Not all Anglesey beaches are equal. The island has 125 miles of coastline and more than 20 named beaches — some are stunning, some are overrated, and a few are genuinely world-class by any measure. Here’s how I’d rank them if a friend asked.
1. Newborough Beach & Llanddwyn Island
This is the one. A mile of firm sand, a pine forest behind it, red squirrels in the canopy, and at the far end — Llanddwyn Island, a tidal peninsula of volcanic rock where a ruined lighthouse stands above the sea and the Snowdonia peaks float across the water. At low tide in September, with the beach nearly empty and the mountains in sharp relief, Newborough Beach is as good as any beach in the British Isles.
Practical: ANPR cashless parking at the forest entrance — £5 for 2 hours or £15 all day. Postcode LL61 6SG. Dogs welcome year-round. Check tide times before walking to Llanddwyn.
2. Rhosneigr Beach
The west coast’s finest, and the one that draws a very specific crowd: kitesurfers, windsurfers, and anyone who wants Atlantic wind in their face on a grey October afternoon. Rhosneigr Beach faces due west, the swell is consistent, and the beach widens at low tide into vast flat sands that work perfectly for families too. The village behind it — a few whitewashed streets, the Oyster Catcher above the dunes, the Reef café at the beach edge — is exactly right.
Practical: Free village car park behind the beach, busy in summer. Train station in the village on the Holyhead line. Dogs welcome. Gecko Surf and Funsport both run lessons from the beach.
3. Benllech Beach
The east coast’s answer to everything: golden sand, Blue Flag water quality, lifeguards in summer, and the Mermaid Fish Bar for fish and chips eaten on the sea wall. Benllech is a proper seaside resort in the old-fashioned sense — facilities, community, a village that still functions. The beach faces east, which means morning light rather than sunsets, and the sea temperature is fractionally warmer than the exposed western coast.
Practical: Pay-and-display car park directly behind the beach. Toilets and café facilities. Dogs on leads in the main beach area — seasonal restrictions apply to some sections.
4. Lligwy Beach
One of the best-kept secrets on the island. Lligwy Beach is a broad north-facing arc near Moelfre that never seems to fill up, even in August when Benllech is heaving. The rock pools at the northern end are excellent — crabs, anemones, small fish — and the walk south along the coastal path leads to Din Lligwy ancient village, which makes the afternoon feel earned. Zero frills, all reward.
Practical: Small pay-and-display car park above the beach — arrive early in summer. Postcode LL72 8NL. Dogs welcome year-round.
5. Trearddur Bay
Holy Island’s beach resort. Trearddur Bay is a horseshoe cove of turquoise water protected from the prevailing westerly wind — calmer and warmer than almost anywhere else on the exposed western coast. Snorkelling off the rocky headlands is excellent (wrasse, pollack, the occasional grey seal), and paddleboarders launch from the beach in all seasons. The village has everything you need: Sea Shanty café for food, a surf school, shops. Three miles south of Holyhead.
Practical: Pay-and-display car park at the beach. Postcode LL65 2YD. Good facilities including toilets and cafés. Some seasonal dog restrictions.
6. Aberffraw Beach
The quietest Blue Flag beach on the island. Aberffraw Beach sits at the mouth of the Afon Ffraw estuary on the southwest coast — dune-backed, birdwatcher-friendly, and never crowded because the approach through the village puts casual visitors off. The dunes are SSSI for rare plants including orchids in late spring. The village itself is worth 20 minutes: former seat of the Princes of Gwynedd, the most powerful royal dynasty in medieval Wales.
Practical: Limited free parking in the village. Postcode LL63 5EL. Dogs welcome. No facilities at the beach itself — bring provisions.
7. Porth Dafarch
The snorkeller’s choice. Porth Dafarch is a sheltered horseshoe cove on the southwest coast of Holy Island — wilder and quieter than Trearddur Bay two miles north, with underwater ledges holding populations of wrasse and bass that make it one of the best snorkel spots in Wales. The coastal path north to Trearddur is one of the most dramatic short walks on the island.
Practical: Pay-and-display above the beach. Postcode LL65 2LT. No café on site. Dogs welcome. Not accessible for wheelchairs or reduced mobility.
8. Silver Bay
A small crescent near Rhoscolyn that earns its name in the late afternoon when the Atlantic light hits the water from the southwest and turns it molten. Silver Bay is sheltered, shallow, and safe — ideal for families and paddleboards — with a coastal path south to Rhoscolyn Head that delivers one of Holy Island’s finest cliff-edge viewpoints.
Practical: Limited parking near Rhoscolyn village. Postcode LL65 2AZ. Dogs welcome. Some walking required from parking to the beach.
9. Church Bay (Porth Swtan)
Remote in feel if not in distance, Church Bay on the northwest coast is tucked between headlands and catches the Atlantic light in a way that makes late afternoon visits feel unfairly beautiful. The small car park fills quickly on sunny weekends — weekdays it belongs to you. The Lobster Pot restaurant is right at the top of the bay and worth factoring into the visit.
Practical: Small car park above the beach. Postcode LL65 4ET. Dogs welcome. Limited to no other facilities.
10. Red Wharf Bay
Not strictly a swimming beach — the tidal currents over the vast flats can be dangerous — but one of the most extraordinary places on the island for a walk, a photograph, or an afternoon at the Ship Inn. At low tide Red Wharf Bay reveals four miles of tidal flats with birdlife working the sand in every direction, and the light at dusk is unlike anywhere else on Anglesey.
Practical: Free car park at the bay. Postcode LL75 8RJ. Dogs welcome year-round. The Ship Inn accepts bookings for weekend dining.
Practical notes for all beaches
Parking: Anglesey’s busier beaches fill their car parks by 10am on warm summer weekends. Arrive before 9am or after 4pm for stress-free parking.
Dogs: Most Anglesey beaches welcome dogs year-round. Some apply seasonal restrictions (typically May–September) to specific sections. Check signage on arrival — locals are patient with visitors who didn’t know, not so much with those who ignored the signs.
Tides: Several of the best beaches — Newborough/Llanddwyn, Aberffraw, Red Wharf Bay — are significantly affected by the tide. The BBC Tide Forecast is accurate for Anglesey.
Water quality: Anglesey’s beaches consistently rate among the cleanest in Wales. Blue Flag beaches include Benllech, Rhosneigr, Aberffraw, and Trearddur Bay in most years.