Whitecliff Bay is on the island's eastern tip, about two miles from Bembridge, under the chalk of Culver Down. Two holiday parks sit right above the beach. Away Resorts' Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park has caravans, lodges and a summer-only tent field. Sandhills is a small, dog-free caravan park with its own path down. Camping here means the Whitecliff Bay park, or a pitch at Bembridge or St Helens a short drive away.
The tent field at Whitecliff Bay is open only in summer. In 2026 Away Resorts sold camping for the school holidays in July and August, though some listings showed an earlier start. The pitches are large, non-electric grass, and motorhomes and touring caravans are not taken. Guests get the park's pools and bars.
Holiday park · Bembridge · on the doorstep
The only camping on the bay itself: a summer tent field on the cliff top, with steep concrete paths straight down to the sand.
Tents, static caravans, lodges
from £13/night
ViewGlamping site · Bembridge · 0.3 miles
Bell tents
Prices on request
ViewHoliday park · Bembridge · 0.3 miles
Static caravans only, no pets, but it has its own private path down to the beach at the foot of Culver Down.
Static caravans, lodges
from £69.29/night
ViewPop-up campsite · Bembridge · 0.9 miles
The nearest tent and campervan pitches off the holiday parks: about 20 to 25 minutes' walk along the Bembridge lanes to the Whitecliff Bay park and its beach path.
Tents, motorhomes
from £15/night
ViewHoliday park · St Helens · 1.8 miles
Static caravans, lodges, cabins
from £65.71/night
ViewHoliday park · St Helens · 2.1 miles
Lodges, static caravans
Prices on request
ViewSmall certificated site · St Helens · 2.1 miles
A small members' site at St Helens, a short drive round Bembridge Harbour to Culver Down's free car parks.
Members only · join the Camping and Caravanning Club to stay
Tents, caravans, motorhomes
from £15/night
ViewHoliday park · St Helens · 2.2 miles
Touring and tent pitches above Priory Bay at St Helens, about 10 minutes' drive. Route 8 runs from St Helens through Bembridge to the Whitecliff Bay stops.
Tents, caravans, motorhomes, safari tents, static caravans
from £12/night
ViewPop-up campsite · Brading · 2.4 miles
Tents, motorhomes, bell tents
from £15/night
ViewGlamping site · Seaview · 2.4 miles
Yurts
Prices on request
ViewNo campsites match all of those.
The beach is sand and shingle, about half a mile long, and shallow for roughly 350 metres out, so it is good for paddling children. There are no public roads to the sand. The only ways down are two steep concrete paths of about 30 degrees from the parks above, not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Parking at the holiday park is limited and there are no toilets on the beach, though there is a licensed bar and beach café.
Dogs are allowed on the beach, according to Away Resorts, but not in the park pools.
Whitecliff Bay is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The rock layers here were folded upright, so you walk past about 500 metres of near-vertical sands and clays, from the late Palaeocene to the late Eocene. They are a good place to find fossil shells. The southern end runs into the white chalk of Culver Cliff, which rises over 100 metres and gives the bay its name. It has the same geology as Alum Bay at the other end of the island. In 1545 French troops landed here during their invasion of the island.
Culver Down above the bay is National Trust land, with six free car parks across the downs and around Bembridge Fort. The Culver Haven pub is on the top. No overnight parking is allowed, so campervans need a site. Dogs are welcome on the downs. The National Trust's Circumnavigate Culver trail is 2.8 miles, about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45 minutes, past the Yarborough Monument and Culver Battery. The coastal path crosses the down on its way between Bembridge and Sandown.
Southern Vectis route 8 (Newport, Sandown, Bembridge, Ryde) has stops called Whitecliff Bay near Bembridge Airport, and stops on Culver Down. In summer 2026 (28 March to 26 September) the open-top Island Coaster also ran through Bembridge on its way round to Ventnor and the West Wight.
Yes, but only in summer. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, run by Away Resorts above the beach, opens a grass tent field in the summer holidays (July and August in 2026). It doesn't take touring caravans or motorhomes, so those need a site at St Helens or Brading.
Only limited parking at the holiday park above the beach, then a steep concrete path down. Culver Down has six free National Trust car parks for walks, but no overnight parking.
Away Resorts lists Whitecliff Bay as a dog-friendly beach. Dogs are welcome on the beach and in the park's bar, but not in its pools. Sandhills Holiday Park next door does not allow pets at all.
On foot from the holiday parks on the cliff, down two steep concrete paths of about 30 degrees. They are not suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs or anyone with mobility problems.
Yes. Southern Vectis route 8 between Newport, Sandown, Bembridge and Ryde has stops called Whitecliff Bay near Bembridge Airport, plus stops on Culver Down.
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, right on the doorstep.
Nodes Point Holiday Park, from £12 a night for two adults, is the lowest price we can find over the next year. Prices change with the season and the day of the week, so put your dates into the calculator on this page.
7 of the 10: Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Forelands Pop-Up Campsite, St Helens Coastal Resort, Fakenham Farm CS, Nodes Point Holiday Park, Sunrise Hill Campsite and Priory Bay Yurts.
Yes: Old Mill Holiday Park.
Yes, at Forelands Pop-Up Campsite and Sunrise Hill Campsite. Most want fires in a raised pit, not on the ground.
