West Wales is renowned for its beaches, and with its miles of stunning coastline, it’s certainly not hard to see why.
The coveted Blue Flag award is an indicator of quality, showing that the beach (or marina or tourism boat) meets stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria. In other words, these beaches are among the best of the best.
How Many Blue Flag Beaches are in Wales?
Currently, Wales claims an impressive 24 Blue Flag awards. Of these, a whopping 15 are in West Wales, ensuring you’re never too far from an outstanding beach experience when staying at one of our Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire holiday cottages!
Blue Flag Beaches in Pembrokeshire:
- Newgale
- Saundersfoot
- Dale
- Whitesands
- Coppet Hall
- Tenby South
- Tenby North
- Tenby Castle
- Poppit Sands
- Broad Haven North
Blue Flag Beaches in Ceredigion:
- Borth
- Llangrannog
- Tresaith
- Aberystwyth South
Blue Flag Beaches in Carmarthenshire:
- Cefn Sidan
Newgale
A golden sandy beach spanning almost two miles backed by a pebble bank. It’s a popular beach for surfing and other watersports. At high tide, the beach is often completely submerged.
Image credit: Newgale Beach by Robin Lucas / CC BY-SA 2.0
Saundersfoot
An incredibly popular sandy beach with shallow water that’s great for swimming. The small beach is next to the harbour and charming seaside town. It’s a beloved spot for families.
Image credit: Saundersfoot Beach by Stephen McKay / CC BY-SA 2.0
Dale
A sheltered bay with a mostly pebble beach that’s favoured for sailing and other watersports such as windsurfing. Bathing isn’t always advised as the water can become quite crowded with boats.
Image credit: Beach at Dale by Hugh Venables / CC BY-SA 2.0
Whitesands
A beach of pale white sands overlooked by the rugged Carn Llidi hill. It is a popular surfing beach and also treats vis
Image credit: Whitesands Bay/Porth Mawr by Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0
Coppet Hall
Wide swathes of flat sand ideal for beach games and walking. The eastern end also boasts rockpools, enticing families for plenty of seaside fun. It is located between Saudersfoot and Wisemans Bridge beach.
Image credit: Coppet Hall Beach by Shaun Ferguson / CC BY-SA 2.0
Tenby South
A glorious sandy beach of around 1.5 miles with rolling dunes and spectacular panoramic views out to sea and Caldey Island. It’s a popular family beach and very near to the town’s facilities.
Image credit: Tenby South beach by Steve Fareham / CC BY-SA 2.0
Tenby North
A long sandy beach set against the backdrop of the picturesque harbour and iconic colourful Georgian houses. Here, you can enjoy unmatched views of Carmarthen Bay.
Image credit: Tenby: North Beach & Harbour by Lewis Clarke / CC BY-SA 2.0
Tenby Castle
Named for its proximity to the ancient ruins of Tenby Castle on Castle Hill, this is the smallest of Tenby’s sandy beaches. At low tide, the beach connects with St Catherine’s Island which is topped with an old fort.
Image credit: Tenby beach with island by James Petts / CC BY-SA 2.0
Poppit Sands
A sandy dune-backed beach at the mouth of the Teifi Estuary. The sheltered spot is popular with windsurfers, kayakers and surfers. It also marks the approximate start/end of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Image credit: Poppit Sands by Mick Heraty / CC BY-SA 2.0
Broad Haven North
A quintessential seaside holiday beach with lots of golden sand framed by rocky cliffs. The safe waters make it popular for bathing and swimming. It has been a renowned leisure spot since the early 19th century.
Image credit: Broad Haven beach, north end by ceridwen / CC BY-SA 2.0
Borth
Ceredigion’s longest beach. The three-mile sand and shingle stretch is great for families, watersports enthusiasts and dog walkers (out of season). It’s a notable spot along the nearby coastal paths too.
Image credit: Borth Beach by Penny Maye / CC BY-SA 2.0
Llangrannog
A pretty, sheltered sandy bay popular with families and surfers. At low tide, you can also access the hidden Cilborth Beach, past the distinctive rock known as Carreg Bica.
Image credit: Llangrannog in August by Jeremy Bolwell / CC BY-SA 2.0
Tresaith
A small sandy bay enjoyed by surfers, sailors and walkers. One of its most notable features is the striking waterfall that flows from the cliffs directly onto the beach below. It’s also not uncommon to see seals and dolphins from here.
Image credit: Tresaith Beach and Waterfall by John Dalling / CC BY-SA 2.0
Aberystwyth South
A gently sloping sand and shingle beach that’s generally quieter than the north beach. The southernmost point is a favourite among surfers and is often a good place to spot dolphins and porpoises.
Image credit: A cold day on South Beach, Aberystwyth by Nigel Brown / CC BY-SA 2.0
Cefn Sidan
A glorious 8-mile stretch of pristine golden sands within Pembrey Country Park. It was the first beach in Wales to gain Blue Flag status and lends itself well to any and all beach activities, making it a favourite spot for everyone.
Image credit: Sunset over Cefn Sidan beach by Hywel Williams / CC BY-SA 2.0
Seaside Award Beaches in West Wales
The Seaside Award is another marker of beach quality and provides the standard for some of the best beaches in the UK. This is judged by water quality, environmental management and safety and services. Currently, the following 5 beaches in West Wales (Ceredigion) hold this prestigious award:
- Aberystwyth North
- New Quay Harbour
- Aberporth
- Clarach
- Traeth y Dolau
Green Coast Award Beaches in West Wales
The Green Coast Award is designed to recognise smaller, more untouched beaches, ensuring the ‘hidden gems’ on our coast don’t go unnoticed or unappreciated. Here, there is less of a focus on facilities, but water quality and environmental management are held to high standards.
There are currently 11 beaches across West Wales with this award, including:
In Ceredigion:
- Cilborth
- Llanrhystud
- Mwnt
- Penbryn
In Pembrokeshire:
- Abereiddy
- Freshwater East
- Manorbier
- Penally
- Caerfai
- Druidstone
- West Angle Bay
Coastal Cottages in West Wales
If you want to experience some of these spectacular beaches for yourself, a stay at one of our West Wales coastal holiday cottages ensures you’re never too far from stunning views and that unbeatable sea breeze.
Featured Properties
Discover some of our beautiful coastal cottages so you can explore some of West Wales’ stunning blue flagged beaches.
