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TripAdvisor names Scottish island of Lewis and Harris among best in world

Will Coldwell

theguardian.com, Wednesday 19 February 2014 12.46 GMT

There are no palm trees and you won't find a beachside cocktail bar but the Scottish island of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides has beaten off competition from tropical rivals to be voted among the top five islands in the world.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/feb/19/scottish-island-lewis-harris-best-world-tripadvisor

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Morakot

Lewis and Harris named as Europe's top island by TripAdvisor

Lewis and Harris has been named as the best island in Europe by an international travel site. It also beat rivals in Thailand, Chile and Madagascar to be included in the top five islands in the world.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-26247865

well it looks like it has great rocks and sun too, who'd have guessed. Would p[robably be nice siiting in the rocks shade having a haggas picnic

I am not surprised Lewis & Harris beat Thailand as having the best island in Europe

"It also beat rivals in Thailand, Chile and Madagascar to be included in the top five islands in the world."

The standard of literacy in the island of Lewis and Harris is also very high.

SC

And they're near the top when it comes to gullibility where polls are concerned.

Incidentally, to be current, shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Scotland?

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Suradit69

Scottish Full Moon parties appeal to many.

Just hang in there!

It seems that you can easily get noodle soup with meatballs at those Full Moon parties, but I guess that I'll pass on that too!

Well, who would want to swim in Phi Phi, when they could swim in pish!

You would have to visit The But of Lewis .

Blether....where are you mate?

Btw, looks like a lovely place to visit someday.

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by krisb

If you like stones Callanish ( possibly built by the Minoans ) is the best .

And they're near the top when it comes to gullibility where polls are concerned.

Incidentally, to be current, shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Scotland?

Just for the record:

'Republic Scotland is a part of the broader UK-wide Republic campaign. [...] We take no view on the question of independence, we simply want everyone in the UK to have the right to choose their head of state and to govern themselves through a written republican constitution. '

And they're near the top when it comes to gullibility where polls are concerned.

Incidentally, to be current, shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Scotland?

Just for the record:

'Republic Scotland is a part of the broader UK-wide Republic campaign. [...] We take no view on the question of independence, we simply want everyone in the UK to have the right to choose their head of state and to govern themselves through a written republican constitution. '

Reminds me of the time Australia had a vote to become a republic.

We still have the same Queen as Scotland.

I would love to see the checklist they use to determine what the best island is.

Or where they did their survey/who they surveyed to conclude the outcome. I have been on most of the western isles, Orkney, Shetland, etc, and yes they can be special, but the best in the world?

Clearly not average temperature

Summer Isles.

Don't google it, just go there.

I was born in the wonderful Outer Hebrides so I am pleased with this

Last time we were in the UK/Europe we took a week in Barra. It was the highlight of our trip.

The weather was incredibly clement (low/mid 60s - 70s) each day. No skin blistering glaring sun to battle against nor hordes of backpackers wandering about like headless chickens, noses buried in Lonely Planet guidebooks or expats with their sullen, somtam munching Tee Raks in tow....

Better still, we had the place pretty much to ourselves, or so it felt, I can't think when I've ever been able to say anything similar about a Thai beach or Island, All week I think we only spoke to possibly 4 other tourists, plus the quiet was genuine 100% quiet..

The only ambient noise was that provided by Mother Earth; not one peaceful moment was ruined by some prat on a scooter or a overly tattooed former civil servant riding a souped up motorbike trying to regain their long passed youth, or some bleeding songtaew advertising limes/Muay Thai at volumes which would make Slayer blush, nor was there a jet-ski to be found....

The waters were crystal clear, the beaches spotless something you can say about few Thai beaches these days...

Even when the weather did let us down, it was staggeringly moody and magnificent....

An experience we're going to repeat this year (hopefully).

Bad luck for us Aussies. All we got was this crappy island among others. Awful place it is.

Plus this terribly ugly rocky reef

Not forgetting the wildlife of course...

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by krisb

I am not surprised Lewis & Harris beat Thailand as having the best island in Europe

"It also beat rivals in Thailand, Chile and Madagascar to be included in the top five islands in the world."

The standard of literacy in the island of Lewis and Harris is also very high.

SC

I'm guessing that you think Lewis and Harris are 2 separate islands ?

...that's why why they will be INDEPENDANT from UK. Freedom for Scotland !!

As it happens my Thai g/f is coming with me to see Ireland next month and I'm taking her all around the country for 5 weeks. While doing research on places to bring her I use google maps and click on the icon that brings up photos of the different areas. Yesterday it struck me that my own country is every bit as beautiful as Thailand if not more so. The only advantage of Thailand is the weather, cheap food and cheap Isaan bar girls and of course you can get nice places to stay in Thailand for 1/3 the price. I can understand where you're coming from about the Scottish Islands and I'd love to visit there someday. By the way, whenever I do the same kind of search on Google maps of Thai areas its mostly photos of precarious electricity lines and poles wats that I see.

I'm not surprised the least. By the way, there is plenty of ladyboys in Scotland too! You know: men wearing skirts...

Now you know the only reason the Scots wear skirts is to show what real men they are......

Yep it looks a great place to visit, relax on and drink a nice malt whiskey as the sun sets. Would really really love to one day. Scottish folk are well respected amongst Australians. Great bunch.

Only reason I put our Aussie island pic up cause I'm jealous.

And they're near the top when it comes to gullibility where polls are concerned.

Incidentally, to be current, shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Scotland?

Just for the record:

'Republic Scotland is a part of the broader UK-wide Republic campaign. [...] We take no view on the question of independence, we simply want everyone in the UK to have the right to choose their head of state and to govern themselves through a written republican constitution. '

Reminds me of the time Australia had a vote to become a republic.

We still have the same Queen as Scotland.

Yep, known as Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories

And you can have sex for free. It's between five and seven.-

I'll take Nantucket instead.

Last time we were in the UK/Europe we took a week in Barra. It was the highlight of our trip.

The weather was incredibly clement (low/mid 60s - 70s) each day. No skin blistering glaring sun to battle against nor hordes of backpackers wandering about like headless chickens, noses buried in Lonely Planet guidebooks or expats with their sullen, somtam munching Tee Raks in tow....

Better still, we had the place pretty much to ourselves, or so it felt, I can't think when I've ever been able to say anything similar about a Thai beach or Island, All week I think we only spoke to possibly 4 other tourists, plus the quiet was genuine 100% quiet..

The only ambient noise was that provided by Mother Earth; not one peaceful moment was ruined by some prat on a scooter or a overly tattooed former civil servant riding a souped up motorbike trying to regain their long passed youth, or some bleeding songtaew advertising limes/Muay Thai at volumes which would make Slayer blush, nor was there a jet-ski to be found....

The waters were crystal clear, the beaches spotless something you can say about few Thai beaches these days...

Even when the weather did let us down, it was staggeringly moody and magnificent....

An experience we're going to repeat this year (hopefully).

One of our favourite places too. I'm actually reassured by how few TV members fancy going there . You could put it down to their preference for tropical islands I guess but their not exactly queuing up to go to Malaysia either which has some of the nicest islands.

Met a bunch of London based Thai students that were totally in awe of the places they had visited up there on a trip.

Servey done by Scottish tourism. Board would read like that.

Yea I will be off to Lewis and Harris for my annual vacation all in pound sterling, rubbish food and weather, no bikinis or I will pay a third of that in tropical paradise in SE Asia with beaut food and all the trimmings.

I told the wife this morning that I wanted to go back and she didn't even flinch when I farted so I think she's keen to return...

My last Scottish wife got eaten by this cruel monster in Loch Ness. Thanks for helping me out, Nessy.-

Well, who would want to swim in Phi Phi, when they could swim in pish!

Have a look at the waters surrounding them. Probably less "Pish" and crap there than around these shores. Plus you won't be disturbed by drunk, drugged up, unconcious ar*eholes raving it up on the beaches. I know not all year,(or by Jetski scams for that matter.Peace and tranquility and beauty that's why it's ranked so highly but maybe I'm being biased.

And then you went to Australia and got over it..

There is no question that the west of Scotland isles can be some of the most beautiful places to visit on a fine day......it's just finding that fine day!

As long as swimming is not on your list of beach pluses!