Mawgan Porth
Huge beach surrounded by lovely village with plenty of dining and accommodation options
Mawgan Porth is a coastal village in north Cornwall, 5 miles north-east of Newquay, set in a sheltered valley where the Vale of Mawgan meets the coast. Its wide sandy beach has won Sunday Times awards and draws surfers, families and rock-poolers. The village is small - a handful of shops, a cafe and a surf hire - but two well-known hotels sit on the cliffs above.
Beach and Coast Path
The beach faces north-west into the Atlantic and picks up reliable surf. KingSurf and other schools offer lessons from the sand. At low tide, rock pools and caves appear at both ends of the bay. The South West Coast Path runs through the village, with walks north to Bedruthan Steps - a line of sea stacks visible from the cliff top - and south to Watergate Bay and on to Newquay. Bedruthan Steps also holds Dark Sky Discovery status, making it a good spot for stargazing on clear evenings.
Where to Stay
Over 40 holiday properties serve Mawgan Porth, from beachfront apartments to rural cottages in the valley behind. The Scarlet is an adults-only eco-hotel with a natural outdoor pool, hot tubs and a cedar-wood sauna overlooking the bay. Next door, the Bedruthan Hotel and Spa caters to families and couples, with a clifftop pool and sea views. Self-catering options range from converted barns to modern holiday complexes.
Getting Here
Mawgan Porth is on a minor road between the B3276 coast road and the Vale of Mawgan. Newquay Airport is about 5 miles south. Newquay town centre and its rail station are roughly 7 miles by road. Padstow is around 10 miles north-east along the coast road. The village has limited parking in summer, so arriving early on busy days is advisable.
Places to Stay in Mawgan Porth
Hand-picked accommodation from cottages to boutique hotels.
Live availability in Mawgan Porth
Sample dates: 1 May 2026 - 3 May 2026. Adjust below to see live prices for Mawgan Porth.
Things to Do in Mawgan Porth
Attractions, activities, and experiences.
Guides for Mawgan Porth
Best Family Hotels in Cornwall
Cornwall has more family-friendly hotel options than most people expect - it is not just cottages and caravan parks. From 4-star cliffside resorts with dedicated kids' clubs and surf schools to Victorian seafront hotels with heated pools and holiday parks with water flumes and beachside lodges, there is a range that spans every budget. The north coast from Bude to Mawgan Porth concentrates the biggest resort hotels, while St Ives and Falmouth offer more classic hotel stays with beaches on the doorstep. One practical note: peak summer weeks (late July and August) at the better-known hotels fill 6 or more months in advance - the Headland and Bedruthan in particular book solid by Christmas for the following summer.
Best Luxury Hotels in Cornwall
Luxury in Cornwall comes in several distinct forms. There are the clifftop spa hotels - adults-only escapes with sea-view hot tubs and coastal treatments. There are the Victorian country house hotels set in landscaped grounds with pools, golf, and chauffeur services. And increasingly, there are the food-destination hotels that justify the room rate as much by what's on the plate as the thread count on the pillow. Cornwall now has 3 Michelin-starred restaurants: Paul Ainsworth at No.6 in Padstow, Outlaw's Fish Kitchen in Port Isaac, and Ugly Butterfly at the Headland Hotel in Newquay - the latter awarded in February 2026, making it Newquay's first Michelin star. That puts the county alongside some of the most food-credible hotel destinations in England. The hotels listed here represent the strongest options across the county: coast-facing spa resorts on the north coast, 5-star country houses on the Roseland, clifftop properties with direct beach access near St Ives, and a resort-scale property in Fowey. Prices vary significantly by season - the Nare Hotel, the Headland, and the Scarlet all charge substantially more in July and August than in November. Booking 3-6 months ahead for peak summer is standard at this tier.
