South Wales

These are historic counties used for geographic purposes. Due to the large populations of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire they are divided into twelve local authorities called "council areas", namely Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Merthyr Tydfil.

South Wales is a very mixed area. There is stunning pastoral scenery in many parts of South West Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan near Cardiff and the beautiful Wye Valley in the historic county of Monmouthshire. Wales' two largest cities, Cardiff and Swansea, are both located in the historic county of Glamorgan and offer an excellent shopping, restaurants and entertainment opportunities. The coast around Pembrokeshire and the Gower Peninsula in Swansea, in particular, have stunning coastal paths and sandy beaches, and the area boasts an abundance of castles. In addition, South Wales has a proud industrial heritage, with Port Talbot being a major steel processing town, while the valleys in central Glamorgan were once the centre of the Welsh coal mining industry. Since the 1960s, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire have been very popular with people involved in alternative and counter-culture; consequently South West Wales has become home to many communes and organic farms.

Welsh is commonly spoken in Carmarthenshire, northern Pembrokeshire and parts of West Glamorgan, but it is used much less in southern Pembrokeshire, Monmouthshire and the rest of Glamorgan, with the exception of some parts of Cardiff (notably Canton and Whitchurch). English is spoken natively throughout the region, and South Wales has a number of regional accents, including the distinctive Kairdiff dialect.

Trains connect all the main centres of population, and a local bus network links the stations to the smaller communities in the area.

• Coastal scenery - Gower Peninsula, Millennium Coastal Path in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire
• Museums and galleries - Cardiff, Swansea, Newport
• Picturesque small towns/villages - Llandovery, Tenby and Oxwich, Port Eynon and Rhosilli on the Gower Peninsula.

• Hiking - Carmarthenshire, Gower Peninsula, Pembrokeshire
• Swimming - Swansea, Tenby
• Water sports - Swansea
• Work on organic farms. Wales is home to many communes and organic farms, and WWOOF can arrange for volunteers to work for free at some of these places in exchange for room and board. It is an excellent way to experience life in the Welsh countryside, make friends and learn a little about organic farming. 

• Laver bread is a purée made from seaweed and eaten for breakfast. It is a speciality of the Swansea area.
• The Newport Lovely and Jann Split are two variants of Welsh Cakes particular to the South Wales region.
• Caerphilly cheese, originally sold in the town that bears its namesake, is a hard white cheese.
• Joe's Ice Cream. Is a popular brand of ice cream in the Swansea area. 
• Cardiff, Swansea and Newport offer the greatest number and best quality of restaurants.

• Penderyn Welsh Whisky. A single malt distilled in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons. 
• Brains beer- a range of beers, including a highly popular bitter, available all over South Wales and brewed in Cardiff.
• You can also visit vineyards at various locations across South Wales, for example at Penarth, Cowbridge and in the Wye Valley.
• Cardiff, Swansea and Newport have a multitude of bars and cafés.

South Wales does not have a high crime rate, though like anywhere is in the UK, caution is required, especially in urban areas.

• Mid Wales
• Bristol and Bath are just across the Severn Bridge in the West Country of England, and the equally English Forest of Dean is on the western side of the Severn.
• Boat trips linking Swansea and Penarth with north Devon run during the summer months.