We stayed 3 nights on the beautiful island of St Martins (Isles of Scilly) in August – me, my wife and our two boys and it was really special. Below I’ll give you reasons why you’ll probably fall in love with the Isles of Scilly too, but first you might be wondering where they are. The Isles of Scilly is an archipelago of 5 inhabited islands: St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes, and some 150 islands and rocks 28 miles off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, South West England. You can either fly (highly recommend!) or sail (not so good if you’re prone to sea sickness !) to the Isles of Scilly from Penzance Harbour, Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter Airports with Isles of Scilly Travel.
Here’s 10 reasons why we loved the Isles Of Scilly for a relaxing family holiday…
Getting there, an adventure in itself!
As i’ve already mentioned, you can either fly or sail to the Isles of Scilly and we opted for the 20 minute flight..and wow what a flight, we all loved it! The usual larger plane was unavailable so we boarded a smaller 7 seater plane and sat right behind the pilot. You get stunning views of the Cornish coastline flying at around 1,000 feet and then the Isles of Scilly come into view in the distance. Such a great start to your time on these amazing islands.
Once you’ve landed on the island of St Mary’s, if you’re staying on one of the other 4 islands like we were you’ll need to hop on a boat which run regularly in between islands and another great experience with amazing views and wildlife on offer.
Beaches
The beaches on the island of St Martins are truly stunning and easily amongst the best beaches in the UK if you are after uncrowded safe beaches with beautiful soft white sand and turquoise clear waters. I’m lucky enough to have experienced many amazing beaches around the World including Hawaii and Yucatan Peninsula…and the beaches on St Martins are honestly right up there with the best of them…if you’re lucky enough to get hot sunny weather like we had.
The sand on the beaches on St Martins even sparkle!
The white sand beaches and rocks are the perfect playground for kids…whilst the adults can watch on, relax and enjoy.
Stunning Sunsets
I’ve been lucky enough to travel to locations famed for breathtaking sunsets but just like the beaches, the sunsets on the Isles of Scilly are right up there with the best of them.
Scenery & Remoteness
You’ll get that the feeling you’re a world away from the UK, when if fact you’re just 28 miles off the southwestern tip of England. Being a photographer, I loved the wild and varied landscapes, the white sand beaches and the clear turquoise waters of the the Scillies. Around every corner is a picture postcard.
Fresh Local Food
Fresh local produce is available on all the islands with lobsters and crab caught daily in Scillonian waters, island-grown food and veg, island-reared beef and duck. It really doesn’t get any fresher here.
Island Hopping
There’s something really special about hopping from island to island on a boat. The captain told us to watch out for dolphins but we didn’t see any this time, but we saw plenty of fish.
Wild Walks
Our boys have never walked so much during our 3 days on the Isles of Scilly! You never know what’s going to be around the next corner and everyone we met along the way were so nice and friendly. There are beaches to explore, sand tracks to run free down and varied coastlines to explore.
Flora and Fauna
Walking around you’ll come across so many flowers and plants that grow on these islands. Wild garlic grows along the coastal paths and the lovely scent fills the air.
Stay in luxury
We stayed at the luxury hotel Karma St Martins with interconnecting rooms perfect for families. Both rooms had balconies with amazing views overlooking the azure waters of the Tean Sound. The rooms were perfect, as was the hotel location. The hotel staff were all lovely, and the food was delicious which we enjoyed eating al fresco with the lovely summer weather we had. A 5 minute walk down the road is the only pub on the island of St Martins, Seven Stones Inn which you must also try for great food, drink and amazing panoramic views. Other amenities at the hotel included a lovely spa, a white-sand beach, a private jetty and an art gallery. There were lots of activities you could try out such as horseback riding and snorkelling with seals which we will be trying on our next visit.
