For most visitors, the Isle of Man is best known for the roar of the TT races or the Manx Grand Prix. But for one YouTuber, a brief 24-hour stopover gave him the chance to discover the island’s culture, scenery and wildlife beyond the race circuit.

Máté Mikus, a 23-year-old content creator, flew in from Dublin with no hotel booking and a simple plan – to explore as much as possible in a single day. While he acknowledged the TT’s global reputation, it was not the focus of his August trip.

His first stop was Castletown. Expecting a larger settlement due to its history as the ancient capital, Máté said he was surprised to learn its population is around 3,000. Throughout his visit he referred to it as a city, although Douglas has been the island’s only city since gaining the title in 2022.

Travelling to Cregneash in search of the rare Manx Loaghtan sheep, Máté described the village as ‘very local’, filming a thatched-roof cottage for his audience. When he found the sheep, his reaction was one of excitement.

‘Do you know what it feels like to find these animals?’ he said. ‘It is like playing Minecraft and then you find the sheep that are pink sheep and super rare, or when you play Pokémon Go and find the rarest one.’

He expressed surprise that the breed, which he called ‘beautiful’, had almost become extinct in the 1950s.

‘I love this island so far, everything about it,’ he added. ‘The vibes, the people, everyone’s so friendly – it’s so local.’

He went on to describe the Isle of Man as ‘a better version of the UK and Ireland’, praising its tidiness, what he called the ‘elegant’ nature of its people, and their ‘very nice accent’.

At Port St Mary beach, Máté was particularly struck by the sand, referring to it as ‘premium sand’ and claiming he had never seen grains of such high quality before.

In Douglas, he visited landmarks including churches, the railway station and the TT Grandstand, frequently telling viewers: ‘I love it!’ His filming style, combining lighthearted commentary with quick observations, appeared aimed at capturing the charm of smaller details as much as major landmarks.

Later, he tried Queen scallops at the Little Fish Café on Douglas Quay. With 11 hours still to go before his ferry to Dublin and no plans for the night, he was allowed to while away the time in the public areas of the Empress Hotel by staff – an act of hospitality he said left a strong impression.

Although he missed some attractions, including the Great Laxey Wheel, Máté told viewers he intends to return and spend longer exploring.

‘I will 100% be back,’ he said, adding that next time he hoped to bring a bike and cycle the length of the island. He also suggested he might plan his trip to coincide with local events to experience a different side of Manx life.

His full video of the trip is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Vle1eVKOc