Cardigan Bay is famous for its bottlenose dolphins, with a population of around 250. They’re drawn here by the abundant feeding grounds, the undisturbed habitat and the clean waters.
It’s possible to see bottlenose dolphins all year round, but your prospects are best in the summer when there’s plenty of mackerel in the waters to be eaten. And New Quay is pretty much dolphin central, where there’s a good chance you’ll spot them from the harbour wall.
Improve the odds of seeing them further by taking a charter boat trip out into Cardigan Bay. It’s a great opportunity to see colonies of seabirds too. Bottlenose dolphins are highly intelligent and extremely sociable and will often leap alongside boats and ride the bow wave – which makes them great fun to observe up close.
Before you set off, why not call in at the Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre – it’s free – where you can learn how to spot dolphins and the other members of Cardigan Bay’s Big 3 - harbour porpoises and Atlantic grey seals.