A travel expert and winner of BBC’s Race Across The World has said his first impressions of the Isle of Man were 'absolutely staggering'.

Alfie Watts, 23, who won Series 4 of the BBC reality competition Race Across The World, made the comments during a recent visit arranged by Visit Isle of Man.

The programme sees teams of two travel vast distances without flying, relying on land and sea transport while working within a budget equivalent to a one-way airfare.

Alfie, who was visiting various spots across the island, including a trip to the Calf, has 298,000 followers on Instagram.

Speaking to Isle of Man Today about his time on the island, Mr Watts said his expectations were quickly overturned when he arrived.

He said: 'The first impressions of Isle of Man are just, it’s absolutely staggering. My first impressions when I heard about the Isle of Man were very different to the ones that I got when I arrived.

'I kind of had this idea that it would be very similar to the rest of the UK, but I’ve found it absolutely beautiful.

'I think I’ve had the weather very much on side and maybe if I didn’t have that, my opinion would be slightly different. But, yeah, I’ve just found it absolutely beautiful.'

Mr Watts, who describes himself as a travel content creator focusing on 'hidden gem' destinations, said the island’s atmosphere stood out during his visit.

'I think I think the island aligns with my personal journey because it’s such a peaceful place. It really feels like you drop down a gear when you arrive. It’s got that island life feel,' he said.

He also highlighted the island’s appeal for adventure tourism, pointing to a range of outdoor activities and scenery he experienced during his stay.

'For adventurers, there’s so much more here than you could even imagine. There’s quad biking, I went aqua biking today, there’s so many different things you can do on the island, so many viewpoints, so many places to take it all in, and the people are so, so friendly,' he said.

Mr Watts added that the island’s sense of remoteness was part of its charm, likening it to other island destinations he has visited.

He said: 'The Calf of Man is to the Isle of Man what the Isle of Man is to the UK, which is a very remote island where you can properly slow down.'

Reflecting on his wider travel experiences, Mr Watts said the most memorable part of filming Race Across The World was the people he met along the way.

'The most memorable part of that journey was always the people. I loved interacting with local people along the way, learning surfing, going into homestays with people - that was amazing,' he said.

Mr Watts, who turned 23 while on the island, is from the UK and currently lives in Hertfordshire, just north of London.

He's said he'd love to come back to the island in the not so distant future.