Isles of Scilly – White Sand Islands in the UK: Where to Stay and What to Do in England’s Most Westerly Archipelago

Speak to most people about the Isles of Scilly, and they’ll smirk and say something like, “You mean Sicily?”

But while Italy’s Sicily has some gorgeous beaches, these vast licks of champagne-toned sand on England’s Isles of Scilly have something almost no beach in Italy can boast: space. There’s so much of it.

Walk along the paths on the west coast of Tresco — a favorite island of Prince William and Princess Kate — and you’ll likely see a few people walking here and there, but head to a west coast beach, feet sinking into warm white sand, and you’ll almost certainly be alone. Sandbars reach far into a turquoise sea, vibrant and glistening, and so incredibly translucent that you can see a world of colorful shells beneath the surface, as well as blades of green kelp dancing in the undercurrents.

There are five inhabited islands and 130+ uninhabited isles, and most of them, whether inhabited or not, share not just that gorgeous white-sanded beauty but also a distinct sense of serenity and calm. The main island is Saint Mary’s, and while it’s a fantastic hub for restaurants and shops, it’s best used as a jumping-off point for the other islands, as it tends to be the only island that gets busy, often with day trippers and cruise passengers.

How to Get to the Isles of Scilly: Helicopter, Ferry or Skybus

The traditional option is the Scillonian III, the ferry which sails from Penzance to St Mary’s in around two hours and 45 minutes. The ferry runs seasonally and gives you a real sense of leaving the mainland behind as the wind-licked Cornwall coast gradually disappears over the horizon. There’s a café on board, and the crossing is as much about the views as the trip.

If you’d rather get there quickly, Skybus flies from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter to St Mary’s, taking between 20 and 30 minutes, although the Newquay route is currently suspended until 2027. The aircraft are 19-seat DHC-6 Twin Otters, so this is considerably closer to flying in a small private plane than the usual airport experience. If you’re flying into Cornwall to begin with, it’s worth knowing that some UK airports are considerably more reliable than others — a delay on the mainland leg can cost you the connection entirely.

The most intriguing route for a first arrival, though, is the Penzance Helicopter, which takes around 20 minutes from Penzance Heliport directly to either St Mary’s or Tresco. The nine-seater helicopter flies out over Mount’s Bay with sights of the Cornish coast, and the striking silhouette of St Michael’s Mount in the distance, before the gem-like islands appear ahead.

There is, however, one caveat: the 20kg luggage allowance seems quite generous, but bags need to be soft-sided and within the operator’s size limits, which can be quite restrictive in practice.

How to Get Around the Isles of Scilly

To get around the Isles of Scilly, you’ll need either your own boat or to take advantage of the wonderful little ferries that operate according to a timetable of changing tides and with the somewhat blithe laid-backness that characterizes Scilly locals. Sometimes the boats run, sometimes they don’t, seems to be the consensus, but timetables are announced the day before, and your hotel can help with private transport when the tides or the boats aren’t convenient.

We booked a private boat once, and were surprised to see St Mary’s dockmaster arriving to taxi us from St Martin’s to Bryher. Inter-island boats cost anywhere from £15 per adult for a return on a shared ferry to £60 and more for private transfers.

What to Do on the Isles of Scilly

Tresco: White-Sand Beaches, Bikes and 20,000 Plants in a Subtropical Garden

Scillies beaches are remarkable, really. Walk along Apple Tree Bay on Tresco, and you’ll find a vast curve of white sand backed by flora in shades of purple and yellow and, at low tide, enormous sandbars reaching into glistening pools of blue water. The water is clear for several meters, revealing colorful shells beneath the surface and, in the shallows, the occasional flash of marine life.

Tresco is small enough to explore by bicycle, and cycling makes sense if you want to cover several of the island’s beaches and the Abbey Garden without spending entire days walking. We cycled across most of the island, and as Tresco is basically crime-free, we left our bikes unattended without locks, often for hours at a time to swim, and they were always exactly where we left them when we returned.

The Tresco Abbey Garden is one of the island’s most unique attractions. The garden was established in the 19th century around the ruins of a Benedictine abbey and contains thousands of exotic plants, many of which, while from the far reaches of the Earth, survive well here because of Scilly’s unusually mild climate.

There are palms, hundreds of succulents in jewel-like colors, and so many Mediterranean species growing in tiered gardens around the remains of the abbey. It’s the same trick pulled off at Flor & Fjære, the Norwegian island garden growing palms at the latitude of Stavanger — northern islands warmed just enough by the sea to grow things that have no business surviving there.

St Martin’s: Beaches, Hikes and Island Produce

One of the best spots for hiking on the Isles of Scilly is St Martin’s, with the island small enough to commit to the circular walk in one day. The island’s beaches, including Great Bay, Little Bay and Par Beach, are the real draw, but the Daymark at Chapel Down is worth the climb for the views across the surrounding islands.

On St Martin’s, as with many of the Scillies, particularly on the more protected shorelines, the sand is a fine grain of white, sometimes broken by rocks covered in moss or a bright yellow mollusk. The beaches are one of the main reasons to come here, but the sheer amount of space makes them feel addictive and extremely regenerative.

St Martin’s also has its own vineyard and cider farm, where they produce apple juice and wines. You can visit for a tasting, or, when they’re closed, buy apple juice directly from the honesty shed outside the gate.

Bryher: From White Sand to the Wild Atlantic

Some beaches in the Scillies don’t have the Caribbean-esque white-sand aesthetics that draw so many people here. Instead, some tend to have a real cinematic Atlantic vibe, with cliffs hammered by the tides and rocky outcrops, popular with hikers in search of views.

The north of Bryher is particularly stunning, with waves crashing against rocks, indented beaches and towering caves home to seals and seabirds. The western side of Bryher feels particularly wild, and the walk out onto the cinematic rocks at Shipman Head offers one of the most rugged hikes on the island.

But continue around Bryher, crossing towards the sheltered eastern side, and the landscape changes again: white sands and calm waters.

Bryher is also home to the succulent farm, where an honesty shed sells succulents and fudge, including flavors like salted fudge made with salt gathered by hand on the island, with instructions for the payment machine should you have forgotten your cash.

Go Out on the Water to See Scilly’s Wildlife

We joined a local fisherman to head out between the islands and past Round Island Lighthouse, in search of the local wildlife. We spotted plenty of seals, well suited to the more rugged parts of Scilly’s coastline, often appearing in small groups around the uninhabited islands and rocky outcrops.

We didn’t see the much-hoped-for puffins, although they can be spotted around the islands during the breeding season. Instead, we saw sea eagles and hundreds of razorbills covering vast rock faces.

Where to Stay on the Isles of Scilly

Most people who stay in the Scilly Isles stay either on Saint Mary’s or on Tresco. But Tresco only has one hotel, so the majority stay in the holiday cottages scattered across the island.

Karma St Martin’s: A Serene Stay on One of Scilly’s Best Beaches

The approach by boat to Karma St Martin’s leads to a crescent of white beach and a small crop of buildings hovering over the sand. There’s a lawn just off the beach, and, as the weather’s nice, this is where check-ins happen, on one of the picnic tables, with wild rabbits disappearing into the bushes.

This hotel is every bit the old-school English seaside hotel. There’s a common room with board games and books, a library with a fireplace and photographs from a royal visit on the walls. But the general ambiance is one of faded grandeur. In truth, it needs a lick of paint and the bathrooms are dated.

But this is the only hotel on the island, and aside from the cosmetic issues, it’s a good one: the small staff is courteous and welcoming, the beach out front is absolutely stunning, and the rooms all have showers over baths, useful after a day’s hike.

After dark, the lack of light pollution makes the stars spectacular, while during the day the beach outside is often empty.

Room rates vary by season, with a night in an Ocean View Room, best for the panoramic views across the beach, currently priced at £543.00 a night.

Karma St Martin’s Isles of Scilly, Lower Town, St Martin’s, TR25 0QW, England
Tel: +44 (0)1720 422 368

Hell Bay Hotel: A Remote Stay on Bryher

Hell Bay Hotel sits on Bryher’s wild Atlantic edge with the ocean directly beyond the hotel, a polite tableau of pastoral green hills, neatly hedged gardens, and…pure serenity. The hotel has 25 suites, with balconies or terraces and views across either the Atlantic or the gardens. There is a heated outdoor pool, sauna and Jacuzzi, and yoga studio, while the Treatment Shed offers spa treatments using organic seaweed products sourced from the Scillies.

We stayed in the spacious Juno Suite, located away from the main house, on the top floor of a charming boathouse with a large private balcony, panoramic sea views and a private entrance. From here, you can leave the hotel grounds directly to join the hiking path across the rugged western coast of the island.

Room rates are extremely variable as most rooms are different, with the Juno Suite priced at £480.

Hell Bay Hotel Bryher, Isles of Scilly, TR23 0PR Tel: +44 (0)1720 422 947 Website

Where to Eat and Drink on the Isles of Scilly

Outside of the main hub, there are very few restaurants on the Isles of Scilly, but you will find a few basic restaurants, pubs and cafes across the islands. If you’re staying on Tresco, the village shop is surprisingly well-stocked.

Island Fish, Bryher

Island Fish is a charming fish shack/cafe, helmed by a three-generation family fishing business on Bryher, supplying fresh crab, lobster, fish and shellfish around Scilly.

Its shop and café are a short walk from the island’s beach and wooden jetty, and are open during the main season. You can eat crab sandwiches, lobster and sharing platters, alongside cakes, tea and coffee. Specials on the day included fresh crab sandwiches, freshly caught lobster and huge Bloody Mary stuffed with seafood.

Island Fish Ltd Kenython, Bryher, Isles of Scilly, TR23 0PR Tel: +44 (0)1720 423 880 Website

The Seven Stones Inn, St Martin’s

The Seven Stones Inn is St Martin’s only proper pub, with views from a raised terrace towards the neighboring islands and the stunning expanse of blue Atlantic. The path that leads here is quiet and unlit, so bring a torch if you’re indulging in an evening supper. The interiors are surprising, strung with fairy lights, giving it an air of London’s hipster east end. The menu is a range of pub classics bolstered by some local seafood, along with a simple but decent wine selection.

The Seven Stones Inn Lower Town, St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly, TR25 0QW Tel: +44 (0)1720 423 777 Website

Hell Bay Restaurant, Bryher

Hell Bay’s restaurant is The Isles of Scilly’s only three-AA-Rosette restaurant, with menus changing daily according to the availability of local produce. Bryher crab, lobster, local vegetables and other seasonal ingredients feature heavily.

The food is passable and reasonably tasty, but unfortunately suffers a little bit of style over substance, with dishes relying too heavily on presentation rather than doing anything genuinely interesting, despite a built-in customer base with limited options. There’s a more laidback option in the next room which I preferred, though the food is simple pub-style fare: lots of fish in crispy batters, thick soups and salads, prices far above average.

Hell Bay Restaurant Hell Bay Hotel, Bryher, Isles of Scilly, TR23 0PR Tel: +44 (0)1720 422 947 Website

When to Visit the Isles of Scilly

Instinct says to visit in the summer when the weather is more reliable. But even in the spring, the weather is instantly warmer than Cornwall’s mainland, and it’s perfectly reasonable to swim, particularly if you’re used to, or even enjoy, the colder and thoroughly bracing Atlantic waters.

For hiking and empty beaches, however, spring and early autumn are best. The weather is never guaranteed, but Scilly’s unusually mild climate means the season is longer than you might expect, and the beaches are stunning at any time of year.

If you’re routing through the capital on the way down to Cornwall, our London walking guide covers the five best areas to base yourself for a night or two either side.