by 1 NEWS (@1newsnz) on Oct 25, 2016 at 2:58am PDT

Tahaa Island French Polynésia....another amazing island to include in your FP visit Photo: ?@timmckenna. ..tag your travel partners...

A photo posted by Ninamu Resort ? Tikehau Tahiti (@ninamu.resort) on Oct 18, 2016 at 7:57am PDT

The full list features locations from around the world, each boasting some serious natural beauty.
1. Choquequirao, Peru
2. Taranaki, New Zealand
3. The Azores, Portugal
4. North Wales, UK
5. South Australia
6. Aysén, Chile
7. The Tuamotus, French Polynesia
8. Coastal Georgia, USA
9. Perak, Malaysia
10. The Skellig Ring, Ireland

Lonely Planet also published its of Top Countries, Top Cities and top value locations, just in case you fancied catching a mid-winter travel bug.