The beach in Carmarthenshire was the first beach in Wales to achieve the globally-recognised Blue Flag award
The stunning beach has panoramic views(Image: Llanelli Star)
A beautiful Carmarthenshire beach which has been awarded more Blue Flags than any other beach in Wales has retained its place among the world’s best coastal spots in the prestigious Wales Coast Awards 2026.
Cefn Sidan was the first beach in Wales to achieve the globally-recognised Blue Flag award when the awards were introduced in 1988 – and no Welsh beach has won the accolade more than Cefn Sidan, which has picked up the award at total of 38 times.
The eight-mile unspoiled sandy beach is backed by sand dunes and lies within Pembrey Country Park, one of Carmarthen’s biggest tourist attractions, that provides a unique blend of coast and countryside with a Green Flag awarded woodlands and Blue Flag awarded coast.
Pembrey is a popular destination with tourists who come to explore the walking and mountain biking trails of the park’s 500 acres, as well as its more adventurous activities including a dry ski slope, a toboggan ride, crazy golf and train rides, and to stay at its large family-friendly campsite.
For more on Wales’ best beaches here’s a 40-strong list to add to your bucketlst for 2026 and beyond. There’s 29 more of Wales’ world-class beautiful beaches, here. and if you have a bit more time for your walk over a weekend, or time off, here are some brilliant walks around Wales.
The beach is a popular spot for bathing and water sports, with views across Carmarthen Bay and the hilly coastline. It also has a fascinating history of shipwrecks dating back to 1668.
Cefn Sidan’s eight miles of golden sand is sandwiched between the waters of Carmarthen Bay and the hundreds of acres of woodland and countryside of the park which is just west of Llanelli. It’s advised not to enter the sand dunes as they can be unsafe.
The beach is arguably the main attraction but there’s loads more to do here, including walks and trails, a fantastic adventure playground for kids, mini golf, bike hire and even a toboggan and dri sky slope.
There’s also a large campsite open between March and October, meaning you can walk back to your tent or van after a day on the beach or exploring the enormous park, and a fully licenced restaurant and bar serving salads, pizzas and smaller meals for children (there’s also a new pirate ship outside the restaurant for playing on!)
And as of 2026 there are cosy camping pods available to book for up to six people. For all camping and Pembrey Country Park information, click here.
Cefn Sidan beach stretching ahead of you
Cefn Sidan is among 20 across Wales achieving the Blue Flag accolade, joining other coastal locations including Llangrannog in Ceredigion, Saundersfoot, Tenby South and Poppit Sands beaches in Pembrokeshire, and Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Port Eynon in Swansea.
A total of 48 beaches across Wales are recognised in the awards, which play a vital role in protecting our precious marine environment and are known around the world as a symbol of quality.
The Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognised awards for beaches, marinas and tourism boats, recognising not only the highest standards of water quality, but also high-quality amenities, sustainable development of tourism, information provision, environmental education, safety and access, and site management.
Cefn Sidan, Pembrey(Image: South Wales Evening Post)
As well as beautiful views across Carmarthen Bay to take in and crisp seas to swim in, Cefn Sidan is also jam-packed with history – even cooler, ship wrecks!
There’s a rich and dark shipping history to this part of the Welsh coast, dating back to a time when it was a major shipping route serving Wales’ booming coal and tinplate industries.
There are said to be an astonishing 300 ships wrecked under the sands of Cefn Sidan. And though many of them will have been dashed on the area’s treacherous sandbanks, others were lured to their doom by merciless looters.
The Paul is the largest remaining timber wreck to be seen on the Cefn Sidan sands of the 182 vessels are recorded as being wrecked here.(Image: Getty)
On Cefn Sidan, the largest visible remains are at the western end, and belong to a large windjammer that grounded there nearly 100 years ago, called the SV Paul. In 1925, the ship left Nova Scotia and on October 30 ran into severe gales, losing her sails and anchors and eventually grounding on the sands. It was carrying a cargo of expensive tropical hardwood timber when it grounded.
Just a fair warning, though, you’d have to walk for a few miles to see the remains.
How to get to Cefn Sidan
Head for: Pembrey Country Park, Pembrey, Carmarthenshire, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, SA16 0EJ. You can park in the country park and tariffs are: 1 April to 30 September – £5.50 up to two hours or £8.80 all day 1 October to 31 March – £4 up to two hours or £5 all day.
Paying by cash or card for your parking at a ticketing machine is still available, however, motorists now have a choice of paying through an app called MiPermit on their smartphone or device.