Welsh Seaside town with three beaches and dolphin sightings named best in Britain

A Welsh seaside town has been named the best in Britain after a current UK coastal guide placed it first, with three contrasting beaches and regular dolphin activity among its biggest draws. Travel specialists at Ski Vertigo (https://skivertigo.co.uk/) have reviewed what the result means for anyone planning a British coastal break.

The town is New Quay in Ceredigion, which took the number one position in Holiday Cars' current guide to the 20 best coastal towns in the UK. The recognition is a guide ranking rather than an official national tourism award, but it puts the Cardigan Bay town ahead of better-known coastal names.

When people picture the Welsh coast, they may think of childhood days in Saundersfoot, the colourful harbour and beaches of Tenby, or the cliffs around Rhossili Bay. New Quay offers a smaller and quieter alternative while still giving visitors plenty to do. Victorian terraces run down towards the main sandy bay, where kayaks, sailboats, paddleboards and sandcastles are common sights in summer. Traeth Gwyn and Cei Bach provide wilder options, giving visitors a choice between a lively harbour base and a more open stretch of coast.

The town is compact but lively rather than isolated. Its harbour is the starting point for wildlife, fishing and sightseeing trips, while the waterfront offers places to eat and views across Cardigan Bay as the sun goes down.

The wildlife is one of New Quay's biggest draws. Cardigan Bay is known for its semi-resident bottlenose dolphin population, and the dolphins visit New Quay harbour regularly, with activity generally higher between April and November. Boat trips can also give visitors the chance to see harbour porpoises, Atlantic grey seals and seabirds. Sunfish, basking sharks and leatherback turtles are among the seasonal visitors that may be encountered, although operators stress that dolphin sightings are never guaranteed.

New Quay's three headline beaches each offer a different type of day out. Harbour Beach is sheltered by the harbour wall, has soft sand and a designated safe swimming area, and is the natural family choice. Traeth Gwyn is wilder and stretches towards Llanina Point, while Cei Bach is a quieter sand and shingle beach with the Coast Path running through the wooded slope above it. Visitors should check the tide before walking between beaches because parts of Traeth Gwyn can become cut off at high water. Local visitor information also lists toilets, disabled facilities, drinking water, showers, shops, cafes, accommodation, parking, bus services and RNLI lifeguards during the summer season. Dogs are restricted on part of Harbour Beach from May 1st to September 30th, while access rules differ on the other beaches.

New Quay also works as a base for walkers. A Wales Coast Path route from the harbour covers 5km, with a further 3km extension from Llanina Point, and the town is marked as the official halfway point of the wider trail. There are several pay and display car parks, the nearest railway station is Aberystwyth, and the T5 bus calls at New Quay on its route between Aberystwyth and Cardigan.

The town has a strong literary connection too. Dylan Thomas spent the winter of 1944/45 in the area, and local walks link New Quay with the writing associated with Quite Early One Morning and Under Milk Wood.

For a different family stop, New Quay Honey Farm has a Bees Behind Glass exhibition alongside a shop and tearoom. Its current visitor information lists the exhibition until October 31st, while the shop, tearoom and meadery operate until the end of October.

That combination of a manageable beach base, wildlife and short walks is the kind of detail travel specialists weigh when judging whether a destination works for different holidaymakers. Alex Dyer, managing director at Ski Vertigo (https://skivertigo.co.uk/), said: "A destination becomes much easier to recommend when the same base can give a family a sheltered beach, a couple a wildlife trip or sunset walk, and a short-break visitor a compact harbour and food scene. New Quay has that flexibility, but anyone booking in peak season should check parking, tide times, beach access, seasonal dog rules and whether boat trips are running, because wildlife sightings are never guaranteed."

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