Sark is three miles long and one and a half miles wide, and there are no cars. Tractors are used for farming and to haul luggage from the harbour; otherwise everyone gets around by bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. Mobile signal is poor. The pace drops noticeably from the moment you step off the ferry from Guernsey.
Until 2008, Sark operated under a feudal system of governance — the last in the western world. It now has a democratically elected Chief Pleas (parliament), though many traditions and land laws remain distinctive. The island is divided into Great Sark and Little Sark, connected by a narrow ridge called La Coupée with a sheer 300-foot drop on either side.
The island has no light pollution, which makes it one of the world's designated Dark Sky Islands — on a clear night the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye. The gardens at La Seigneurie, the feudal lord's manor, are open to the public and give a sense of the island's unusual history. Near the village, Sark Prison is said to be one of the smallest prisons in the world, with just two cells.
There are around 500 permanent residents. Day trips from Guernsey take 50 minutes by fast ferry; you can also stay in one of the small hotels or self-catering cottages on the island.