- Stories & Inspiration
- 10 Best Beaches in South Wales
10 Best Beaches in South Wales
With over 100 beaches to choose from, we've picked out our favourites to give you our 10 best beaches in South Wales - spots where you can explore and enjoy the incredible beaches in our region.
South Wales is blessed with miles upon miles of golden sands, wide beautiful beaches, small secluded coves, and picturesque coastline. With so many to choose from it's sometimes hard to know which to choose for a fantastic day out by the seaside, so we've put together our own list of the 10 best beaches in South Wales, along with our reasons why. So we hope you enjoy visiting them as much as we do, and of course, we'd love to hear from you if you think your own favourite should be on our list.
1. Aberavon Beach
Aberavon easily makes our top 10 with three miles of wide sandy beach just nine miles from Swansea. It's an absolute hit with families because there's ample parking along the seafront, plus loads of great facilities and attractions here so you can really make it a full day out. With a variety of ice cream, cafe, and restaurant options, you can have a full day at the beach, but away from the sand you'll also find adventure golf, a playground, an aqua splash zone, and a cinema, so it's perfect whatever the weather.
2. Rhossili Bay / Llangennith
One of the most iconic beaches in South Wales, Rhossili Bay is a much more remote stretch of three miles of golden sand on the Gower Peninsula. Parking and facilities are available at the National Trust car park in Rhossili, just 400 metres from the beach, making this a popular choice to enjoy the Gower. Towards the far end of the Rhossili Bay you arrive at Llangennith where you can camp just behind the dunes at Hillend, which is one of our favourite family holiday spots.
3. Tenby North Beach
Tenby has four main beaches to choose from, and it was a hard choice to choose our favourite because they're each really special places with their own unique character, however North Beach was the one to make our top 10 list. With a wide expanse of golden sand, dramatic cliffs, and gorgeous views looking out to Carmarthen Bay, you can see why this Blue Flag beach is a hit with families. Children enjoy the gently shelving beach, rock pools at low tide, and so much space to play, with easy parking and plenty of facilities close by.
Map of 10 Best Beaches in South Wales
Open our map below to view the locations of our 10 best beaches in South Wales so you can plan you visit.
4. Nash Point
Nash Point might not be your stereotypical "best beach" but we love it all the same, as it's got so much more to offer when heading for a day out on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. The bay is surrounded by dramatic cliffs offering fantastic photo opportunities, plus kids love fossil hunting and skimming stones. Moving away from the beach there's a great little river to play in, grassy banks for games, and if you're wanting to stretch your legs there's an easy walk from the car park to explore Nash Point Lighthouse. Alternatively, the clifftop walk to Monknash Beach (2km) offers spectacular views.
5. Oxwich Bay
Heading back to the Gower Peninsula, Oxwich Bay Beach is a firm family favourite, especially with younger children. With over two miles of golden sands and a gently shelving beach it's perfect for children playing in the sea. There's a large car park right by the beach, with cafes, toilets, and beach shops, so everything is super handy. You'll also find a variety of watersports here, as well as sand dunes and woodland to explore.
6. Barry Island (Whitmore Bay)
A firm family favourite for decades, Barry Island beach is famous for offering a traditional seaside escape. The long promenade is perfect for scooters, and the arcades offer plenty of indoor fun, so Barry Island is a popular destination whatever the weather. The Blue Flag award winning beach itself is golden sands, with rock pools dotted around, with families loving relaxing beach days here. You'll find fish & chips, cafes, restaurants, and beach shops, with regular events and fun fairs too.
There's endless fun to be enjoyed along the South Wales coast, whether you're looking for a family friendly beach, a dog friendly beach, or somewhere to find a peaceful escape.
7. Rest Bay
We love Rest Bay because it's a picturesque beach with a Blue Flag award, renowned for its high-quality water, and is a popular spot for surfing and water sports. The beach is surrounded by low rocky cliffs, making lots of rock pools ideal for children to explore. Make sure you check the tide times before visiting though, because at high tide the beach disappears! There's ample parking here, and there's a great cafe with beautiful views across the beach.
8. Saundersfoot
Another Blue Flag beach, Saundersfoot makes a fantastic destination for a day out or a longer stay. The beach is right in the town centre, so it's perfect for families looking for easy access and plenty of facilities to keep the kids entertained. This is a wide sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water, so we love taking the kids in to play in the waves and to try SUP here. You'll find ice creams, doughnuts, fish & chips, and plenty of other treats for a traditional beach day, and some lovely pubs too.
9. Dunraven Bay (Southerndown)
Dunraven Bay at Southerndown is a popular spot on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, featuring golden sands and extensive rock pools, and was a winner of a Seaside Award in 2025. The beach is a great place for fossil hunting, and is popular with photographers and walkers. Don't miss out on exploring Dunraven Gardens situated on the cliffs above the bay, which is a fascinating walled garden dating back to the 1800's.
10. Three Cliffs Bay
Last on our list but by no means the least, Three Cliffs Bay is one of the most photographed beaches in Wales, framed by the distinctive trio of limestone peaks from which it gains its name. The river estuary winds down to meet the sea, creating an incredible landscape for children to play in and explore. There are several parking options, but each around 15-20 minutes walk away from the beach which gives it more of a remote feel of being off the beaten track. This is definitely one of the South Wales beaches you need to add to your bucket list!
Where will you visit first?
These are our 10 best beaches in South Wales, and we hope you love them as much as we do. No matter what time of year you visit, the region has gorgeous beaches to soak up the sunshine or even watch a storm coming in over the sea. There are so many more beaches to explore too, and you'll find many of them listed on our beaches page.
Some of Our Other Articles
Here are our 10 best beaches in South Wales - our favourite spots where you can enjoy the… Here are our 10 best beaches in South Wales - our favourite spots where you can enjoy the incredible coastline, play, explore, and soak in the amazing nature of South Wales.
Once an industrial hub, the South Wales Valleys are now a lush, green playground. From the depths… Once an industrial hub, the South Wales Valleys are now a lush, green playground. From the depths of the mines to the heights of the world's fastest seated zip line, discover…
Discover the most scenic golf courses in South Wales, from dramatic clifftops on the Gower to lush… Discover the most scenic golf courses in South Wales, from dramatic clifftops on the Gower to lush countryside fairways. Explore spectacular views, hidden gems, and top golf…
Circular Coastal Walk From Monknash to Nash Point
A stunning 7km or 9km circular walk taking in two beaches, clifftop views along the Wales Coast… A stunning 7km or 9km circular walk taking in two beaches, clifftop views along the Wales Coast Path, as well as a traditional pub to treat yourself to lunch at the end of…
Stay up to date
Sign up for the South Wales Guide newsletter to receive inspiration in your inbox for days & nights out, offers, competitions, trip planning ideas, and plenty more!
