Below is a list of Blue Flag beaches and marinas in Wales, sorted by regulatory body. As of September 2022, 53 locations had been designated by the internationally recognised Foundation for Environmental Education based in Copenhagen, Denmark.[1] The foundation awards, or removes, beaches and marinas from their list each July.
The 2022 is up 13, [2] beaches. In the past the reduced number was due to stricter water quality criteria being used, coupled with the fact that 2012 was a wet year in the country meaning that there were more naturally occurring bacteria present.[3] In comparison, the larger countries of England and Scotland had 55[4] and 3[5] beaches listed and no marinas. The Welsh organisation Keep Wales Tidy helps to keep the beaches in good condition as well as running two separate sets of awards - the Green Coast Award and the Seaside Award.[6]
The vast majority of the beaches and marinas are located on the Wales Coast Path.[7]
In 2013 there were 33 beaches and 5 registered marinasru:
1 Abergele, 2 Llandrillo yn Rhos, 3 Llanddona, 4 Porth Dafarch, 5 Trearddur, 6 New Quay, 7 Saundersfoot, 8 Saundersfoot, 9 Port Einon, 10 Bae Caswell
