Beaches in Tenby, Pembrokeshire

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Situated on the western side of Carmarthen Bay in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales sits the coastal town of Tenby, part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park since 1972. It is one of the most visited seaside resorts in Wales and was especially popular during the Victorian and Edwardian eras with wealthy families. read more...

The beach guide has 13 beaches listed in and around the town of Tenby. We have arranged these beaches in order of closest to the town first (distance in brackets).

  • Castle Beach (0.1 miles)

    Castle Beach © Robin Drayton | BY-SA

    Nestled between the historic town of Tenby, Tenby Castle, and the St Catherine’s Island are the fine sands of Castle Beach. The beach here stretches southwards, joining up with the expanse of sand that is South Tenby Beach.

    At low tide, St Catherine’s Island is connected to the beach and can be reached on foot.…

  • North Tenby Beach (0.3 miles)

    North Tenby © Timhill

    Tenby North Beach is easy to spot if you are in Tenby thanks to the iconic Goscar Rock the rears out of the sand in the centre of the strip. The beach is one of the best-loved in the area and is tucked away between Harbour Beach and the elegant North Cliffs. As a result,…

  • South Tenby Beach (0.4 miles)

    South Tenby © Michael Graham | BY-SA

    Tenby South Beach stretches for a mile and a half across coast that backed by soft sand dunes. The beach is located between St Catherine’s Island and the headland of Giltar Point. The area closest to Tenby town is the most popular part of the beach but if you walk a little further along towards…

  • Waterwynch Bay (1 miles)

    Waterwynch Bay © Ant Basterfield | BY-SA

    At low tide Waterwynch Bay Beach is a long sandy beach formed from two coves. It is backed by a pebble bank which is all that remains at high tide as the golden sands disappear completely. The beach is often eschewed in favour of the more popular resort town of Tenby, although this is a…

  • Penally Beach (1.2 miles)

    Penally © Michael Graham | BY-SA

    Penally Beach is an undeveloped stretch of sand, backed by dunes, on the southern Pembrokeshire coast. At low tide the beach links to the more popular Tenby South and Castle Beach. The beach itself is mainly sandy with occasional shingle.

    The Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the Wales Coast Path pass adjacent to the beach…

  • Priory Bay, Caldey Island (2.2 miles)

    Priory Bay, Caldey Island © Andrew King | BY-SA

    Priory Bay is a wide sandy beach set on an island a mile off the coast of Tenby. Caldey Island is owned by Cistercian (trappist) monks and is home to a surprisingly grand monastery. The only way to reach the island is by taking the 20 minute boat ride from Tenby's Castle Beach - private…

  • Glen Beach (2.4 miles)

    Glen Beach © Pauline Eccles | BY-SA

    This small, sandy beach lies just south of Saundersfoot Harbour and Beach, on the Pembrokeshire coastline. The beach is backed by low cliffs and dense woodland, and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path passes through the trees just behind the beach. From the beach there are views out over Saundersfoot Bay and down the coast to Monkstone…

  • Sandtop Bay (2.4 miles)

    Sandtop Bay © Alistair Hare | BY-SA

    Set on Caldey Island, just off the coast of Tenby, is the secluded beach at Sandtop Bay. A beautiful stretch of pristine golden sand facing westwards into the Atlantic Ocean. Backed by sloping cliffs which lead into sand dunes it is something of a scramble to get down to the beach. Combined with it being…

  • Monkstone Beach (1.8 miles)

    Monkstone Beach © Alistair Hare | BY-SA

    A couple of miles north of Tenby is Monkstone beach, a fine stretch of golden sand punctuated by the occasional rock. This is a fairly sheltered beach and swimming here is generally safe, although there are no lifeguards. You'll also find plenty of rockpools. It is a bit of a walk from the nearest parking…

  • Saundersfoot Beach (2.8 miles)

    Saundersfoot © Capt' Gorgeous | BY-SA

    Situated in front of the village of Saundersfoot with its small harbour this sandy beach is very popular. The gently sloping sands make for safe swimming and all amenities are provided by the shops and cafes along the beach front. All in all this a great family beach.

    A short walk to the north,…

  • Coppet Hall Beach (3.1 miles)

    Coppet Hall © Ben Salter

    Even when the tide is out, this small but sandy beach has plenty of space, although do check tide times to make sure you don’t get cut off. At low tide, there’s ample room for beach games, and great spots for crabbing. You can access the sand from the central steps in front of the…

  • Drinkim Bay (2.7 miles)

    Drinkim Bay © Capt' Gorgeous | BY-SA

    Drinkim Bay is one of a number of beautiful sandy beaches on the little island of Caldey, just off the Pembrokeshire coast. This is not the easiest beach to get to by any stretch of the imagination. Being located on an island several miles off the mainland is only part of the challenge of getting…

  • Wisemans Bridge Beach (3.5 miles)

    Wisemans Bridge © Humphrey Bolton | BY-SA

    Wisemans Bridge Beach lies between Saundersfoot and Amroth and is linked to the rest of the coastline via a series of paths and tunnels. As such, ramblers flock here for the scenic views and the sheer number of trails in the area. You can easily walk here from Saundersfoot and it is a good choice…

Tenby beaches map

Map featuring Tenby beaches. Click on pins to view beach details

About Tenby

Situated on the western side of Carmarthen Bay in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales sits the coastal town of Tenby, part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park since 1972. It is one of the most visited seaside resorts in Wales and was especially popular during the Victorian and Edwardian eras with wealthy families.

Tenby, Wales

In 2013 it was given the bronze award for the best UK coastal resort at the British Travel Award as voted for by the public.

Tenby is best known for its 2.5 miles of sandy beaches, made up of three different beaches, with the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path passing through the area. Another notable feature of this historical town is the imposing 13th century medieval stone wall which includes the Five Arches gatehouse. Much of the centre of Tenby is made up of narrow streets, which are pedestrianized during the summer, and full of independent shops and cafes that have been built in oriental pastel colours giving the town a French look and feel.

There are regular boat trips that run from Tenby Harbour to Caldey Island when the tide is in, when the tide is out these run from Castle Beach. Caldey Island is a conservation area just offshore from South Beach and is owned by monks with an active monastery, 12th century priory, museum and tea gardens.

Other attractions include the Tudor Merchant's House, owned by the National Trust and recreates life as it would have been in the 15th century. There is also the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery near the harbour on Castle Hill which is the oldest independent museum in Wales.There are also two golf courses - Tenby Golf Course and Trelfoyne Manor.
The Ironman Wales competition also takes place in Tenby every year in September.