“It’s the Maldives… in Scotland!” TikTok couple discover secret paradise beach on Isle of Harris

“Oh my god…I think we just found the equivalent of the Maldives in Scotland.”

That’s what married couple Sam and Chris Hoar say in a now-viral TikTok video which was captured on a beach on Scotland’s Isle of Harris (which is connected to the Isle of Lewis).

In the video, the couple from Devon, England, who the YouTube channel The Travel Duoreveal how they were flying their drone over the strip of coast overlooking Scarp Island when they spotted an ‘incredible’ strip of white sand fringed by turquoise waters – Traigh Mheilein Beach.

They were immediately reminded of the tropical Maldives archipelago in the Indian Ocean, telling MailOnline Travel: ‘The white sand and crystal clear waters are not often seen in the UK.

‘We were lucky enough to visit the Maldives twice, once for our honeymoon and then we returned two years later because we fell in love with it. The secret [Scottish ] beach reminded us of the beautiful waters there. So clear. We caught it on such a perfect day when it was very still and glistening in the sun.’

The couple says, ‘We’ve been to the Maldives twice… the secret beach [above, in Scotland] reminded us of the beautiful waters there’

The couple say the beach is so “hidden and remote” they couldn’t find it on Google Maps, even though it’s indicated by Ordnance Survey Maps.

The bloggers, who have traveled to 31 different countries together, bought their first motorhome in 2018 and gave up their careers to travel in 2022 – Chris is a regular firefighter and an engineer, while Sam ran her own business as a beautician. The pair rented out their three-bedroom house in Plymouth and took off in their motorhome, sharing their journey on social media along the way.

The trip to Scotland was a highlight of their travels. After spying the beach on the drone, the childhood sweethearts, who tied the knot at the age of 23, walked over and went for a dip in the sea with their dog Fletcher.

They recall, “We enjoyed the beautiful soft white sand and couldn’t stop staring at the clear turquoise water. There was one other couple there when we arrived and then they left so we decided to go nude swimming as we forgot to bring our swimmers.’

The couple spotted the “incredible” beach as they flew their drone over the coastal strip overlooking Scarp Island. “We enjoyed the beautiful soft white sand,” the couple says

The couple’s dog, Fletcher, on the beach. The pair reveal they ‘couldn’t stop staring at the clear turquoise water’

The couple say Traigh Mheilein beach is so ‘hidden and remote’ they couldn’t find it on Google Maps

“You don’t often come across such turquoise waters,” the couple says

The couple loved “how secluded it was” saying, “It was so peaceful and felt like you were somewhere tropical”

Many of the TikTok users who commented on the video, which has 464,000 views and 28,000 likes, “were very surprised it was in the UK,” the couple reveal.

They say: ‘You don’t often come across such turquoise waters. We grew up very close to Cornwall where there are some spectacular beaches but none as good as this. We had so many responses they couldn’t believe it was in the UK.’

TikTok user ‘Lou Lou’ said, ‘Scotland you say? With water so blue? Not really.’

Others, meanwhile, were more concerned with the temperature of the water. User Gracie Kaye wrote: ‘I, a Scotsman, wondered how on earth you didn’t freeze to death.’

While user ‘ab’ wrote: ‘So beautiful but so cold.’

Many of the TikTok users who commented on the video, which has 464,000 views and 28,000 likes, “were very surprised that [the beach] was in the UK’

Chris and Sam say of the beach: ‘We wish we could enjoy it longer… we will definitely go back.’ The bloggers have traveled to 31 different countries together. Pictured to the right is a portrait of Fletcher on the sand

There was a path all the way to this beach from the nearby Huisinis parking lot, the pair reveal

Remote: The Isle of Harris is connected to the Isle of Lewis

Reflecting on what they’ve learned from their travels, the couple say: ‘We can honestly say we’ve fallen more and more in love with the UK. When we get some nice weather – which we know is few and far between in the UK – it really is a beautiful island.

‘We have some of the best beaches in Europe here and this one in Scotland has got to be one of the best we’ve seen on our travels.’

How do you get to the beach? The pair reveal: ‘To find it, park at Huisinis Beach and walk towards Scarp Island for about 35 minutes and then you’ll reach this slice of paradise. There was a path all the way to this beach from the Huisinis parking lot, but it can be challenging at times due to uneven ground, swampy surfaces and narrowing paths along the side of the mountain.’

Although they have departed from Scotland during their travels, the two have plans to return to this hidden gem. They reveal, “We wish we could enjoy it longer…we’ll definitely be going back.”

Visit them for more videos from Chris and Sam TikTok accounttheir Youtube Channel and their website.