Whitesands, UK
Also within 20 km of St Davids
- Caerfai Bay Surf spot · 1.2 km from St Davids
- Newgale Surf spot · 9.9 km from St Davids
Watch this spot We email you when Whitesands is worth the trip.
About Whitesands
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces W (285°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (105°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–13 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 17). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 9°C in March, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 16°C in August, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). The town to stay in is St Davids, 3.4 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 18 h 25 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to CWL, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB). About 7 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → CWL · Skyscanner from about £385 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 55 from the airport to Whitesands, 186 km.
Accommodation.
Stay in St DavidsAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in St Davids (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
St Davids 6 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 49 places to stay · where Whitesands stays
Places to stay in St Davids · Booking.com AdNewgale 23 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 9 places to stay
Places to stay in Newgale · Booking.com AdMilford Haven 49 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 13 places to stay
Places to stay in Milford Haven · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in St Davids · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in St Davids · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
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Where it is
Whitesands on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
The score for experts, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Score for experts | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 4, too small | 1 ft8 shollow | 16kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 12 knots | 12°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 13, too small | 3 ft4 smushy | 27kJ | offshorewind from the east, 14 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 9, too small | 2 ft10 shollow | 50kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 10 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 7, too small | 5 ft8 smushy | 245kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 28 knots | 13°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 28, too small | 5 ft7 smushy | 250kJ | offshorewind from the south-east, 21 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 8, too small | 5 ft10 smushy | 437kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 34 knots | 11°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 4, too small | 3 ft9 smushy | 137kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 17 knots | 14°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 5, too small | 4 ft8 smushy | 208kJ | wind from the west, 23 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 10, too small | 6 ft9 smushy | 444kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 22 knots | 15°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 4, too small | 3 ft10 smushy | 190kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 31 knots | 14°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for expert surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to CWL, changing at DUB, then 2h 55 by road. About 18h 25 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Whitesands
Best 16:00 to 19:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 4 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to CWL, changing at DUB, then 2h 55 by road. About 18h 25 door to door
The plan picks the best of 2 spots near St Davids each day: Caerfai Bay, Whitesands.
Rough cost
About £1,115–£2,075 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to CWL, estimated from distance and season, changing at DUB, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £385–£800 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £105–£175 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £250–£420 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £240–£445 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £100–£170 |
| Total | £1,115–£2,075 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near St Davids
- SaffronIndian · 0.1 km from the centreFood hygiene 4 of 5, Oct 2025
- St. Davids Food And WineBritish · 0.2 km from the centre
- Blas RestaurantEuropean · 0.5 km from the centre
- Crug-Glas Country Hotel&Resteraunt0.1 km from the centre
- GRAINBritish · 0.1 km from the centreFood hygiene 5 of 5, Nov 2025
- Peters PlaiceFish and chips · 0.1 km from the centreFood hygiene 5 of 5, Sep 2025
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation; food hygiene ratings from the Food Standards Agency (Open Government Licence). Credits
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Where to stayAd
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