Holiday rentals and lettings in Bigbury on Sea

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a holiday letting in Bigbury-on-Sea?
• Holiday lettings in Bigbury-on-Sea: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Bigbury-on-Sea: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in Bigbury-on-Sea?

• Beachfront cottages and flats: Most lettings sit within a few minutes' walk of the sand, and many add a terrace or balcony looking straight across the bay towards Burgh Island.
• Where to base yourself: The seafront suits beach days, Challaborough and Bantham suit surfers, and Kingsbridge or Salcombe give you shops and estuary boat trips.
• Guest favourites: Our top-rated Bigbury-on-Sea properties score 9.6+, with guests praising the sea views, pet-friendly cottages and the short stroll to the beach.
• Best time to visit: July and August bring the warmest sea, while May, June and September offer quieter sand, cheaper nights and long light evenings.
• Things to do: Cross the tidal causeway to Burgh Island, surf at Bantham, kayak from Salcombe and walk the South West Coast Path.

Bigbury-on-Sea is a small seaside village, so the choice leans towards self-catering cottages tucked into the lanes above Mouthwell beach and sea-view apartments in the clifftop blocks overlooking the bay. Expect anything from a two-person bolthole to an eight-sleeper family house with a garden. Whichever you choose, the following features come up again and again in the village:

• Balconies and terraces facing Burgh Island and the causeway
• Enclosed gardens and off-road parking for beach kit
• Pet-friendly cottages within minutes of the sand
• Wi-Fi and workspaces for longer coastal stays
• Outdoor showers, boot rooms and space for boards

Book early for August, when the beachfront properties in the village go first.

What are the best areas to stay in Bigbury-on-Sea?

For the shortest walk to the sand, stay on the Bigbury-on-Sea seafront above Mouthwell beach. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in Bigbury-on-Sea tend to talk about the same things: waking up to the tide going out across the causeway, the short walk down to the beach with buckets and boards, and evenings on a terrace watching the light fade over Burgh Island. Pet owners rate the village highly too, as several cottages welcome dogs and the coast path starts at the door. Ratings here are consistently strong, with a number of properties sitting at 9.9+.

Bigbury-on-Sea sits on the South Devon coast, facing the tidal island of Burgh Island across a broad sweep of sand near the mouth of the River Avon.

✈️What is the best way to get to Bigbury-on-Sea?

Most visitors arrive by car, as there is no railway station in the village. Here are the most common ways to get to the village:

• Car: Leave the M5 at Exeter and follow the A38 Devon Expressway towards Plymouth, turning off at Wrangaton or Ivybridge for the B3196 and the lanes to Bigbury-on-Sea. The final miles are narrow and high-hedged, so allow extra time in summer. There is a large pay-and-display car park above the beach, which fills early on warm days; check the tide before you drive down to the causeway.
• Train and taxi: The nearest mainline stations are Totnes, Ivybridge and Plymouth, all on the London Paddington to Penzance line. From Totnes or Ivybridge a taxi takes roughly 35 to 45 minutes through the South Hams; from Plymouth allow about an hour. Many hosts will suggest a local firm, and a taxi transfer is worth booking ahead at the weekend and during the school holidays.

🥗Where to eat in Bigbury-on-Sea?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Bigbury Bay Pizzas is the best rated restaurant in Bigbury-on-Sea. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers recommend the Venus Cafe in Bigbury-on-Sea: it sits right above the beach, so you can order breakfast straight off the sand and watch the causeway appear as the tide drops.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The beach is at its best from late May to mid-September, when the sea is warm enough for swimming and the causeway crossing is a daily ritual. July and August are the liveliest and busiest months, while May, June and September give you the same long days with far more room on the sand and better value lettings.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and dog owners who want the coast path to themselves.
• Weather: Mild days, fresh sea breezes and the odd shower rolling in off the bay.
• Atmosphere: Quiet lanes, wildflowers on the cliffs and easy parking above the beach.

Summer

• Best for: Families, surfers and anyone here for the sand.
• Weather: The warmest sea of the year and long, bright evenings.
• Atmosphere: Busy and cheerful, with queues for the sea tractor at high tide.

Autumn

• Best for: Couples and off-season breaks with a fire lit indoors.
• Weather: Softer light, bigger swells and a sea that stays swimmable into October.
• Atmosphere: Calm and local again, with lower nightly prices in the village.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our hosts in Bigbury-on-Sea all say the same thing: check the tide table before you plan your day. At low tide you simply walk the sandbar across to Burgh Island, and at high tide the sea tractor rumbles over the covered causeway instead, which is an outing in itself. Their other tip is to head up onto the coast path towards Challaborough at sunset, when the bay empties and the light turns the whole beach gold.

1. Walk the tidal causeway to Burgh Island
2. Beach days at Bigbury and Challaborough
3. Learn to surf at Bantham
4. Kayak the Salcombe estuary
5. Hike the South West Coast Path

1. Walk the tidal causeway to Burgh Island

   The village's signature outing takes minutes. At low tide a broad ribbon of sand appears between the beach and Burgh Island, and you can simply walk across. Once there, a short loop of grassy paths climbs to the old huer's hut on the summit for panoramic views over Bigbury Bay and back along the coast. When the tide covers the sandbar, the island's sea tractor takes over, trundling through the shallows on tall stilts. Check the tide times before you set off so you are not caught out on the wrong side.

2. Beach days at Bigbury and Challaborough

   Mouthwell beach below the village is wide, sandy and backed by a car park and café, which makes it easy with small children and a boot full of kit. Rock pools appear at the edges as the tide drops, and the flat sand is made for cricket and kite flying. A short walk west brings you to Challaborough, a smaller and more sheltered cove that feels calmer on breezy days. Both beaches face west, so they hold the light late into the evening and make a fine spot for a takeaway supper.

3. Learn to surf at Bantham

   Across the mouth of the River Avon, Bantham is the best-known surf beach in the South Hams, with dunes, a long sandbar and reliable waves for beginners and improvers alike. Local surf schools run lessons through the season, supplying boards and wetsuits so you can try a session without hauling gear down from home. If the swell is flat, the estuary side is lovely for a paddle. Surfers who want to follow the waves further west often pair a stay here with camping in Cornwall.

4. Kayak the Salcombe estuary

   Half an hour east, Salcombe sits on one of the prettiest rias in the country, a drowned river valley of wooded creeks and hidden beaches. Hire a kayak or paddleboard and work your way up towards Kingsbridge, stopping at sandy inlets that you can only reach from the water. Passenger ferries criss-cross the harbour if you would rather sit back, and there are crab lines to drop off the pontoons. It is an easy, sheltered day out when the open coast is too lively for swimming.

5. Hike the South West Coast Path

   The South West Coast Path runs straight through the village, so you can pick up a stretch in either direction and turn back whenever you like. Head east over the cliffs towards Bantham and the Avon, or west past Challaborough and Ayrmer Cove for headlands, hidden beaches and sea birds. The full route continues for hundreds of miles around the peninsula, eventually reaching holiday cottages in St Ives. Take water and proper shoes, as the path climbs and drops steeply between the coves.