Carbis Bay Beach
Just a mile out of St Ives, Carbis Bay Beach is the perfect destination for a relaxing day at the beach. The bay’s lush cliffsides and position on the Atlantic Coast assure tranquil waters, making it the ideal spot for swimming.
Contacts and Links
Address: Carbis Bay Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2NP
Carbis Bay is awash with plants reminiscent of the subtropics, and between the lush green and turquoise waters, a sunny day out on the beach might just have you thinking you were somewhere much further south.
Explore the coast
The Carbis Bay area presents a number of scenic walks from which you can discover both the history and landscape of the area.
Take the South West Coast Path towards St Ives, exploring prehistoric field systems and a Celtic Saint’s medieval chapel along the way. At low tide, the sands stretch right out past Hawkes Point, and a short walk around the cliffs brings you to the vast Porthkidney Sands stretching to the Hayle Estuary and the Lelant dunes
Perfect for swimming
Tucked away into its own corner of St Ives Bay, Carbis Bay enjoys a perfect, natural shelter from the worst of the Atlantic swell, making its waters a tranquil paradise ideal for swimmers of all ages.
The golden beach itself is perfect for soaking up the sun on warm summer days, or constructing elegant castles in the sand. While surfers might wish to look elsewhere for a swell, any with an interest in stand up paddle boarding or kayaking may just find that Carbis Bay ticks every box.
Carbis Bay Beach was the winner of a Blue Flag Award and Seaside Award in 2024, which celebrates the commitment to environment, water quality, and safety of the beach.
The history of Carbis Bay
Formerly known as Barrepta Cove, Carbis Bay was given its current name in 1884 for an inland farmstead recorded under the family name Carbons.
The 1861 census records 103 people living in 23 houses in the area, most of them dependent on mining, working at the nearby Wheal Providence mine.
While more common minerals and metals such as copper and quartz were mined here, Wheal Providence mine is notable for being the locality, or discovery site, of the rare blue mineral connellite.
Today, Carbis Bay has a population of over 3000, and is renowned internationally for the beauty of its beach and landscape.
Did you know? In 2021, Carbis Bay was announced as the location of the 47th annual G7 summit, and would go on to host leaders from some of the world’s wealthiest democracies in June 2021.
Plan your trip
Everything you need to know about getting to Carbis Bay Beach.
Carbis Bay Beach, St Ives, Cornwall, TR26 2NP
Carbis Bay Hotel holds a small car park with pay & display on the beach front. Alternatively, for busier days, Porthrepta Long Stay Car Park, just off Porthrepta Road, has plenty of spaces and is only a five minute walk from the beach.
Both the T2 bus, serving Truro to St Ives, and the 17 bus, serving Penzance to St Ives, have three stops in Carbis Bay. The closest stop to the beach is Boskerris Road stop, which is a ten minute walk.
As a more scenic option you can take the Land's End Coaster to the beach. An open top bus ride that takes a circular route around the coast of West Cornwall, the Coaster parades the region’s rugged cliffs, heritage sites and harbourside destinations including Penzance (its start and end point), Porthcurno, Land’s End and St Ives. While the full loop is just under four hours, journey times will vary depending on your entry and exit stops.
Carbis Bay train station sits just 100 yards behind the east end of the beach and carries trains on the St Ives Bay Line between St Ives and St Erth. St Erth itself lies on the Cornish mainline, which connects Penzance to the rest of England, including London Paddington.
Lifeguards are on patrol between 10am-6pm each day between 13th July to 1st September.
Carbis Bay Beach’s natural protection from the wind and swell leaves it with calm waters that are ideal for swimmers of all ages.
Carbis Bay Beach is open all year, and is free for all visitors.
Carbis Bay is best known for its white beach and calm waters, which make it the perfect destination for swimmers. In 2021, it also hosted the 47th annual G7 summit.
There is a seasonal dog ban in place at Carbis Bay Beach in place from the 15th of May to the 30th of September, between 10am and 6pm. Dogs are welcome at all other times.
There is a small car park with pay and display at the west end of the beach, or, if this is full, Porthrepta car park a few hundred yards away offers more spaces.
Your weekly dose of Cornish cheer!
When you can’t be in your favourite place all the time, catch up on the latest stories, upcoming events, holiday ideas, and offers with a newsletter straight to your inbox. Terms and Conditions / GDPR compliance: by providing personally identifiable information Visit Cornwall will use it to provide you with ongoing information about their products and services. No one from Visit Cornwall will rent, sell or lease this personally identifiable information to other companies or individuals.
Stay connected
Find us on socials and stay connected with the Cornwall you love.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads and to analyse our traffic. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use our website. (Privacy Policy)