Sark is an island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey that is full of magic to discover and explore. There are many things to do in Sark that should not be missed on your next visit, some well known and some undiscovered. Explore this small island by foot or by bicycle and enjoy the spectacular scenery that surrounds you.
From stunning cliff views to relaxing rock pools, adventurous sea activities to delicious restaurants, Sark is an island that caters to all people, young and old. If you are planning an island-hopping trip to the Channel Islands, or are simply looking for a staycation you will never forget, start planning your weekend trip to Sark with this complete guide.
Plan your weekend break to Sark with this detailed two-day itinerary
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This travel guide of the things to do in Sark also covers how to get there, the best time to go and a detailed article of what you can expect when you visit this island.
- Stargazing
- Buddhist Carvings
- La Coupée
- Rockpools
- Caves
- Pilcher’s Monument
- Sark Henge
- Caragh Chocolates
- Watersports
- Window in the Rock
The Best Things to do in Sark – An Unmissable Adventure
Despite its quaint size, the island of Sark has an incredible number of fun, fascinating and beautiful things to do and see. This guide will take you through all of the best sights on this amazing island that you cannot miss out on during your weekend away to Sark.
Go Star Gazing
Sark was declared the worlds first dark sky island, so it is the perfect place to go and watch the stars as the night falls. There is no light pollution on the island so when the sky lights up on a clear night it is an unbelievable sight.
We visited Sark Henge at night with an aim to see the Milkyway and plenty of stars. However, unfortunately, we did forget to check on the moon and saw the largest blood red full moon we have ever seen that night.
A lesson to learn for next time..
Visit the Buddhist Carvings
The Buddhist Carving was installed in 1999 when a Tibetan Buddhist monk visited Sark and carved out this granite rock for the new Millennium. The rock sits on the northern tip at L’eperquerie, facing West towards the other islands of Guernsey, Jethou and Herm.
The writing on the rock is translated to “Hail, the jewel in the heart of the lotus” or “Behold! The jewel in the lotus!” and is chanted as protection against evil and harm.
Walk La Coupée
This is one of the most popular attractions in Sark. La Coupée is the 100m bridge joining the peninsula of Little Sark with the larger part of Sark known as Great Sark. La Coupée is 100m long and sits 80m above sea level. It is only 3m in width and looking over both sides you can see the beautiful sandy beaches lying beneath.
On your left-hand side, you can look down to Pot Bay which stretches along the east coast and on your right-hand side is sark’s most popular and largest beach La Grande Grève. You can make your way down to this beach using the steps.
The picturesque views at La Coupée make it one of our favourite places to visit in Sark.
Over the last couple of centuries, this bridge has been rebuilt a total of three times and for very good reason! The original bridge was so thin and brittle that people were only allowed to cross it one at a time.. on their hands and knees! That’s right, people used to have to CRAWL across the bridge, on their way to school, work, and to and from the shops.
Swim in the Rock Pools
Scattered around the rocky shores of Sark are countless hidden rock pools waiting to be explored. Due to the incredible tidal movements of this part of the world, the majority of these rock pools are only accessible at low tide, or either 2 hours on either side of it.
Make sure you research your tide times before you visit the rock pools or you will find yourself a bit disappointed.
Venus Pool
The Venus Pool is located at the southern end of La Coupée on Petit Sark. To get there, follow the track past the Sablonnerie and there is a gate where you can leave your bike. From here, follow the winding path down the cliff to the left until you find the rock pool. The Venus Pool is only accessible at low tide and is the perfect way to cool off on a warm day.
The best time to visit the Venus Pools is on a hot sunny day, two hours either side of low tide. This natural rock pool is big enough and deep enough to swim in and there are plenty of rocks nearby to sunbathe on. The water used to be deeper, however following a landslide, the pool has filled up further with rocks.
Adonis Pool
The Adonis Pool is another natural tidal pool, located close to the southwestern tip of Little Sark. The Adonis pool is covered by the sea at high tide and is best accessed when the tide is low.
The Adonis Pool is larger and deeper than the Venus pools as well as having longer periods of sunshine throughout the day. However, it is more difficult to access and will be separated from the mainland when the tide reaches halfway, so make sure you get back to mainland to avoid being stranded on the outcrop of rock!
Cupids Bath
Cupids Bath is another small rock pool located near the Venus Pools. It is best to wear water shoes down to the rock pools and bear in mind that the rocks can be slippery. The water is not as warm as you may be expecting, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Explore the Caves
Typically for Sark, Little Sark is penetrated at sea level by a number of caves and interconnecting inlets, including the extensive and dramatic, though surprisingly hidden cave system known as La Louge, which forms a pattern in and around the southern headland in roughly the shape of a double-cross.
The Gouliot Caves
On the west coast of Sark are The Gouliot Caves, a must-visit on your trip to Sark. These unique caves are not the easiest to access, however, they are well worth the effort to get down to them.
Accessed by paths and steps starting from La Vaurocque, the Gouliot Caves include a ‘chimney’ entrance with magnificent views, incredible cave roofs, sea entrances, arches, pools such as the ‘Sunny Pool’ and ‘the Well’, and walls so massed with rainbow-coloured anemones that you’ll never tire of showing your friends back home the pictures!
The Boutique Caves
The Boutique Caves are situated at the north end of the island and are accessed from the Eperquerie Landing via paths and steps in the cliff. The best time to go to the Boutique Caves is an hour before low tide when you can explore the tunnels and wet and dry caves.
See the View from Pilcher’s Monument
On the west coast of Sark, sits Pilcher’s Monument, rising high above the cliffs. This monument was made out of Guernsey granite as a memorial to Mr J Pilcher who died whilst sailing in a storm from Sark to Guernsey with four others in 1868.
There are picnic benches around the corner from Pilcher’s monument with some great views across to Guernsey. There are also some lovely coastal walks around this part of Sark to enjoy.
Marvel at Sark Henge
Sark Henge is a circle of standing stones that sits on the east side of the island overlooking the cliffs. It was built in 2015 and marks 450 years since Queen Elizabeth I granted the Fief of Sark to Helier De Carteret, Seigneur of St Ouen, on 6th August 1565. Each of the 9 stones is aligned with a landmark, for example, La Coupee.
Sark Henge is a great place for nighttime photography, however, before you stay up too late make sure you learn from our mistakes and do your research. Despite the island being a Dark Sky Island with no artificial source of lighting, at certain times of the month, the moon is still bright enough to ruin any night photograph.
We managed to end up here right at the time of a full moon but it still looked pretty cool.
Go Mad at Caragh Chocolates
Being chocolate lovers, this was one of our favourite places on the island. Caragh Chocolates has a lovely tea garden outside of the farmhouse where you can indulge in a selection of their delicious chocolates. When you make a purchase you will also be offered a free slice of cake, when we were there it was a lemon drizzle cake they were giving out. We also indulged in a slice of their yummy chocolate brownie and a hot chocolate.
If you enjoy seeing how the chocolate is made, Caragh Chocolates also offers chocolate making workshops on a Tuesday and Saturday. Make sure you book 24hours in advance to make sure you secure your spot. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it on this trip but it is something we would love to do next time!
Try the Amazing Watersports
Being an island, there are many watersports on offer for those that love adventure. Explore Sark from the sea with Adventure Sark and try out the many waterbased activities they have to offer. From sea kayaking to coasteering and on land hiking, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
We loved taking part in sea kayaking. Make your way down to Dixcart beach where you will meet the rest of your group and get introduced to the activity. We would recommend wearing swimwear or clothes that you don’t mind getting wet. A pair of water shoes are also great for this activity to avoid sore feet on the stony shore.
If you have a waterproof camera, bring this with you as you explore the caves and caverns around this craggy island.
Read about what we keep in our camera bag over here
Peer Through the Window in the Rock
The Window in the Rock is another stunning spot on Sark with spectacular views. Located on the west side of the island it is easy to find. Simply follow the signposts along the shaded path through the woods, roughly a 10-minute walk from the main road. This attraction is to be accessed at your own risk as it is a steep 250-foot the drop to the shoreline below.
Looking down through the window you will see below another door shaped hole in the rock on the beach below. If you want to continue the walk down further, you can take the pathway down to Port Moulin beach and take in the view from the other side of the door down there.
How to Prepare for Your Trip to Sark
Before you leave on your trip to the beautiful island of Sark, there are a number of things you will need to organise to ensure a smooth and stress-free trip. These include what to pack, where to stay and what is the best travel insurance for travelling to the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
How to get to Sark?
To get to Sark from Guernsey, you will need to book onto the passenger ferry with Sark Shipping. The Sark boat takes around 50-minutes to sail to Sark from Guernsey and you should be prepared for a bit of a rocky ride, the open water gets very bumpy. When you arrive into Sark, head through the tunnel on your right at Maseline Harbour.
You then you have the option of walking 20-minutes up the steep road or taking the tractor bus up the hill, also known as the toast rack. The tractor will be there waiting for you when you arrive at the port. The tractor departs half an hour before the scheduled ferry sailings so you can catch the tractor back down when you leave the island as well.
If you have a lot of bags, you have the option to leave them at the harbour and have them delivered to your accommodation. All you need to do is make sure they have a luggage tag on them and pay £3 per bag.
How to Get to Guernsey
Given that Guernsey is an island, you really have two choices of transport for getting there: plane or boat. Both of these transport methods are available from the UK, France and from the neighbouring Channel Islands.
Ferry to Guernsey
Condor is the best option for ferries to and from the Channel Islands from the mainland. Leaving from the mainland UK ports of Poole and Portsmouth, the French port of St Malo and the Channel Islands port of Jersey, there are two main ferries that will bring you to Guernsey.
The faster boat, known as the Liberation, takes 3 hours to get from Poole to Guernsey, while the slower boat, known as the Clipper, takes 7 hours from Portsmouth. From St Malo, it will take you just under 2 hours aboard the Rapide to reach Guernsey.
Browse all of Condor’s ferries and routes on their website here.
Fly to Guernsey
Flying to Guernsey can be done from multiple airports across the UK with the Channel Islands airline, Aurigny. This is the quickest and easiest way to get to the island if you are only coming for a short period of time.
You can browse all of the available flights and routes on the Aurigny website here.
How to Get Around Sark
There are three main options when it comes to getting around the island of Sark. On the island, the only motorised vehicles are tractors, only one of which is available for public use (the “toast rack”). The other options for getting around are walking, cycling, and horse drawn carriage.
When you reach the top of the hill, you will be met with a line of horses drawn carriages. You can tour the island with these on a one-hour or two-hour ride on a carriage, however, we would recommend hiring a bicycle instead.
There are 3 options for hiring a bicycle on the island, A to B cycles, Sark Cycle Hire and Avenue Cycle Hire. They are all very similar in price and nearby each other. If you are travelling from France or Jersey, then you can bring your own bike with you, however, on the passenger boat from Guernsey you cannot.
There are no cars on Sark and only tractors and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed. You will see that even the local fire engine and ambulance are pulled by a tractor.
We hired bikes from A to B cycles and it cost us £38 for 3 days for both of us.
What to Pack for Sark
What you need to pack for Sark will rely highly on when you make your trip to the Channel Islands. During the Spring and Autumn months, temperatures and weather patterns vary wildly between beautiful sunny skies and storming gales.
The temperatures generally vary from 10 oC to 25 oC during these months, with a mixture between cold, northerly winds and warmer southerlies. There is a small amount of rain, with maybe 1 in 7 days receiving rainfall, which makes it perfect for days out exploring the beautiful island.
During the Summer months in Sark, temperatures tend to range from 20oC to 30oC, with some days topping 35oC. Summer days in Sark are perfect for the beach, with many locals and travellers spending the day jumping in and out of the sea.
If you need more inspiration on what to pack for your trip, check out our full packing guides for all-weather conditions over here.
When it comes to toiletries, we recommend that you don’t forget to pack sunscreen. The sun in Sark can be strong, especially in the summer months. Due to the lack of pollution, getting a sunburn on Sark is a real risk, so make sure you protect yourself from the strong sunshine to avoid a ruined holiday.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you will see in Sark, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
You can read what else we keep in our camera bag over here.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Main Lens – Sony FE 16-35 mm f/2.8 GM
Zoom Lens – Sony F3.5-5.6 28mm-70mm
Camera Stand – Neewer Portable 177cm
Vlogging Camera – Sony HX90v
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 8 Black
Drone Camera – DJI Spark
Camera Bag – Yahan Camera Bag
What is the Best Travel Insurance for Sark
Regardless of what type of trip you are heading on, one thing that is essential for everybody is good travel insurance. Accidents can happen anywhere and at anytime and unexpected hospital bills will ruin a holiday. Remove the stress from your next adventure and get covered for the worst.
World Nomads Travel Insurance provides budget reliable travel insurance that will keep you covered for any level of adventure.
You can get your quote before you leave on your trip right here.
Where to Stay in Sark
When it comes to accommodation on Sark, there is something for everyone’s taste. There is a range of hotels, B&Bs and even campsites to choose from. No matter what your preferred level of luxury is, there is the perfect place for you.
Luxury – Stokes Hotel is a 16th-century luxury hotel nestled in nature on Sark. There are 2 swimming pools as well as a poolside bar and restaurant. Breakfast is included in your stay.
Mid-range – Pourquoi Pas B&B is a beautiful and affordable place to stay in Sark. With gorgeous views overlooking the cliffs and a pool in the garden, how could you say no to staying here?!
Budget – La Valette campsite offers pods to stay in that are fully equipped with the exemption of lighting and sleeping bags. These pods are perfect if you are looking for a budget stay on the island.
Camping – Pomme de Chien is a peaceful campsite located near the harbour in Sark. It has free hot showers and a fridge to store any food or drinks you have brought. Costing only £10 per person a night, this campsite is a great way to visit Sark on a budget.
So there you have it, a complete guide to the best things to do in Sark! This island is a world away from the mainland of Guernsey and it’s easy to see why it is such a popular holiday destination for Guernsey locals.
If you enjoyed your trip to Sark, let us know what your favourite sight on this amazing island was in the comments section below. We love chatting you guys about this kind of thing, so let’s share our top experiences with everyone else! If you haven’t been to Sark yet, have we encouraged you to visit this beautiful island?!
Also, make sure you share this article with your family and friends to show them how beautiful the Channel Islands can be. Sharing is caring and we want to inspire as many people as we can to visit this unbelievable part of the world.
If you are planning a trip to Sark soon then check out our other Channel Islands content right here. Come and find us on social media to see where we are currently exploring. Tag us in your photos from Guernsey and we will share them with the rest of our community of explorers and backpackers on our social channels!
Now Read:
- Sark Island Guernsey – The First Dark Sky Island
- Sunset Spots in Guernsey – Best Places to Watch the Sunset
- Eating Out in Guernsey – Best Restaurants in Guernsey
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