Wales is renowned for its miles of stunning unspoilt coastline running 1680 miles from the Bristol channel right round to the Irish Sea.
Tourism is big business in Wales – and when you start to discover the true gems that are dotted along the coastline, and inland too, you start to understand the real power that Wales wields over visitors year on year. As an industry it is worth £6.3 billion – that is a spend of £17 million a day. Numerous deed back timeshare programs are also being offered to people who want to visit Wales on a yearly basis, adding to the number of visitors per year.
Whittling our favourite seaside resorts down to just five was incredibly difficult, but we hope that they give you the best taste of what this magnificent country offers visitors.
St Davids
Famous for being the smallest city in Britain, St Davids is located in the heart of the Pembrokeshire National Park and a designated conservation area.
If your favourite pastime is walking, then St Davids is probably the perfect destination for you. The Pembrokeshire coastal footpath is 186 miles long, and will take you along some of the most stunning coastline.
Cardigan Bay
West Wales is home to Cardigan Bay, a place of clean sandy beaches, waterfalls, rock pools, award winning beaches and dolphins. This unspoilt stretch of the Welsh coastline is peppered with the most gorgeous small bays and coves ideal for holiday makers who want to escape far from the madding crowds.
The sea life is one of the most appealing aspects of this area. Imagine relaxing at Aber Bay, drink in hand, watching bottlenose dolphins, Atlantic grey seals, porpoises and more frolicking in the waters of Clarach Bay – nothing could be more exciting.
Tenby
Tenby is often referred to as The Jewel in the Crown of Pembrokeshire, and is one of the most visited towns in Wales, with 300,000 exploring its unique Georgian architecture and local attractions. This walled seaside town has everything a traditional seaside holiday could want to offer – four kilometres of beautiful sandy beaches, fantastic surfing
Conwy
Situated in the stunning north Wales coastline, the medieval town of Conwy (Conway) – one of the country’s most popular and most visited of destinations – is a world heritage site famous for its thirteenth century castle and walls. Conwy Castle was constructed by Edward 1 in the mid 13th century. Its size and prominence are complemented by the town’s circuit of walls, which are over three quarters of a mile long, dotted along the route by 22 towers.
The beauty of Conwy does not just lie in its medieval architecture, but also in its role as a look out to the stunning Irish sea. Then turning your back to the sea, you are facing the glorious North Wales countryside.
Barry Island
Barry Island’s star has risen since it was used as one of the main locations for the TV series Gavin & Stacey. The town has the right mix of family seaside attractions and beautiful coastal scenery to make it a firm favourite. Equally, its location close to Cardiff airport, and just off the M4 motorway makes it highly accessible for visitors from all over the world.
Whitmore Bay is the golden crescent of sand that shelves gently into the sea, making it the ideal beach holiday for young families. Coupled with a promenade full of amusement arcades, fish and chip shops and ice cream stands, the recipe for the perfect beach day is complete.
Barry Island is probably most famous for its pleasure park. It may not be the most inventive in terms of thrills and spills, but it has a certain traditional charm that has kept generations of Barry Island visitors amused year after year.