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Tenby South Beach, PembrokeshirePhoto: Lewis Clarke (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Tenby South Beach

A mile and a half of dune-backed sand towards Giltar Point, with Caldey Island floating offshore — Tenby's family workhorse.

South Beach is where Tenby stretches out: a huge, gently-shelving mile and a half of sand running from the Esplanade to Giltar Point, backed by dunes and looking straight at Caldey Island. There is room here even in August; walk five minutes towards Giltar and crowds thin to nothing. Swimming is lifeguarded in season near the town end; the southern stretch stays dog-friendly all year, making it the town's year-round dog-walking lung. Kiosks and cafés cluster at the Esplanade end.

Where to eat and drink near Tenby South Beach

The nearest pubs, cafés and restaurants, closest first. Walking times are rough estimates on lane and cliff path — check opening hours before you rely on one.

450m away · about 5 min walk

450m away · about 5 min walk

500m away · about 5 min walk

500m away · about 5 min walk

650m away · about 10 min walk

800m away · about 10 min walk

Things to do near Tenby South Beach

Everything to do in Pembrokeshire →

The next few hours

Nearest forecast point: Tenby

dry for the next few hours, around 12°C, gusting to 26 mph — hold on to the windbreak.

  • 01:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 26 mph

  • 02:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 25 mph

  • 03:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 25 mph

  • 04:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 23 mph

  • 05:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 23 mph

  • 06:00

    12°

    Clear

    W 23 mph

  • 07:00

    11°

    Clear

    W 22 mph

  • 08:00

    11°

    Clear

    NW 23 mph

Forecast from MET Norway, used under CC BY 4.0. It's a forecast for the nearest of six points across the county, not for this exact spot — on a coast this shaped, one headland can be in sun and the next in rain.

Light today at Tenby South Beach

Sunrise
07:33
Sunset
18:41
Daylight
11h 8m

The light goes gold from about 17:55.

Calculated for these coordinates, accurate to a minute or so. A cliff or a headland to your west will take the sun sooner than this suggests.

Tides near Tenby South Beach

Tenby · about 0 miles away

  • High water

    06:30

    Sat 10 Oct · 8.4m

  • Low water

    12:41

    Sat 10 Oct · 0.9m

  • High water

    18:47

    Sat 10 Oct · 8.6m

  • Low water

    01:03

    Sun 11 Oct · 0.9m

Predicted times from the UK Hydrographic Office. Wind and pressure shift real water levels, and the tide at a specific cove can run earlier or later than its port. Never plan a tidal crossing on this alone.

Bathing water quality

Natural Resources Wales

ExcellentLatest annual classification for the designated bathing water at Tenby South

NRW notes water quality here can be affected by heavy rain — worth remembering the day after a downpour.

This is a designated bathing water, sampled by Natural Resources Wales through the May–September season. Official record (Open Government Licence v3.0, © Natural Resources Wales). Classification as published when we last checked, 2026-08-21 — the official record always has the latest.

Before you go

The practical answers, from the people responsible for them, checked 2026-08-23.

Parking: South Beach, Tenby

102 spaces

£1.50 for an hour, £3 for two hours, £4.50 for four hours, £6 for 24 hours, £30 a week.

Seasonal charging. Salterns, five minutes further along, has 355 spaces at £5 for five hours or £7 all day — the overflow worth knowing about on an August Saturday.

Run by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Source: Pembrokeshire County Council car park charges

Lifeguards

Weekends and bank holidays, 3–6 April and 2–17 May; then daily from 23 May to 6 September.

Patrols run 10am–6pm. No flags means no lifeguards.

Source: RNLI, 2026 patrol dates

Getting onto the sand

Wooden walkway roughly 60 metres out across the sand.

Source: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Easy Access Beaches

Parking at Tenby South Beach

OpenStreetMap

13 car parks within a mile of the sand, 2 of them free. The nearest is about 450m away — roughly a 10-minute walk if you park there and carry everything in.

All parking around Tenby →

Distances are straight-line from the beach, so the walk is usually longer — and on this coast it is often downhill on the way there. Charges and space counts come from OpenStreetMap contributors and can go out of date; we don’t print prices, because the map records whether a car park charges, not how much. In July and August the popular ones fill by mid-morning.

Visitor reviews

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Tenby South Beach: common questions

Can I take a dog to Tenby South Beach?

Restricted 1 May – 30 September; dogs must be on a lead in the restricted section. The southern stretch towards Giltar welcomes dogs all year.

Where do you park for Tenby South Beach?

The nearest car park we map is South Beach Pay & Display Car Park, about 450m away (£1.50 an hour, £3 for two hours, £4.50 for four, £6 for 24 hours, £30 a week. seasonal charging.). There are 2 more within a mile.

Are there toilets at Tenby South Beach?

Yes — public toilets are mapped about 500m from the beach. Seasonal opening is normal on the Pembrokeshire coast, so treat winter as uncertain.

Is Tenby South Beach lifeguarded?

Tenby South Beach has RNLI lifeguard cover in the main season — typically late spring to early September, with reduced cover at the shoulders. Check the RNLI's own beach listing for this year's exact dates before you rely on it.

Answers are generated from what we actually hold in our database and refreshed as it changes. Opening hours, dog rules and prices move — check with the venue before you travel.

Stay near Tenby South Beach

Hand-picked places to stay within a mile or so, nearest first. Our picks are data-driven — we haven’t stayed — and we earn a commission when you book through a partner link. How that works.

Find a stay to fit your trip →
FCH80930 — photo from holidaycottages.co.uk

Queens Parade 4

Tenby · Sleeps 7 · 4 beds

Hot tub
  • 0.4 miles away
  • Best for: Families · groups of friends
from £866/week
View stay →

Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk

FCH80773 — photo from holidaycottages.co.uk

Caldey View 3

Tenby · Sleeps 4 · 2 beds

Sea view
  • 0.4 miles away
  • Best for: Small families · South Beach days
from £503/week
View stay →

Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk

FCH89074 — photo from holidaycottages.co.uk

Beach House Tenby

Tenby · Sleeps 10 · 5 beds

Beachfront
  • 0.4 miles away
  • Best for: Large families · three generations
from £1,268/week
View stay →

Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk