Shimmering water, salty sea air and sandy toes. Life\u2019s just that bit better at the beach, right? <\/strong><\/p>\n What springs to mind when you think about Wales<\/a>? If you pictured daffodils, leeks, castles and lush countryside filled with sheep, you\u2019re not entirely <\/em>wrong. Hats off if you also thought about its stunning coastline. And if you didn\u2019t, you\u2019re in for a real treat. Wales is home to some of the UK\u2019s most beautiful beaches, from vast and rugged stretches of sand to secluded coves that rival those in the Caribbean (we\u2019re not even joking).<\/p>\n The most famous beaches are down south in Pembrokeshire, but there are loads of hidden gems up in North Wales if you\u2019d prefer to venture away from the crowds. If you\u2019re thinking about where to go on your next coastal adventure, Wales is calling. <\/p>\n Sandwiched between sweeping sand dunes and swathes of pine trees, Barafundle Bay is nothing short of gorgeous. It\u2019s perfect for sea swimming. The water is crystal clear, tranquil and brilliantly blue thanks to its secluded location. One of the best things about Barafundle Bay is the walk there. As you approach the beach you\u2019ll see a sham castle wall (a wall designed to look like the entrance to an impressive medieval fortress) that makes you feel like you\u2019re walking into some sort of fairytale. On a hot summer\u2019s day, you could easily think you were on some beach in the French Riviera (really). Although you\u2019ll soon be reminded you\u2019re in Wales when you dip your toes in the water! Barafundle is ideal for sprawling out on a blanket, enjoying a picnic and embracing that beach bum life.\u00a0<\/p>\n With a name like Sea Cliffs Bay, you can imagine there are some pretty epic clifftop walks around here. The beach is surrounded by three rugged limestone crags, windswept dunes and lush salt marsh. Unfortunately you can\u2019t swim at Three Cliffs Bay due to powerful tides and currents. But, if you\u2019re feeling up to it, you can scramble up the bay to the romantic 12th-century ruins of Pennard Castle. It offers sweeping views over the coast. and if you can make it up here for sunset, boy is it special.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a reason why the charming town of Tenby is featured on so many postcards. Wedged between steep headlands to the right, Tenby\u2019s colourful harbour to the left and the striking pinnacle of Goskar Rock in the middle, it\u2019s easily one of the most picturesque beaches in Wales. The water is calm and great for swimming, but the laid back vibe here is what\u2019s it\u2019s all about. Pick your sandy spot, throw your beach blanket down and get comfy with a good book. When you\u2019re all beached out, head up to one of Tenby\u2019s excellent restaurants or pick up some fish n\u2019 chips for dinner on the beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n Porth Wen is a bit of a hidden gem in North Wales. It isn\u2019t your typical beach. For a start, it\u2019s secluded and you\u2019ll need to do a fair bit of walking to get there. If you don\u2019t fancy the walk, you can admire the bright shingle shoreline and turquoise waters from the coastal path. It\u2019s worth going down, though\u2026 especially if you\u2019re interested in history. The cove is home to an old Victorian brickworks that was closed when World War I broke out. You can wander around abandoned factory buildings, beehive kilns, tall chimneys and rusting machinery. The atmosphere is a little eerie, but it makes for some very Instaworthy photo opportunities. When you\u2019re finished exploring, scramble down to the rock pools where you can see crabs and starfish or go for a swim under the natural rock arch.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rated as one of Britain\u2019s top beaches, Marloes Sands is brimming with untouched beauty. In fact, you might recognise it from blockbusters including Snow White and The Huntsman <\/em>and The Lion in Winter<\/em>. The vast golden sands gain an extra mile at low tide and transform into many separate little bays filled with rock pools and marine life. Keep your eyes peeled for seals that often hang out around the rocks on the western side of the bay. It\u2019s also home to Britain\u2019s largest breeding colony of puffins and there are plenty of walks with amazing wildlife spotting opportunities. Strong swell and large breaking waves make it a great spot for surfing, but beware of rip currents if you go swimming.\u00a0<\/p>\n Looking for a traditional day at the seaside without the crowds? Get yourself down to Penbryn on the Ceredigion Coast. To get to the beach you can walk down the wooded lane from Llanborth or stroll through lush sloping woodlands filled with colourful wildflowers. You\u2019ll then be greeted with bright blue waters and a mile of soft sand. When the tide goes out you can explore rock pools and the smuggler\u2019s cave to the far right of the beach. Or, continue around the headland to discover the secret beach (always be aware of tide times so you don\u2019t get caught out).\u00a0<\/p>\n Whitesands Bay is one of the top surfing spots in Wales. Located at the bottom of the green patchwork hill of Carn Llidi with a golden beach that curves round to St David\u2019s Head, Whitesands is rugged and jaw-droppingly beautiful. Take a walk around the rocky headland for some fresh sea air and epic views of Ramsey Island and other small islets, or head down to the beach with a deckchair to watch the surfers (hopefully) catch some decent waves. If it\u2019s too busy for your liking, take a 10-minute stroll north on the coast path to the secluded Porthmelgan: a gorgeous cove beach where you\u2019ll find soft white sand, caves and shelter from the wind.<\/p>\n Porthdinllaen Beach oozes that picture-perfect fishing village charm. Nestled in the Lleyn Peninsula and sheltered by the surrounding harbour, the calm and crystal clear water is a great little spot for splashing around or going for a swim. The quaint village of Porthdinllaen is just behind the beach so you can nip to the shop to get an ice cream or cool drink. When the sun goes down, head over to the T\u0177 Coch Inn, one of Wales\u2019 most famous pubs, for some hearty pub food \u2013 perhaps some freshly caught seafood that you watched the fishermen bring in earlier in the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n You know a beach deserves a place on this list when it was voted the 9th best beach in the world. Located at the most westerly part of the Gower Peninsula with three miles of golden sand, Rhossili Bay is the wild Welsh coast at its best. Powerful Atlantic waves thrash onto the shore, making it a prime spot for surfers. Don\u2019t fancy getting in the water? There are loads of walks around the headlands with panoramic views that stretch across the sea. At low tide you can walk over to Llangennith Beach or out to Worm\u2019s Head. If you\u2019re lucky, you might see dolphins trying to catch a wave in the surf. The only downside of Rhosilli Bay is that you can only access it via a steep clifftop path, which isn\u2019t ideal for pushchairs or wheelchairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n Note: <\/strong>always report to the Coastwatch Centre before you set off and be cautious as changing tides can often take people by surprise.<\/p>\n1. Barafundle Bay<\/h2>\n
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2. Three Cliffs Bay<\/h2>\n
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3. North Tenby Beach<\/h2>\n
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4. Porth Wen<\/h2>\n
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5. Marloes Sands<\/h2>\n
![\"Marloes](\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/UK-Pembrokeshire-Marloes-Sands-1287487876-ss-800x450-1.jpg\")
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6. Penbryn\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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7. Whitesands Bay<\/h2>\n
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8. Porthdinllaen Beach<\/h2>\n
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9. Rhosilli Bay<\/h2>\n
![\"Rhosilli](\"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/UK-Rhossili-Bay-Gower-Peninsula-92558116-ss-800x450-1.jpg\")
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10. Porth Neigwl (Hell\u2019s Mouth Beach)<\/h2>\n