England's Island

Beaches on the Isle of Wight

15 beaches around the island

The Isle of Wight has 57 miles of coastline and 15 distinct beaches, from broad golden sands to sheltered pebble coves. The south and east coasts offer the warmest, most sheltered swimming, while the west coast has wilder surfing beaches and dramatic fossil-rich cliffs.

Sandown Beach

Sandown Beach is one of the Isle of Wight's most celebrated stretches of coastline, drawing visitors year after year to ...

Sand · Near Sandown

Shanklin Beach

Shanklin Beach sits at the southern end of Sandown Bay, a stretch of fine golden sand sheltered beneath sandstone cliffs...

Sand · Near Shanklin

Ventnor Beach

Ventnor Beach occupies a sheltered position at the foot of the town, tucked beneath St Boniface Down and facing due sout...

Mixed · Near Ventnor

Compton Bay

Compton Bay is the Isle of Wight's finest wild beach. Facing south-west on the island's exposed back coast, it catches t...

Sand · Near Freshwater

Freshwater Bay

Freshwater Bay is a small, dramatic cove on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight, framed by high chalk cliffs and d...

Pebble · Near Freshwater

Ryde Beach

Ryde Beach is the first beach most visitors to the Isle of Wight encounter, stretching away on either side of the pier a...

Sand · Near Ryde

Yaverland Beach

Yaverland Beach occupies the northern end of Sandown Bay, curving around beneath the imposing chalk headland of Culver C...

Sand · Near Sandown

Whitecliff Bay

Whitecliff Bay is a sheltered sandy cove on the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, tucked between the chalk cliffs of Cul...

Sand · Near Bembridge

Priory Bay

Priory Bay is one of the Isle of Wight's hidden treasures, a secluded sandy beach on the north-east coast that can only ...

Sand ·

Alum Bay

Alum Bay is one of the most visited spots on the Isle of Wight, famous above all for the dramatic multi-coloured sand cl...

Pebble · Near Totland

Totland Bay

Totland Bay is a quiet, west-facing beach on the Isle of Wight's western coast, known above all for its sunsets. On a cl...

Pebble · Near Totland

Colwell Bay

Colwell Bay is a sheltered beach on the west coast of the Isle of Wight, sitting between Totland Bay to the south and Fo...

Pebble · Near Freshwater

Gurnard Beach

Gurnard Beach sits just west of Cowes on the Isle of Wight's north coast, a quiet stretch of shingle that offers a calm ...

Pebble · Near Cowes

Bembridge Beach

Bembridge Beach stretches along the eastern edge of the village, looking out across the mouth of Bembridge Harbour towar...

Sand · Near Bembridge

Brook Bay

Brook Bay lies on the Isle of Wight's exposed south-west coast, immediately south of Compton Bay and sharing the same wi...

Mixed · Near Freshwater