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Voykit pocket guide · United Kingdom
Par
An Porth
Spend a half‑day (4–6 h) in Par: beach walk, Hidden Valley Gardens, and Luxulyan Valley trail; stay overnight if you want a quiet night by the sea.
Par is a small fishing village on South Cornwall’s coast. Its main attractions – the nature‑reserve beach, family‑run Hidden Valley Gardens and the historic Luxulyan Valley – are close together, so a few hours suffice. Overnight accommodation is limited to a caravan park and a modest inn.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Local name
- An Porth
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (cool, limited services)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- GBP
- Money
- Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £). Cards and contactless work almost everywhere; some places are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget £30–£45 excl. bed · Mid £45–£70 excl. bed · High £70+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines, no registration needed.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Fire/ambulance 999 · Non‑urgent medical 111
- Plugs
- Types G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Three-pin Type G only; European, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Bathrooms have two-pin shaver sockets only.
- Tipping
- Restaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.; Pub or bar: Not expected; 'and one for yourself' offers the bartender a drink.; Taxi: Round up or 10%.; Hotel porter: £1–2 per bag.; Tour guide: £5–10 per person for a day tour; free walking tours expect £10–15.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Free refills are common; restaurants will bring tap water if you ask.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 or are card-only. Stations, museums, department stores and pubs (if you buy a drink) are the fallback.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | £2–£3 |
| Fish & chips takeaway | £5–£8 |
| Beer (pub) | £3–£5 |
| Bus ticket (local) | £2–£3 |
| Caravan pitch (seasonal) | £15–£25 per night |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NQY · Newquay Airport
- ≈30 km (19 mi) north, shuttle or taxi about 45 min≈19 mi (30 km) north, shuttle or taxi about 45 min
Typical fares
- Par ↔ St Austell train
- about £5 each way (check)
- Par ↔ Fowey bus
- about £3 each way (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Par railway station on the Cornish Main Line (Plymouth‑Penzance) offers hourly services; local buses run to St Austell and Fowey. Walking is easiest for the main sights.
See and do
Known for
- Par Beach nature reserve
- Hidden Valley Gardens
- Luxulyan Valley walks
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| St Austell | Train from Par, about 10 min | ≈20 min total |
| Fowey | Bus from Par, about 20 min | ≈30 min |
Sleep
- Park Leisure – Par Sands
- Caravan park on the beach; good disabled access around site
- The Royal Inn
- Small inn in the village centre
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Sorry |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake at first meeting; 'hi' and first names quickly; avoid: Cheek kisses with strangers
- Conversation: Weather is a safe opener; understatement and self-deprecating humour; avoid: Asking about salary or class
- Queues: Join at the back; avoid: Pushing onto buses or trains before others get off
- Apologies: 'Sorry' is said constantly, even when not at fault; avoid: Taking it as an admission of blame
- Pubs: Buy rounds in a group; wait at the bar without waving money; avoid: Clicking fingers at staff
- Nations: Call Scots Scottish and Welsh Welsh; avoid: Calling the whole UK 'England'
Scams and watch-outs
- Beach access for wheelchairs is limited; bring a beach‑wheelchair if needed (check local provision).
- Seasonal opening of Hidden Valley Gardens – verify dates on the official site.
Par is a low‑crime coastal village; standard UK precautions apply. Watch the tide schedule for beach safety.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Par yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Par Beach nature reserve
- Hidden Valley Gardens
- Luxulyan Valley walks
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Hidden Valley Gardens official site: www.hiddenvalleygardens.co.uk
- Luxulyan Valley website: www.luxulyanvalley.co.uk
- Wikivoyage: Par, revision 4812270 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4812270
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/par). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.