Clifden Eco Beach Camping and Caravanning Park
Certification: Sustainable Tourism Network Gold, GSTC Standard, Carbon Neutral (verified by South Pole Global) County: Galway (Connemara) Type: Campsite, caravan park
Clifden Eco Beach is not just a campsite with good intentions. It is Ireland’s first eco-certified carbon-neutral park, independently verified by South Pole Global, and holds Gold certification from the Sustainable Tourism Network of Ireland. It meets GSTC sustainable tourism standards, the global benchmark for sustainable travel and tourism operations.
The park sits among sand dunes on the western edge of Connemara, 10km from Clifden town on the Wild Atlantic Way. It occupies a listed geo-site with a private sandy beach and panoramic views across the Atlantic. The landscape is exceptional. The sustainability credentials are exceptional. Both are independently verified.
The Certification
Clifden Eco Beach was Ireland’s first eco-certified carbon-neutral tourism facility. Carbon neutral status means the park has measured its emissions across all operations, reduced what it can, and offset what remains through verified carbon programmes. This is not a self-declared claim. South Pole Global, a recognised international carbon verification organisation, independently verified the status.
The park also holds Sustainable Tourism Network Gold certification and meets GSTC standards, placing it in a select group of Irish tourism businesses that have been assessed against international sustainability criteria.
Among the park’s documented sustainability milestones: single-use plastics were banned in 2014, over a decade before Irish legislation began requiring it. Recycling costs have been reduced by 90% through systematic waste management practices. The park operates on eight hectares of coastal biodiversity habitat that is actively managed for ecological integrity.
The Setting
The park occupies a coastal geo-site listed for its geological significance in the Connemara landscape. Sand dunes, private beach, direct Atlantic frontage, and views of the sea and mountains that require no embellishment. This is one of the most extraordinary settings for a campsite anywhere in Ireland.
The Wild Atlantic Way passes 5km from the entrance. Clifden town, the capital of Connemara, is 10km away with restaurants, shops, and access to the wider Connemara landscape.
Accommodation
Clifden Eco Beach is a campsite and caravan park. Guests bring their own tents, motorhomes, or campervans. The park provides serviced pitches across eight hectares of coastal landscape, with a commitment to avoiding the cluster camping model that reduces biodiversity and guest experience. Pitches are generously spaced within the dune landscape.
This is nature camping as it should be: close to the land, authentically immersive, and managed by people who have documented their commitment to the place they operate from.
Practical Information
Location: Clifden, County Galway, Connemara, Wild Atlantic Way Distance from Galway City: Approximately 80km west Booking: Book via the park’s own website Season: Check website for opening dates
Book Clifden Eco Beach directly
Why EcoStay Ireland Lists This Property
Clifden Eco Beach holds the most comprehensive certification stack of any campsite in Ireland: Sustainable Tourism Network Gold, GSTC standard, and independently verified carbon neutral status. Its sustainability practices are documented, evidenced, and publicly available. Its setting is one of the finest in Connemara.
This is what earning eco credentials looks like.
See also: