Herm is for walking, swimming, and lying down. The clifftop coastal path circles the whole island in three hours at an easy pace, with constantly changing views of Sark, Jethou, and the Guernsey coast. The northern beaches — Shell Beach and Mousonnière — are the swimming destinations; the southern cliffs are for views. The village at the harbour is the only built-up area, with a single pub, a chapel, and a small shop.
Herm gets day-tripper crowds in July and August but they thin out within ten minutes of the harbour. By 5 pm when the last ferry to Guernsey has left, the island reverts to its 60 permanent residents.