Guernsey beaches

The best beaches in Guernsey, including advice on how to travel to and what to do at Port Grat and Cobo Bay. By Jill Chadwick, Telegraph Travel's Guernsey expert.

Port Grat

This beautiful, off-the-beaten-track horseshoe bay with soft white sand is one of the island’s best-kept secrets and it's where we often head to swim at high tide. You won’t find too many tourists here as it is a real locals' haunt that rarely gets busy even at weekends. Many of the Guernsey folk who come do so with barbecues and stay until the sun sets. The beach also has a popular kiosk up on the headland which sells a huge selection of homemade cakes and pizzas. If you do come, remember sun screen, as the beach is a sun trap.

Cobo Bay

For stretches of white sands, glittering seas and amazing sunsets, head to the west coast. One of its beaches, Cobo Bay, is arguably Guernsey’s liveliest. It attracts large crowds of younger people, who enjoy the proximity of the bars and the chance to enjoy a beer or a glass of wine and watch the sun go down, and also young families, as the beach is a safe, wide bay with lots of parking nearby. In high season, Cobo Bay Hotel hosts live bands on an elevated balcony overlooking the beach: a great draw for some – but it can be noisy, and the beer can flow.

Fermain Bay

The south coast's bays are very different from their northern and western counterparts. They are found at the base of cliffs, and can only be reached after a bit of a trek. Many have have sand, though beautiful Fermain Bay is in fact pebbly. Nonetheless, it is well worth the walk down Fermain Hill to enjoy one of the most breathtaking cliff views on the island. The sea always sparkles in the bay and many local boat owners use it as a drop-off point to idle away the afternoon, jump off the side of the boat and swim ashore for a cream tea at the award-winning Fermain Beach Café.

Port Soif

There is always a sheltered spot to be found at this horseshoe-shaped, picture-postcard beach, and locals flock here at weekends and enjoy late-night family barbecues. At low tide, families can enjoy the vast rock-pooling opportunities. The beach kiosk has fabulous ice creams and hot snacks. Don’t worry about bringing your own bucket and spade and fishing nets, you can buy them all right here. At certain times there can be a strong current running through the bay, so it is best to watch small children and ensure they don’t venture out too far.

Vazon Bay

Vazon Bay is where to head for if you are seeking an energetic day out in the sunshine. It is the home of Guernsey’s surfing fraternity and has the thriving Guernsey Surf School, which offers one-to-one and family lessons, and body suits, surf and body boards are for hire. The bay has some amazing surf most of the year, so you will see plenty of surfers and wind surfers out there in all weathers. But it is also a huge expanse of white sand and is family friendly at high and low tides. A newly-refurbished beach café sits right on the bay, and is filled with bikers at weekends as this is also the centre of the island’s sand-racing scene. Racing car enthusiasts gather at low tides regularly through the season to race karts, cars and motorbikes in time trials.

L’Ancresse/Pembroke Bays

Covering two bays, this is one of the longest stretches of beach in Guernsey – and it is one of my favourite spots in the world as I live right on it! Powdery white sand and the clearest turquoise sea ensures that this bay is a great pull for visitors and locals alike. There are beach cafés at each end – one (The Beach Cafe) a family-friendly bistro, the other (L’Ancresse Beach Kiosk) catering more for those on a budget and after ice creams. Both are great, fun spots to sit and enjoy one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Guernsey and relax with a coffee or a beer. You may want to invest in a wind break because on certain days you will need one! A coastal path takes you from here all the way to Bordeaux Harbour and St Sampson’s Bridge.