Beaches and Lakes in Co. Kerry
9 places
1.Coumeenoole Beach
westernmost point of mainland Ireland
A wild Atlantic cove framed by sheer cliffs on the westernmost tip of the Dingle Peninsula — Coumeenoole is less a swimming beach and more a front-row seat to the raw power of Ireland's coast.
- Highlights
- Dramatic cliffs and golden sand cove
- Dunmore Head — westernmost point of mainland Ireland
- Ryan's Daughter film location (1970)
2.Bá Fhíonáin /St. Finian's Bay
Free chocolate tasting on the Skellig Ring
A wild, crescent-shaped cove on the Skellig Ring where Atlantic swells roll in beneath the silhouette of Skellig Michael — raw, unspoilt, and utterly captivating.
- Highlights
- Views of Skellig Michael and Puffin Island from the shore
- Free chocolate tasting at Skelligs Chocolate factory
- Powerful surf — a serious wave for experienced surfers
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access
3.Ballinskelligs Beach
a climbable 16th-century castle tower on the shore
A Blue Flag golden-sand beach on the Skellig Ring, framed by a 16th-century castle ruin and a medieval priory — one of Kerry's most atmospheric stretches of coast.
- Highlights
- Blue Flag beach with excellent water quality
- McCarthy Mór Castle — climbable 16th-century tower on the shore
- Ballinskelligs Priory — 12th-century monastic ruins
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
4.Banna Beach
a 10 km Blue Flag beach where Roger Casement landed in 1916
A vast 10 km Blue Flag strand backed by towering 12-metre dunes, where Atlantic surf meets Irish revolutionary history on the Wild Atlantic Way.
- Highlights
- 10 km of golden sand on the Wild Atlantic Way
- Blue Flag beach with lifeguards June–August
- Towering 12-metre sand dunes — a Special Area of Conservation
5.Inch Beach
Seaside sauna with fire pit
A tucked-away sandy strand in East Cork, Inch Beach is a local favourite for surfers, sunset-watchers, and families — just 40 minutes from Cork City yet feeling a world apart.
- Highlights
- Green Coast Award for environmental excellence
- Excellent water quality (EPA rating, 2021–2024)
- Consistent beginner-friendly surf break
- Facilities
- Good for kids
6.Rossbeigh Strand
a 3km Blue Flag sand spit into Dingle Bay
Rossbeigh is a Blue Flag beach on the Ring of Kerry near Glenbeigh, where a 3km sand spit reaches into Dingle Bay with mountains on the horizon. It is a working seaside strip with playground, tennis court, toilets and beachfront food stalls, plus horses and an annual beach race meeting.
- Highlights
- Blue Flag beach on the Ring of Kerry
- Nearly 3km sand spit walkable at low tide
- Horse riding on the beach
7.The Inch Beach, Co. Kerry
a 5km sand spit where Ryan's Daughter was filmed
A 5km sand spit stretching into Dingle Bay with reliable Atlantic surf, Blue Flag waters, and sweeping views of the Iveragh Peninsula — featured in David Lean's <em>Ryan's Daughter</em>.
- Highlights
- 5km-long sand-spit beach with Blue Flag status
- Consistent Atlantic surf — one of Ireland's top surf spots
- On-beach sauna (Bothán na Mara)
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Restrooms · Wheelchair access
8.Ballyheigue Beach
a 3km Blue Flag strand with lifeguarded swimming and free parking
A sweeping Blue Flag beach on the Wild Atlantic Way, where 3km of golden sand meets rolling dunes, panoramic views of Tralee Bay and the Dingle Peninsula, and a genuine village-at-the-shore atmosphere.
- Highlights
- Blue Flag beach — excellent water quality
- 3km+ of firm golden sand, part of a 10km strand to Banna
- Sand dunes rising to 12 metres within a Special Area of Conservation
- Facilities
- Wheelchair access
9.Waterville Beach
a Green Coast Award strand on the Ring of Kerry
A west-facing curve of sand on Ballinskelligs Bay, right at the heart of the seafront village of Waterville on the Ring of Kerry — a Green Coast Award beach famous for its sunsets, promenade and statues.
- Highlights
- 2026 Green Coast Award beach
- Charlie Chaplin statue and late-August comedy film festival
- 12-stop Heritage Trail along the seafront
- Facilities
- Good for kids · Wheelchair access