Travel enthusiast Criostoir Connolly has shared his favourite beach in all of Ireland that’s comparable with Hawaii, and it’s a spot that is not only stunning, but also has a unique twist
Alice Sjoberg Social News Reporter
14:39, 25 Jan 2026
Criostoir Connolly praised the beach as ‘the Hawaii of Ireland’ (stock image)(Image: Mlenny via Getty Images)
Ireland boasts numerous stunning and unique locations well worth visiting, but knowing where to begin when seeking out the island’s various scenic locations can be difficult. To help, one travel enthusiast has revealed his top beach across the entire island, dubbing it ‘the Hawaii of Ireland’.
Irish travel enthusiast Criostoir Connolly regularly takes to social media to show off his favourite destinations throughout Ireland, having explored all 32 counties on the island, for his 90,000 followers to enjoy. In a recent video, Criostoir revealed his favourite beach in all of Irealnd, drawing comparisons to the tropical paradise of Hawaii.
“If you’re looking for one of the best beaches in all of Ireland, then look no further than this beach in the north of Antrim.” Criostoir said at the beginning of his TikTok video.
Whilst the text overlay on the clip asked ‘Is this Hawaii or Ireland?’, Criostoir proceeded to turn the camera around to reveal the breathtaking landscape before him, which was Whitepark Bay Beach, a three-mile stretch of coastline situated along the Antrim Coast.
“Situated not far from the famous Giant’s Causeway, the is probably one of my favourite beaches to go to in all the island of Ireland. And it’s definitely one with a unique twist,” he said. The golden shoreline creates a pristine crescent nestled between two promontories along the North Antrim coastline.
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In this sheltered spot, even during peak times there’s ample space for peaceful contemplation. It’s surrounded by age-old sand hills that offer a variety of abundant ecosystems, a sanctuary for creatures, with varied environments that shelter butterflies, orchids, birds, otters and marine creatures.
And while it’s not safe to swim at this beach due to due to dangerous rip currents, the beach makes for a great location for a scenic walk or a picnic.
But what about the unique feature of the beach? Criostoir revealed: “If you’re lucky, or unlucky in some people’s eyes, you’ll be able to see some of the grazing cattle that live in and around the beach, making it not only a beautiful beach in Ireland, but one of a kind on the island.”
Beyond offering a fantastic photography chance, the National Trust has revealed that the livestock found at White Park Bay perform a crucial role in the preservation efforts surrounding the sand hills of the coastline.
On their website, they clarified that cattle grazing is a proven conservation technique that has been employed in other sections of the dune network at White Park Bay with remarkable success. The livestock helps to dramatically lower the grass coverage and permits uncommon flora such as orchids and winter annuals to thrive on the cropped turf.
The cattle are owned by a local farmer who leases portions of the land managed by the National Trust close to the shoreline, and the animals are permitted to roam freely across the beach during particular periods throughout the year.
Criostoir wasn’t alone in being captivated by the coastline, as the comments section beneath the video quickly filled with others expressing their views.
“Yes probably my favourite in the UK,” one person wrote, whilst another said: “It’s been my favourite beach for decades but it has become too popular in recent times. Don’t visit it as regularly these days. White park bay. Is my favourite place to be for the sunsets. Have lots of great sunset photos from here.
“Beautiful Ireland,” someone else said.