One must be careful when discussing the best beaches in North Wales, because people become strangely tribal about sand. They speak as if tide, wind and parking have never ruined a day.

Llandudno gives you two useful beaches immediately. North Shore is the classic resort bay with the promenade, pier and hotels. West Shore is quieter, roomier and better for sunsets. Both have received Blue Flag awards in recent years, which is the official reassurance that the water quality meets recognised standards.

North Shore is about setting more than sand. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle (more sand at lower tides), and its greatness lies in the composition: the crescent bay, two headlands, a Victorian pier and a mile and a half of promenade giving the whole thing a theatrical quality no purely sandy beach achieves.

West Shore is about space, horizon and that useful sensation of having escaped the front of the house. At low tide, the beach extends broadly towards the Conwy estuary, and the view towards Anglesey and the mountains fills the western sky.

Nearby, Colwyn Bay has improved substantially as a beach and promenade destination. The Porth Eirias development has given the seafront a more open and usable quality. Rhos-on-Sea offers gentler seafront time with a local rather than resort character.

Further west, Anglesey provides bigger, more natural beaches for those prepared to travel. Newborough (Niwbwrch) and its nature reserve beach is among the finest: extensive, backed by dunes and forest, with the Menai Strait and mountains in view. Rhosneigr on the west coast is a favourite for water sports and open Atlantic beach walking.

The best beach depends on what you want. Convenience, space, sand, sunset, family use and dramatic coastline are not the same requirement.

Llandudno’s North Shore works best for visitors who want the full resort experience alongside their beach time. If the beach is the only point of the visit, Newborough or Rhosneigr on Anglesey offer a more purely natural beach experience.

Do not judge North Wales beaches by one tide on one afternoon. That would be like judging a person by their behaviour at a buffet.

The honest assessment: for the full combination of setting, accessibility, resort infrastructure and reasonable swimming conditions, Llandudno’s two beaches are among the most complete in North Wales. For raw natural beach, Anglesey wins without difficulty. For something in between, Colwyn Bay’s improved seafront offers a strong and underrated alternative.