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The Isle of Wight was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2019 and is recognised as an example of where local communities have found a way to live sustainably within their local ecosystems.
We love sharing our beautiful island with you, and we hope these tips help you tread lightly before, during, and after your trip.
Before you travel
Pack eco-friendly essentials
Prepare to leave no trace from your visit. Bring reusable items if you can, such as a water bottle, coffee cup or tea flask, reusable bag, and a lunch box - all of which will cut down on plastic waste potentially left behind.
Eco-friendly toiletries, such as shampoo bars, are also great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
You could even support an island business before you arrive by purchasing a natural deodorant from Earth Conscious, or get your holiday t-shirts from Rapanui, an island base carbon-neutral clothing company whose recycled cotton t-shirts are made in a state-of-the-art wind-powered factory.
Sustainable option to reduce overseas travel
As the sunniest place in the UK, our island is the perfect sustainable alternative to an overseas holiday.
The only way to get here is by ferry, and once you’re riding the waves, you feel your holiday really begin. At only 5 miles from mainland UK, the crossings vary from 10 minutes (Hovertravel Southsea to Ryde) to an hour (Red Funnel Southampton to East Cowes) depending on the crossing. Plus, you don’t need a passport to travel here so there’s no waiting in queues at customs or currency to exchange.
We’ve got all the feel of an abroad holiday, without the carbon footprint that goes with it!
Getting to our island
Arriving as a foot passenger
You can easily and quickly travel across to our island at a time that suits you, with frequent crossings with Hovertravel, Red Funnel, and Wightlink.
You’ll be off before the cars when the ferries dock and you can easily hop on a bus from any port to get to your destination. Our island is only 23 miles long, so you’re never far from where you need to be!
Another benefit of being a foot passenger is that if you’re early or late for your sailing, you canuse your ticket on another crossing if it’s on the same route and same day (subject to availability).
Hovertravel provides the fastest ferry route across the Solent and is the world’s longest running commercial hovercraft service. Their passenger ferry service flies you directly between the shores Southsea or Ryde in just 10 minutes.
Bringing your bike to our island
You can bring your bike for free when travelling as a foot passenger on Hovertravel, Red Funnel Red Jet, and Wightlink's FastCat.
Once you arrive on our island, your holiday begins and you can start to explore over 200 miles of cycle routes!
Travelling in an electric car
You’ll receive 25% discount on your ferry crossing if travelling in an electric car on Red Funnel, and our island has a range of public charging stations in public car parks and on street. You can view a list of electric vehicle friendly accommodation provides on our website.
Hop on the Hybrid Wightlink
The most sustainable way to cross the Solent (apart from swimming!) is on board Wightlink’s environmentally friendly flagship Victoria of Wight. It’s the first hybrid energy ferry in England, combining battery power with conventional engines to sail between Portsmouth and Fishbourne, using 17% less fuel than the next largest ship on the route.
Not only that but the lift on board generates electricity through kinetic energy, warmth generated by the engine heats water, and motion sensors are used to control LED lights in lesser-used areas.
Travelling around our island
It’s easy to turn your trip to the Isle of Wight into a hassle-free eco-friendly adventure by leaving your car at home. Buses, trains, bikes, and walking will keep your carbon footprint to a minimum, and you’ll benefit from better views, time to appreciate nature, and a more memorable experience of local life. We’ve curated a Slow Wight Travel Guide to help you explore our island in this way, with a number of routes available.
The Island Line railway on the Isle of Wight operates between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin, serving Smallbrook Junction, Brading, Sandown and Lake stations along the way.
Operating an extensive bus network across our island, Southern Vectis’ buses are not only green in colour, but also credentials. Not only do they offer a regular and reliable service connecting all major towns, villages, beaches and accommodation but from 2026, they are phasing in a switch to electric power. Did you know a double-decker bus can take up to 75 cars off the road and emits over 40% less CO2?
You could bring your own bike across to our island or hire one while you’re here, including electric bikes for those challenging hills! There are routes to suit all abilities including off road bridleways and purpose made tracks on the former railway line and over 200 miles of cycle routes to enjoy.
Use these travel planners to help you get to your chosen destination without a car:
Sustainable things to do
As well as cycling around our island, there are lots of family friendly walks from Sandown Bay to Shanklin Beach, Quarr Abbey woodland, Combley Great Wood, Ryde Esplanade to Appley Park, and even a Dinosaur safari. Or you could join one of the guided walks during the Isle of Wight’s Walking Festival in October.
Goodleaf Tree Climbing offers a 5% discount for tree climbers that travel to tree climbing on public transport or by bike or foot. It is a brilliant low impact adventure activity that takes place on a beautiful oak tree in Appley Park and is within walking distance of public transport including Wightlink Fast Cat and Hovertravel.
Enjoy a picnic with a view and remember to bring your reusable bag to take all your rubbish to the nearest bin.
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Eco-conscious accommodation providers
Our island has a wide choice of sustainable places to lay your head just take a look at our IOW Green Tourism Award winners. This list celebrates businesses who are actively part of our island’s journey towards Net Carbon Zero by reducing their carbon footprint, promoting sustainable travel, and champion green initiatives.
Tiny Homes Holidays is a boutique off-grid retreat, set in a natural grassy meadow on the edge of Parkhurst Forest. With eco toilets, refillable soaps, and a hefty amount of sustainable insulation and some solar panels. Guests are encouraged to leave electricals at home and embrace plastic-free living.
For a West Wight option, The Bay Boutique Bed & Breakfast at Freshwater uses solar thermal and photovoltaic panels for their electricity, heating and hot water, and also have electric bikes available to hire so you can explore the Isle of Wight National Landscape (formerly known as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) at your leisure.
Camp Wight is completely off-grid and has solar-heated hot water showers in a block clad in green oak which was harvested on-site and their geodesic domes have their own solar panels to power lights and device charging. The site is bordered by ancient woodland and the pitches are within juvenile woodland, which means the whole campsite is a massive carbon sink.
All Shanklin Holiday Homes are located on footpaths, either the coastal path or the Worsley Trail, and all apartments have bicycle parking. Their main building, Highlands, has solar panels across its roof and walls. They offer a car free travel guide, providing details for how to get every attraction on our island without a car either by foot, bus or train as well as details on the cycle tracks across our island and services such as Routefifty7 and Wight Cycle Hire. As well as providing all guests with complimentary Isle of Wight biscuits, they offer a shop local guide covering a selection of local produce providers in Shanklin and the surrounding area.
Support local businesses
Sustainable travel is all about protecting and respecting the places you visit. Of course, preserving the environment is a big part of it: but it’s also about appreciating the culture of a place, and supporting its independent businesses.
Our Slow Travel Guide highlights local and sustainable businesses who are worth visiting. Each route features unique and independent places who offer produce and skills honed on our island.
Not only does your support help sustain local businesses but purchasing local produce helps reduce food transportation miles.
Choose ethical produce
There is a wide selection of eateries for vegan, vegetarians, and planet-conscious flexitarians on our island. The Bay Vegan Deli and Coffee House in Sandown offers breakfast, brunch and lunch featuring vegan alternatives to popular choices like burgers and loaded fries.
There are many others that are not exclusively vegan but keen to promote vegan choices include The Anchor in Cowes, Edulis Restaurant in Ventnor Botanic Gardens, The Sun Inn, Calbourne and The Griffin, Godshill
If your stay is self-catered, be sure to purchase delicious, handpicked tomatoes from Arreton, freshly picked garlic from Newchurch, newly churned cheeses from Briddlesford, locally caught Grey Mullet from Bembridge, or the delicious Isle of Wight honey.
For plastic-free refills from pasta to beauty products, Her Whey in Ryde and Healthy Indulgence in Cowes, are independent zero-waste shops, which will have everything you need.
And when you fancy an ice cream, local ice cream van, Plaza Ices, have introduced edible ice cream tubs to cut waste, as well as compostable spoons and eco napkins and once a month do their Vhippy days offering dairy free whippy ice creams.
Buy souvenirs made by local artisans
Buy locally made gifts to take home as souvenirs to reduce the carbon footprint of imported items and sustain the local economy.
Mermaid Gin, hand-crafted on the Isle of Wight using ten ethically sourced botanicals, is a great choice. Mermaid Gin and Vodka were granted Net Zero by sustainability firm Good Business and awarded the Plastic-Free standard by A Plastic Planet. Crafted from recyclable glass, their bottle features a sustainably sourced natural cork stopper and compostable tamper-proof seal.
Slab Artisan Fudge in East Cowes produces delicious handmade fudge packed in completely biodegradable and compostable packaging and Wight Apothecary create beautiful hand-made aromatherapy candles.
You’re sure to be spoilt for choice at both the Quay Arts centre in Newport and Arreton Barns which showcase some of the best arts & crafts produced by local artisans.
Post-Holiday Sustainability
When you return home, consider making a donation to ‘Gift to Nature’, a charity that helps to look after the countryside and green spaces on the Isle of Wight or purchase any loved ones planning a trip to our island a Wight Gift Card to help sustain local businesses.
And, of course, in our social media world, compiling your top trip tips from the Isle of Wight and sharing them with friends and family is a great way to continue the circle of sustainable travel.
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