Little-known UK island that’s been described as ‘paradise’ & it’s easy to get to
THERE’S a tiny island in the UK that’s been described as “paradise” by holidaymakers – and it’s incredibly easy to reach.
Staycations are becoming increasingly popular with Brits who aren’t keen on forking out for flights and hotels abroad.
Fortunately, there are plenty of stunning destinations in the UK including Caldey Island in Wales.
Caldey Island, which lies just off the coast of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, is only 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) wide.
The island is owned by monks and is home to a grand monastery.
There are only 40 permanent residents on the island, but this number increases when daytrippers flock to Caldey in the summer months.
Caldey welcomes daytrippers from Easter until the end of October, but it’s closed to visitors on Sundays.
The island can only be accessed via a passenger boat from Castle Beach in Tenby.
Return ferry tickets can be purchased from a kiosk in Tenby and cost £15 for a full-paying adult, with a journey time of approximately 20 minutes.
TikTok user Clare, who is known as clarestanz on the social media platform, recently took a trip to the island.
The video caption read: “Paradise in West Wales, it’s just a 10-minute boat trip from Castle Beach in Tenby.”
The footage showed views of one of the beaches on the island.
And Clare isn’t the only Brit who has visited the island in recent years.
TikToker users Jessica & Ilaria (@__outintheworld) posted a video all about their day trip to the island.
She said: “Come with us to Tenby Island in Wales. First, you need to take the boat from Tenby and then walk up the hill to explore the view of the monastery (and visit the cafe, gift shop, and perfumery).
“They also have a chocolate factory and some black swans, and you can also relax on the sandy beach with crystal-clear waters.”
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Holidaymakers have also been raving about the island on TripAdvisor.
One person wrote: “An absolute must! One of the nicest experiences we had while in Wales.”
Another person wrote: “The island itself is stunning. A little bit of paradise. We saw so much wildlife including dolphins, porpoises, seals, jellyfish, loads of different birds, and a single red squirrel.”
A third person added: “Great day out, lovely boat trip, the homemade chocolate is lovely, and there are lots to see and do.”
While Caldey Island has a number of beaches, only one is open to holidaymakers.
Priory Bay can be accessed via a series of stone steps or a sloping concrete ramp.
The golden sand beach is safe for swimming but beachgoers should be careful of the tide.
Facilities including a toilet and a cafe can be accessed in the nearby village.
The cafe has outdoor seating and serves a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks.
Other activities on the island include taking in views of the monastery, a trip to the local chocolate factory, and a visit to the gift shop as well as plenty of walking routes.
There is no overnight accommodation on the island, so daytrippers will need to return to Tenby after their visit.
If you don’t fancy heading to Wales, the UK has some other amazing beaches.
Blackpool Sands in Devon was listed as the best in the UK by Conde Nast Traveller and even has its own music festival in the summer.
Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, was voted one of the best beaches in the UK in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2023.
And one UK beach even has its own wild ponies.