Boat trips in Pembrokeshire
A boat trip is one of the most rewarding family activities on offer in Wales. With spectacular scenery and fascinating wildlife to discover both above and below the water, there’s no better place in the country to explore by boat than the coastline of Pembrokeshire.
If you're a lover of adventure, hiking, stunning landscapes and luscious greenery then the chances are you’ve already fallen in love with the beautiful county of Pembrokeshire. Home to one of the most wonderful coastlines in Britain with rugged cliffs and Blue Flag beaches, there’s plenty to explore on the mainland. However, off the coast lies a collection of islands, home to spectacular nature reserves, that can be visited by boat to see their rare colonies of seals and birdlife. On this list of our favourite Pembrokeshire boat trips, we’ve made sure to include trips to several different islands, as well as along one of the prettiest sections of mainland Pembrokeshire. And with holiday parks at Kiln Park, Lydstep Beach and Penally Court, a quality Haven place to stay is never far away.
Ramsey Island
Commonly regarded as the most beautiful of Pembrokeshire’s isles, Ramsey Island is easy to get to and famous for being an important breeding site for grey seals. In the cliffs, you’ll spot thousands of gulls, auks, buzzards and the wonderful Manx Shearwaters.
The island is just over a mile out at sea from the St Davids Peninsula and has a certain rugged charm, having been battered by strong winds and wild waves for thousands of years. The island is just under two miles long and a mile wide and its highest point Carn Llundain offers splendid views across half of Pembrokeshire.
Thousand Islands Boat Trips are your best bet for trips to Ramsey Island. They have been operating since 1975 and have the sole landing rights to the RSPB Nature Reserve. These ever-popular Pembrokeshire boat trips depart St. Justinians and take you on a voyage beneath the majestic cliffs adorned with nesting seabirds and colonies of seals. They also offer whale and dolphin spotting packages, fishing trips, and even excursions to Ramsey Island to see the seabirds and seals among the dramatic scenery at sunset, as well as guided walks with RSPB members.
Fishguard Bay
Fishguard Bay is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery, unrivalled in North Pembrokeshire. Walking in this area is a great way to take in the breathtaking panoramic views and they are undoubtedly beautiful from land, but why not elevate the experience by viewing Fishguard Bay from the sea? This is now possible with Fishguard Bay Boat Tours.
The harbour is the ideal departure point to take in the full breadth of Fishguard Bay before heading out onto the waters. On the popular voyage to Strumble Head, you’ll see the landing place where French forces last invaded mainland Britain and take in a rugged coastline of prehistoric rock formations, and fascinating wildlife, such as porpoises, seals, gannets and many other seabirds, before reaching the dramatic Strumble Head lighthouse. The North Pembrokeshire coast is truly an underrated location and is surely one of the top Pembrokeshire boat trips.
Skomer Island
Skomer is the largest of the Pembrokeshire islands and is internationally recognised as a sanctuary for a growing population of puffins. While it’s possible to witness these colourful birds any day of the year, your best chance is in May and early June, the breeding season, when the seabirds are particularly abundant. There is also an array of other birdlife and you may catch a glimpse of the island’s rabbit or Skomer vole population. May is also a fantastic time to see the flowering bluebells and red campion which carpet the island in late spring.
Skomer Landing Trips are the only way to land on Skomer and get within a few feet of Pembrokeshire’s puffins! The 15-minute boat ride takes you to the island where you’ll spend the day in the birdlife and flower paradise before catching a return boat in the afternoon. All Skomer Island day visit tickets must be pre-booked online and the number of visitors is limited to 250 a day to prevent erosion and to control the impact of people on the wildlife. Make sure to book early so as not to miss out.
Grassholm Island
Marking the most westerly point in Wales, Grassholm is one of the most remote islands in the British Isles, eight miles off the Pembrokeshire coast over the choppy waters of the Jack Sound. Gannet is renowned for its wildlife, in particular the large colony of gannets, a magnificent rare seabird. The turbulent waters that lap the shark fin-shaped island are also fertile grounds for porpoises, dolphins, and seals.
Grassholm has been owned by the RSPB since 1947, and while no landing is allowed on the island, it is possible to get a close look at it from boats that sail there from St Justinians and Martin’s Haven. The 50 seater passenger boat 'The Dale Princess' affords passengers a close look at the phenomena known as the “white halo” — approximately 30,000 pairs of Gannets crowding onto the tiny island to nest and lay their single egg. The gannets are also known to dive into the waters to hunt fish from heights of up to thirty metres! You might also see other birds such as Kittiwake, Razorbill, Shag and Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Plus, there is always the chance of a seal, dolphin or porpoise encounter, making this one of the best Pembrokeshire boat trips.
Skokholm Island
Skokholm lies three miles off the Dale peninsula. The island has a history of Viking connections and is bordered by spectacular cliffs of old red sandstone that climb to almost 50 metres high in the south-west.
Atlantic Grey seals swim around the Skokholm Island and bask on the surrounding rocks, while Harbour Porpoise, and common, bottlenose and Risso’s Dolphins are often sighted in the surrounding waters. However, it’s the birdlife that draws visitors from far and wide. Like Skomer which lies three miles to the north, Skokholm hosts a flourishing population of Manx Shearwaters and puffins which are spectacular to behold. However, unlike Skomer, Skokholm is not open to day visitors. You need to book an extended three, four or seven night stay with the local Wildlife Trust, or otherwise content yourself with a cruise around the island instead.
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Important information
*New holiday homes from £29,995 – UPDATED 29 August 2024
*Holiday home price is based on a new 3-bedroom ABI Horizon holiday home and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 29 August 2024, price is available at selected parks Blue Dolphin, Craig Tara, Cleethorpes Beach, Caister, Combe Haven, Far Grange, Greenacres, Golden Sands, Haggerston, Orchards, and Quay West. Price can be withdrawn at any time.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Pre-owned holiday homes from £14,995 – UPDATED 31 JULY 2024 *Holiday home price is based on a pre-owned holiday home and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 31 July 2024, price is available at Blue Dolphin, Caister, Cleethorpes Beach, Combe Haven, Craig Tara, Far Grange, Greenacres, Golden Sands, Haggeston, Orchards, Quay West, Skegness and Wild Duck.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Site fees from as little as £150 a month with Let2offset at Lydstep Beach
Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
“Site fees from as little as £150 a month with Let2offset” is available at Lydstep Beach. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance. Offer is subject to availability.
"Site fees from as little as £150 a month with Let2offset” is applicable to new customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. This offer is available at Lydstep Beach only and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade) for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Site fees from as little as £150 a month with Let2offset” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Lydstep Beach with a monthly site fee of £899.00 (includes purchasing discount of £29) and monthly letting income of £719.00. The monthly difference equates to £151 which will be charged to the owner's account monthly; to meet the site fee payment of £150 per month, an additional credit of £1 per month will be applied to the owner’s account. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Let2offset - make no site fee payments until 2031
Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
‘Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031’ is available at 33 Haven parks excluding Burnham, Cardigan View, Far Grange, Garreg Wen, Lydstep Beach, Riviere Sands and Seaview. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance.
“Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” is applicable to new and existing customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. It is available across 40% of eligible Parks and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Primrose Valley with a monthly site fee of £585.00 (includes purchasing discount of £45) and monthly letting income of £803.67. The monthly difference equates to £218.67, which will be credited to the owner's account. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.