South Wales beaches among UK's best in The Times 2025 guide

South Wales Argus

07-07-2025

The 2025 guide was compiled by The Times' chief travel writer, Chris Haslam, who visited 756 beaches and 51 resorts across the UK and Northern Ireland.
Introducing the list, Mr Haslam said: "[The fact] that I completed this tour of inspection under mainly blue skies made choosing the top 50 — ten of which are new entries — even harder.
"If it feels like I've moved away from easily-accessed urban shores to include more rural beaches, that's because the glitter seems tarnished in too many of our resort towns.
Best-rated UK beaches for 2025 - Tripadvisor rankings
"I've seen businesses struggling with rising costs, councils cutting budgets and water quality falling as infrastructure has failed to keep pace with population growth.
"That's not true of all town beaches though: Bude, Frinton on Sea, Roker, Saundersfoot and Skegness made the top 50, and others including Cromer, Felixstowe, Torquay and Mumbles came close.
"The truth remains, though, that our coast is still the most beautiful and most varied on earth, and there's much to discover beyond the most obvious spots.
"So pack a picnic and the factor 50 and make 2025 the summer of the beach that's a little harder to reach."
See which Welsh beaches featured among the UK's best in the 2025 edition of The Times and Sunday Times Best Beaches Guide. (Image: Getty Images)
The Welsh beaches among the UK's best
The beaches in Wales ranked among the best in the UK, according to The Times, are:
Wales' Beach of the Year : Shell Island, Gwynedd
: Shell Island, Gwynedd Dunraven Bay, Glamorgan
Three Cliffs Bay, Glamorgan
Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
Whitesands, Pembrokeshire
Mwnt, Ceredigion
Aberdaron, Gwynedd
Traeth Llanddwyn, Gwynedd
The 2 South Wales beaches among the UK's best
Dunraven Bay
Beach-goers in south Wales often travel to Gower or Pembrokeshire in search of the perfect spot.
However, The Times recommends looking at Glamorgan's Heritage Coast for the best beach - Dunraven Bay.
The news outlet explained: "If you've sped past en route to the Gower or Pembrokeshire you've missed a stretch of the Welsh coast that bears comparison with geological wonders such as the Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim and Lulworth Cove in Dorset — but without the crowds.
"At Dunraven Bay (also known as Southerndown beach) you'll find a millefeuille of carboniferous limestone and blue lias — layers of limestone and shale — overhanging a beach paved flatter than your patio.
"It's an otherworldly beach, as good for fossil hunting as it is for simply admiring the views across the Bristol Channel, and if it seems vaguely familiar, that's because it's played the part of several planets in Doctor Who."
The water quality at Dunraven Bay is rated "excellent", the beach is dog friendly, and there is a café and toilets.
It also comes highly recommended by visitors, boasting a 4.5 rating (out of 5) on Tripadvisor from 217 reviews.
One person, commenting about their experience at Dunraven Bay, said: "Beautiful bay and not too busy.
"Somewhat close to Devon but without the crowds. A real gem. Lots of space to walk and play. I would love to return."
When was the last time you visited Dunraven Bay? (Image: Getty Images)
Three Cliffs Bay
Three Cliffs Bay also featured in the 2025 edition of The Times and Sunday Times Best Beaches Guide.
The south Wales beach has been described by visitors as "unforgettable", "breathtaking" and "stunning" on Tripadvisor, where it boasts a near-perfect 4.8 rating from 764 reviews.
The Times said for those planning a trip to Three Cliffs Bay, securing SE1 (available from £52) at the Three Cliffs Bay Holiday Park on the Gower peninsula was a must.
Three Cliff Bay is described as "breathtaking" by visitors. (Image: Tripadvisor) The news outlet explained: "By my reckoning pitch SE1 at the Three Cliffs Bay Holiday Park on the Gower peninsula is the best in the nation: 50 yards from the ablutions, flat, protected from the prevailing wind, and blessed with the best beach view in the country.
"From here you'll have an uninterrupted drone's-eye view of the magnificence of Three Cliffs Bay, with the wide waters of the Pennard Pill snaking across the sands to the left, the crags of Penmaen Burrows, where the lost village of Stedwarlango is thought to be buried, on the right and the dragon-tooth spikes of the Three Cliffs in front.
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"I've timed the walk from the campsite to the beach and it's 16 minutes."
For those coming from the car park on the A4118, it's a 22-minute walk.
Three Cliffs Bay Beach is also dog-friendly.