What to Do on Isle of Man

When I told my friends I was going to the Isle of Man for a vacation, I often caught a hint of confusion flashing across their faces. All the confusion pretty much boils down to two questions: Where is the Isle of Man? and What is there to do on the Isle of Man?

The first question is fairly straightforward to give a very on-point answer to:

But the second question is a bit trickier. Because, to be honest, I had absolutely zero idea. Why was I going? It’s quite a bit of a blur if I try to recall now. At first, it was probably just a simple thought: “If there’s a quiet place by the sea where I sit back, stay idle, and do nothing, wouldn’t that be quite nice?”

Pretty much as I hoped, on this little isle, it felt like you never had to worry about a thing called crowds. In fact, it is actually hard for kids who never leave the island to even comprehend the meaning of the word “crowd”. It becomes even more astonishing considering the fact that now is the very peak summer tourist season. Imagine the beaches in Spain, southern France, Italy, or Croatia packed with beachgoers…

Now looking back to the empty seaside of Douglas, the largest town on the island, I bet you see the many benefits of fewer people as well. For example, if you feel like doing some acrobatics, the empty beaches give you all the space in the world, and there is infinite time to do whatever you want.

For those who are a bit too clumsy to cartwheel (like me), there are still plenty of spaces to sit down, keep a polite covid social distance from others, and just silently stare at the sea.

However, if you’re holding some salt-and-vinegar seasoned fish and chips, sitting down by the promenade, chances are you won’t get to be left alone. There may not have been a curious British grandma checking out your food, but a cute little seagull buddy did land nearby and company me patiently, waiting for some chips to drop.

Bringing along a little (or big) dog to stroll around together is also a great idea. There is a coastal path to hike up the hills next to the sea for a view over Douglas’ harbor and bay, along with the rolling fields in the distance.

During my days on the island, there was no harsh sun, and temperatures hovered around 20 degrees. Some might say it’s gloomy, but I was happy with it. With weather like that, when you’re tired of sitting and watching the sea, you can stretch your legs with a nice coastal walk. There’s a circular walking/hiking trail (Raad ny Foillan) around the Isle of Man. I walked about an eighth of it, around 20km, from Douglas to Castletown at the south of the island. The path wasn’t particularly difficult. Most of the time it gently rose and fell along the shore, winding through small beaches, patches of forest, and sheep pastures.

And if your legs get tired, there are plenty of benches along the way where you can sit and keep gazing at the sea.

If you really don’t feel like walking at all, you can hop on a quaint little train and trundle along the coastline, passing by the hikers, cutting across fields and climbing all the way up to the highest peak on the island.

And if none of these touristy activities have piqued your interest. Well, maybe there’s still something that can really drive your adrenaline high.

When making your way flying out of the isle, why stick to the well-worn path, waiting in the endless long lines of check-in and security? What about sneaking through the airport’s little side gate, rushing onto the runway, jumping on the wing, just in time for your plane to take off. No one is looking. And it’s easyjet, so it has to be easy, right? What could go wrong. Time for a free trip back home!

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy the summer whenever you are.