The Isle of Man, or ye olde Isle of Man as that one guy living under Peel Castle calls it, isn’t best known for being the most futuristic of places. I’ve only heard one person refer to the island as the ‘Tokyo of the British Isles’, but they’d just moved here after escaping a cult.

Our reputation of being a little behind everywhere else is steeped in some truth. Yes, we don’t have an Asda or an Odeon or an indoor ski slope, but on the flip side, we pride ourselves on preserving multiple landmarks that are the oldest in the world of their kind. And what would you rather have, a Primark or bragging rights over the oldest working water wheel in the world? Unless Primark started selling a jumper for £2.50 with a picture of the Great Laxey Wheel on it, I think the answer is pretty straight-forward.

But Lady Isabella – built in 1854 – isn’t the only ‘oldest thing’ we have to feel smug about. The horse tram that runs along Douglas Bay is the oldest horse-drawn passenger tramway to remain in service anywhere in the world. It was built in 1876 and has been giving drivers getting stuck behind it road rage ever since 1886. One might argue that cars getting stuck behind the horse trams is symbolic of the Isle of Man blocking progression, but I prefer to see it as highlighting the importance of slowing down and appreciating nostalgia and the simpler things in life. Plus, you can’t stay mad at the horses when you eventually drive past them, they’re all adorable.

Sticking with old school transport, the Manx Electric Railway – an electric tramway built between 1893 and 1899 – is home to the two oldest working tramcars in the world. All the carriages still used today are original from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Impressive? Yes. Upsetting to sit on because the Victorians hated any form of comfort? Also yes.

We’ve also got the Victorian Steam Railway; our very own Hogwarts Express. It runs between Douglas and the south of the island and is the longest narrow-gauge steam line in Britain. Plus, it’s also been recognised as the inspiration for Wilbert Awdry’s Thomas the Tank Engine.

Away from transport, we have the oldest continuous running parliament in the world – Tynwald – which is more than 1,000 years old now. But despite the age of our parliament, the Isle of Man has a history of being fairly forward-thinking with a few of its laws.

The Isle of Man was the first place in the world to give certain women – those who owned property – the right to vote back in 1881. New Zealand took it a step further in 1893 when they gave all women the right to vote. Fast-forward to now, and the Isle of Man is in the progress of becoming the 11th country in the world to legalise assisted dying. It could be made available from 2027 to residents who are mentally competent and have less than 12 months to live. And our government is currently working towards being the second country in the world – behind Scotland – to provide its residents with free period products via a Bill looking to ensure periods could be managed "with dignity and without financial strain" as well as educating people more effectively about menstruation to break down the shame and stigma still surrounding periods.

In a similar vein to Scotland, we also have wild, Red-Necked Wallabies roaming around the island. While our Scottish cousins purposefully introduced them into the environment in the 1940s, ours were introduced accidentally after a Steve McQueen-like breakout in the 1960s from the Curragh’s Wildlife Park. Which is less responsible and far cooler.

Environmentally, (as well as culturally and economically) the Isle of Man is the only place in the world to have a whole nation UNESCO Biosphere status. It’s an accolade given based on the island’s preservation of culture, heritage, and environment, combined with a healthy economy and community working to create a sustainable future. We’re a pretty big deal in the Biosphere world.

If you’re not from here and find yourself reading this, thinking ‘that sounds DELIGHTFUL. I’d LOVE to live somewhere where I can brag about it having two of the oldest working tramcars in the world and an aspiration to make period products free! Any jobs going?’

Plenty, as a matter of fact. With a population of 84 thousand, the island’s unemployment rate is only 0.6%. The digital industry here is booming, and is one of the main components helping the Isle of Man become more diverse. Hundreds of people have moved here to take up jobs in tech and eGaming industries and there’s a surplus of opportunities still available in a range of digital sectors.

Community wise, the Isle of Man was ranked the fourth safest place to live in the world in a 2022 World Population Review and the safest place to live in Britain following results from the Isle of Man Constabulary 2023-2024 report. Let me put it this way: I never lock our front door, and last week, I pulled the door open a little too aggressively on my way out and it got stuck on our wholesome welcome mat. I didn’t realise until 9 hours later, when I came back to find the door still wide open and everything in the flat completely untouched, including an open envelope with ‘MONEY FOR LONDON’ written on its outside and £400 cash inside. (If you’re my landlord reading this, then I was just kidding about not locking the front door).

Of course, there are downsides and improvements needed in every country in the world, and our Manx Crabs pride themselves on being vocal about things that are terrible here. It's not Tokyo, sure – but from admiring the Great Laxey Wheel to enjoying the privilege of forgetting to lock your door, there’s no place we’d rather be.