With its tropical beaches, crystal-clear water and sunshine, Hawaii is a pretty dreamy holiday destination.
Sadly, it also comes with a pretty steep price tag.
But don’t worry. There’s an island right here in the UK that’s so beautiful it’s earned itself the impressive nickname, ‘Hawaii of the North’.
The Isle of Tiree in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides has white sand beaches, dazzling seas and some of the British Isles’ highest levels of sunshine to match.
In May the sunkissed island averages a whopping 240 hours of sunlight, almost 50 hours more than London‘s average of 193.
The lucky island gets its warmer weather from the Gulf Stream, a warm Atlantic current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico. This means that summer evenings are generally ‘warm and balmy’, says Isle of Tiree.
Even though only 600 people live on the island full time, around 30,000 tourists travel there each year to benefit from its sunny weather.
At just 12 miles long and three miles wide, the island is ‘relatively small’, explains Visit Scotland.
The Isle of Tiree in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides has white sand beaches, dazzling seas and some of the British Isles’ highest levels of sunshine to match
In May the sunkissed island averages a whopping 240 hours of sunlight, almost 50 hours more than London ‘s average of 193
The Isle of Tiree’s ‘beautiful beaches provide miles of potential sandcastles and gently sloping paddling pools’ says the tourist board
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do.
The Isle of Tiree’s ‘beautiful beaches provide miles of potential sandcastles and gently sloping paddling pools’ says the tourist board.
Belephiul Bay is one of the island’s best-rated beaches while Balevullin Beach has ‘dazzling white sand’, according to tourists.
And for the more adventurous holidaymaker, the island is a ‘mecca’ for windsurfing adds Visit Scotland. In October, the Isle of Tiree hosts the Tiree Wave Classic, the longest-standing windsurfing event in the UK.
After a day at the beach, head to The Tiree Crab Company, a family-run business that sells locally caught crab and lobster.
Tourists can reach the remote island by flying from Glasgow or Oban or taking the ferry from Oban.
Flights take under one hour while the ferry crossing takes around four hours.
If you want to travel slightly further afield than Scotland, why not check out another European destination that’s been described as the continent’s Hawaii?
