A trip to Cardigan Bay, and the western coastline of Mid Wales, means exploring wild beaches and the pleasant sandy or shingle bays of colourful seaside towns.

In this post, we’ve shared the pick of our favourite Cardigan Bay beaches that you simply cannot miss when the sun is shining, plus all the practical information you need to visit.

A Quick Note On VISITING Cardigan Bay Beaches

It’s our shared duty as travellers and visitors to respect local life and landscapes.

Make sure to park responsibly, take all your litter back with you or dispose of appropriately, follow all advisory signs, leave no trace, and enjoy each beach without ruining it for others.

In Wales, dogs are banned from accessing many beaches from May to September - we’ve made a note of which this rule applies to within the specific sections.

Also, the tide can make quite a discernible difference to how much beach you have to enjoy, so do keep this in mind when setting up your spot for the day or planning a walk.

Due to lack of phone signal and card payments, we highly recommend you have enough change with you in the car to pay for parking.

Tresaith

This small, sheltered sandy beach is gorgeous, and appeared to be popular choice for families due to its safe swimming, rock pools, and waterfall; other beaches on this list are much easier to park by and access though.

Where

Between Aberporth and Penbryn, find it here on Google Maps

Parking

We got a little confused at the parking situation here, but worked it out eventually. The access road down to the beach is very easily missed and, depending upon which direction you enter Tresaith, you’ll have either a very sharp turn or may miss it completely. Once you are on the road, it’s a very narrow steep descent with a few sharp turns - a nightmare if you meet someone on their way up. Once down at the bottom, which is a dead-end, there are actually only a handful of spaces by the beach (less than five, including two or three reserved for disabled badge holders), though there is a bit more parking for customers and guests at the excellent Ship Inn Pub.

Therefore, our firm recommendation for visiting Tresaith is to ignore that road and simply go to the much more convenient and accessible car park here.

It’s £2.00 per car (exact change only), and then you can simply make your way down to the beach via the walkway next to the bus stop (it’s signposted, but you can find it here on Google Maps). The walk’s less than five minutes, all downhill.

Facilities

There are public toilets, a seasonal lifeguard service, and you have the Ship Inn for drinks and food as well as a cafe. No dogs (except guide ones) are permitted from 1st May to 30th September.

Stay

We’re basing this solely on first and second impressions, but the village of Tresaith seemed to be the destination of choice for quite wealthy homes and exclusive coastal retreats in Cardigan Bay.

Mwnt Beach

On a coastline blessed with beautiful coves and stretches of beach, Mwnt’s compact rectangular slice of perfection stands out as one of the most picturesque.

Where

Between Cardigan and Aberport, Mwnt is accessible via a very narrow single-track road. Find it here on Google Maps

Parking

The only option is the grass pay & display car park (Google Maps) a couple of minutes from the beach entrance. It’s large enough for something like 100+ cars - depending on how well people park throughout the day - but as it's owned and operated by the National Trust (as is the beach), the fee is higher than those run by the council elsewhere in Mid Wales. It’s a £4.00 flat fee, free for National Trust members - that price is a bargain if staying the whole day, not so much if only popping in for an hour or two. Bring coins.

Facilities

Public toilets and a surprisingly excellent little cafe. No lifeguard. No dogs (except guide ones) are permitted from 1st May to 30th September.

Stay

Most people visit for the day, rather than staying right by Mwnt. However, there are a couple of self-catering properties nearby as well as a caravan & camping park only a minute from the car park.

We’ve written an entire guide on How to Visit Mwnt Beach in Wales, so recommend hopping over there for further information.

Penbryn

Another National Trust beach, the near mile long stretch of sand at Penbryn feels like the most wild and remote stretch we visited in Cardigan Bay.

Where

Between Tresaith and Llangrannog, find it here on Google Maps. The final leg to arrive is via narrow country roads with some blind corners and summits, so do drive considerately and appropriately. Access to Penbryn beach involves a 5-10 minute walk along a flat low-to-no traffic road from the car park.

Parking

The only option is the official pay and display car park (Google Maps). Like Mwnt, it’s more expensive due to being National Trust owned (£4 all day, free for members). Bring exact change as the machine does not currently accept cards. Note that there’s a large overflow section of car park in a field on the right (no camping or overnight) - do not park along or by the access road to the beach.

Facilities

Nothing at the beach itself, but you’ll find the popular Plwmp Tart cafe by the main car park, which also has toilets available for customers during opening time. If spending the whole day here, it’s a good idea to bring everything you need.

No dogs (except guide ones) are permitted from 1st May to 30th September.

The Four Beaches of New Quay

We were big fans of the little seaside town of New Quay (not to be confused with the Cornish equivalent), and it would be our pick if we wanted a seaside location for a few days with a bit more of a holiday vibe and atmosphere. If you prefer expansive areas of golden sand, then New Quay may also be perfect for your Welsh holiday spot with not one but FOUR different beaches to choose from.

Two are very accessible from the town centre, whilst others involve a little more of a walk or a diversion to reach them.

More | We’ve shared all the key info in our dedicated travel guide to New Quay.

Llanrhystud

Bordering the countryside, this long, unsheltered stretch is very much a pebble beach primarily but, when the tide is out, there’s more sand to enjoy.

Where

Just a short, beautiful drive north of Aberaeron, find it here on Google Maps

Parking

Down the narrow, single lane track, the dusty car park right next to the beach has space for about a dozen or so cars.

Facilities

No lifeguard and no facilities on the beach, but there are quite a few options for eating and drinking in the village of Llanrhystud.

Stay

There are a couple of large caravan parks close to the beach, and a bunch of options in the village.

Aberystwyth North & South Beaches

The main draw of ‘Aber’ is undeniably its credentials as an old school seaside resort, and it’s arguably the most accessible from England for those looking to head west for a sunshine-inspired day trip or short break at the beach due to its well-connected train station only a few minutes walk from the waves!

The university town’s colourful and pleasant promenade will take you from the North Beach (the most popular) and the pier to South Beach and the marina (quieter but still pleasant), and we left this place with a much better impression than we expected.

More | Find out everything you need to know about the beaches, where to stay & eat, plus transport connections in our main post, 10 Best Things To Do in Aberystwyth.

Poppit Sands

Whilst this isn’t technically in Cardigan Bay (it’s literally just over the border in Pembrokeshire), given that most people will visit from the town of Cardigan, we felt it deserved a place in this list! Aside from being absolutely massive when the tide is out, it’s got a pretty perfect set up for those looking for a day at a beach which feels wild and remote due to its dunes and the rolling hills in the background, but also has excellent access and facilities nearby.

Where

A 15-minute drive from the town of Cardigan, find it here on Google Maps. It’s a beautiful drive there, but do note that there are a few tight points where you’re required to give way and / or use passing places.

Parking

There’s a big tarmac pay & display car park (Google Maps) close to the beach. The first 30 minutes are free, then it’s £1 / 1 hour, £2 / 2 hours, £3 / 3 hours, and £5 for the day - coins only.

Facilities

There are public toilets, but it’s the little cafe run by CRWST which sets Poppit Sands apart. Their main place is in Cardigan but this offshoot by the sea serves up great coffee, excellent savoury snacks and sweet treats, as well as delicious Conti’s ice cream. Open 10 am - 4 pm Mon to Thurs, 10 am - 6 pm Fri to Sun.

No dogs (except guide ones) are permitted on the western section from 1st May to 30th September.

Stay

Quite a few options in the surrounding area, but this stunning cottage by the sea is the pick of the bunch.

Aberaeron Beaches

Although not our favourite Cardigan Bay beaches, the pebbles and groins of Aberaeron South and North are popular and photogenic, whilst the colourful town is also worth a stop as you make your way along the coast.

More | Find out more about the beaches, everything else for your visit or stay, in our guide to Aberaeron.

Llangrannog Beach

This was such a pleasant surprise, and we wish we could have stayed a little bit longer.

Alas, Llangrannog beach was our final stop at the end of a long day, and we had fully expected to find an isolated beach between and beneath the cliffs. Instead, we arrived to a bit of a Sunday street party making the most of the setting sun, fuelled by a couple of beachfront pubs and people eating takeaway pizzas and fish & chips.

At low tide, it’s possible to walk over to Cilborth beach via the clifftop path, and this is a popular place for sea kayaking too.

Where

About a 30-minute drive south from New Quay and 15 minutes north of Penbryn, find it here on Google Maps. Note that the road down to the village from either side is tight and curvy, whilst the hairpin bends coming down from the south via the sculpture overlooking the bay, are absolutely mental. Drive cautiously and at appropriate speeds.

Parking

There’s only one small, awkward car park by the beach (Google Maps) and, based on our impressions, it’s likely that this will often be quickly filled on a sunny weekend. Accessing it is also only possible via narrow roads.

One very important thing to note, based on a few things we’ve read from recent visitors, is that there is a 10-minute grace period on parking and the private operators of the car park enforce this very strictly with CCTV. Quite a few people have been fined £100, despite buying tickets, because they didn’t do it within the timeslot, so you have been warned.

In short, if you arrive in the car park and can’t find a space or park & pay within 10 minutes, then just leave - even if the machine is broken, you will be expected to pay (not exactly sure how that works…)

Find out more here.

Prices are £1.75 / 1 hour, £2.75 / 2 hours, £4.00 / 3 hours, £4.75 / 4 hours, £5.75 / 5 hours, then £10 for the whole day.

An alternative, which we haven’t used, is the free Llangrannog Park and Ride Free Car Park (Google Maps). It’s five minutes up the road, so not the easiest to walk from apparently, but it has a village-run park & ride scheme in high season.

Facilities

You have the Pentre Arms and The Ship / Y Llong pubs, The Beach Hut offering drinks & food, and Tafell a Tân pizzas, so you’re pretty spoiled for choice.

No dogs (except guide ones) are permitted on the western section from 1st May to 30th September.