When a BBC travel show winner and hidden-gem explorer arrived on our shores, he didn’t expect to find one of the most beautiful places he’d ever visited. Here’s what he discovered.
Alfie Watts knows a thing or two about arriving somewhere with preconceptions, only to have them upended. As the winner of Series 4 of the BBC’s Race Across The World — and a travel content creator with almost 300,000 Instagram followers dedicated to uncovering the places most people walk straight past — he makes a living out of finding hidden gems.
So when Alfie arrived on the Isle of Man for the first time, his reaction was telling.
“My first impressions when I heard about the Isle of Man were very different to the ones I got when I arrived. I kind of had this idea it would be very similar to the rest of the UK — but I’ve found it absolutely beautiful.”
Alfie Watts, travel creator & BBC Race Across The World winner
It’s a reaction we hear often, and one that never gets old. The Isle of Man has a way of quietly exceeding expectations — whether you arrive for a weekend, a week, or, like many of our guests, year after year.
An island that makes you drop a gear
Alfie described something that resonates with almost every visitor who spends real time here: the sense of slowing down the moment you step off the boat or plane. Not in a dull, nothing-happening way — but in the way only islands can manage. “It really feels like you drop down a gear when you arrive. It’s got that island life feel.”
That rhythm is part of what makes the Isle of Man so distinctive as a destination. It isn’t performing for visitors. The landscapes are genuinely wild, the communities are genuinely welcoming, and the pace is genuinely its own.
More adventure than you’d imagine
But don’t mistake peaceful for passive. Alfie was quick to point out the sheer variety of things you can do on the island — from quad biking to aqua biking, dramatic coastal viewpoints to the remote Calf of Man. For a travel creator who specialises in extraordinary places, that breadth matters.
“For adventurers,” he said, “there’s so much more here than you could even imagine.”
He drew a beautifully neat comparison that captures something true about the island’s character: the Calf of Man, he observed, is to the Isle of Man what the Isle of Man itself is to the UK — a place further removed, wilder, quieter, where you can properly slow down and take stock.
Ready to find out for yourself?
If Alfie’s experience has piqued your curiosity, the best thing to do is come and see for yourself. Our guided experiences take you into the landscapes, stories, and hidden corners that make the Isle of Man genuinely worth the journey — whatever time of year you visit.
Credit – Story and image gef.im.
