Pitch around this resort near some of South Pembrokeshire’s best sandy beaches.
Often mentioned in the same breath as Tenby, its bigger seaside resort cousin just along the southern Pembrokeshire Coast National Park shoreline, Saundersfoot has a more laid-back vibe. It has a generous sandy beach and all the expected small resort trappings (decent eats, amusements, kitschy seaside shops, and more). Excellent walking can be found along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, both to Amroth and Tenby. The most convenient Saundersfoot campsites are up to a mile west and southwest of the centre, away from the coast, although some spectacularly poised campsites sit near the coast path above tempestuous Monkstone Beach.
This is the most popular part of the national park to visit. Fanning out beyond perfectly positioned resorts like Saundersfoot and Tenby, pulling in crowds keen to see the area’s beaches, South Pembrokeshire brings tranquillity to spots like the castle-flanked surfers’ favourite Manorbier, the seabird sanctuary of Elegug Rock Stacks, and vast Freshwater Bay. Manorbier and Freshwater East have quiet sites where you can pitch near gorgeous, wild beaches.
Referred to as a “thin” place by ancient Britons, where the gap between earth and heaven was supposedly small, the St Davids area remains a special, spiritual locale. Britain’s westernmost city, St Davids sits 33 miles northwest of Saundersfoot. The craggy grasslands around the city sport several scenic campsites near both modern conveniences and the shores of bizarre rock formations.
Saundersfoot’s location in East Pembrokeshire means the far-less-visited county of Carmarthenshire is within easy reach. Huge sandy beaches, lush agricultural land, rambling rolling hills, and authentic insights into Welsh farming life define the region. Plenty of Carmarthenshire camping sits along the coast (between Pendine and Laugharne), but the most interesting camping within easy reach is in the hilly forests of Brechfa Forest, a mountain biking Mecca about 35 miles northeast of Saundersfoot.
Pembrokeshire’s main tourist season runs from Easter to the end of September, when most regional campsites shut down (though some caravan sites are open year-round). Weather can be wet at any time, but April, May and September often yield the year’s sunniest, driest weather. SaundersFEST, a July live music extravaganza, is also a great time to visit.