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If you are looking for real quality of life, then Swansea Bay could be your answer. With its unique blend of a vibrant city, stunning coast and incredibly diverse countryside, the Swansea Bay region offers something for everyone.

Located along the coast of South West Wales, Swansea Bay includes the regional capital of Swansea city itself; the UK's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Gower Peninsula; Carmarthenshire - the Garden of Wales and the Vales of Afan and Neath, known as Waterfall Country.

Whatever your age, your hobbies, or your idea of a good time, you'll find it within this beautiful, exhilarating area. Over half a million people from all walks of life already live and work within this diverse, colourful corner of Wales - that's half a million who already know and enjoy the benefits of calling such a dynamic and yet relaxing region home.
 

Living in Swansea Bay is really living! Those of us lucky enough to do so think there's nowhere finer to live, work and play. Once you've experienced Swansea Bay living for yourself you'll understand what Dylan Thomas meant when he called it "the graveyard of ambition". you simply won't ever want to live or work anywhere else.

Housing

Swansea Bay offers a superb range of housing. The city centre offers loft style living and accessible housing. Waterfront housing is becoming increasingly popular and, because of the topography of the city, many properties have stunning sea views. Suburban areas such as Killay, Mumbles, Sketty, Derwen Fawr and the Uplands are particularly popular, and therefore more expensive, but there is something here to suit most pockets.

There are a range of towns and villages - hugging the coastline or nestling into the countryside. The network of transport services make it relatively easy to commute across the region, so you can choose a place where you will feel completely at home.

Buyers in Swansea Bay are generally able to get more for their money. In August 2009 the average house price for properties bought in Swansea was £114,106 whilst for Cardiff the figure was £142,667 and £310,640 in London (HM Land Registry).

Education

The Swansea Bay region has 290 Infant, Junior & Primary schools and 45 Secondary schools. Depending on individual school policy, education is available in English, Welsh and bilingually. There are also denominational schools in the region.

At 63.2%, the level of children in Swansea achieving GCSE English is higher than the Welsh average. Indeed, two of Swansea`s secondary schools (Olchfa and Bishopston) have appeared in the National Press for their high achievements in the performance league tables. Meanwhile, 70% of Neath Port Talbot GCSE entries were awarded passes at the higher grades A*- C, compared to a national average of 65%. (WJEC 2008)

Whilst private education is not widespread throughout South West Wales, there are several independent Primary and Secondary schools across the region.

Post-16, there are three popular Tertiary Colleges; Gower College Swansea, Coleg Sir Gar and Neath Port Talbot College, offering a wide variety of courses.

Culture

The birthplace of Dylan Thomas, Swansea Bay is proud of its deep-rooted cultural values.

Here you will find innumerable cultural venues which are a base for education, entertainment and fun, including: Wales` National Waterfront Museum, telling the story of Wales` development as a nation; Wales` oldest museum - Swansea Museum; the Egypt Centre at Swansea University; the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, which has hosted exhibitions of work by Leonardo da Vinci and Canalleto; The Grand Theatre and Taliesin centre and, paying homage to the great man, the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea and the Boat House at Laugharne.

Concerts, gigs, festivals, and all kinds of performances bring literature, music, art, history and fun to Swansea Bay throughout the year. The region also boasts a variety of opportunities to eat out, shop and enjoy evenings out, at cafes, bars, casinos, nightclubs, restaurants, cinemas and markets, including Swansea Market - Wales` biggest indoor market.

Recreational Activities

When it comes to outdoor pursuits, Swansea Bay is in a class of its own. From the peaks of the Brecon Beacons to the beaches of Gower, via forests, rock faces, lakes and rapids, it`s an outdoor adventure playground, all within an hour of the city.

Choices include windsurfing, flying, mountain biking, kitesurfing, horse riding, hiking, sailing, golf, cycling, surfing, rollerblading, tennis, caving, jet-skiing, bowls, diving, swimming, rock-climbing, coasteering, dry slope skiing, fishing, and watching the region's sports teams.

Swansea Bay hosts a number of notable sporting events, clubs and facilities including: the Swansea Bay 10k, Swansea City FC, The Ospreys and the Scarlets regional rugby teams, Wales` National Pool, Ffos Las Racecourse, Pembrey Race Circuit, a network of modern leisure centres and gyms and a number of high quality golf courses - the problem won`t be what to do, it`ll be how to fit it all in!

Alternative Energy / Environmental Issues

Swansea Bay has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, offering the potential for electricity generation.

Proposals have been put forward, but no specific developments have yet taken place. Swansea Bay is also well suited for wind power with some developments in this area.

A new biomass plant in Port Talbot was opened in 2009, with the capacity to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 31,000 homes a year, whilst at Baglan Energy Park, a pioneering Hydrogen Energy Research Centre has recently opened.

Other

Swansea Bay is home to the stunning Gower Peninsula. It was designated as the UK's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1956 and, more than 50 years on, Gower remains one of the most breathtaking swathes of countryside and coast in the UK.

Along the 32 miles of coastline from Swansea to Mumbles and around the Gower you will find an award winning Blue Flag marina and over 50 named beaches and coves, a number with EU Blue flag and Tidy Britain Seaside Awards.

The beaches along the Gower Peninsula have been voted among the best beaches in Britain in polls conducted by various entities, including BBC Holiday, The Independent, The Times and Country Life Magazine. And there's more; the western part of the region is known as the Garden of Wales, whilst the eastern side is Waterfall County.

Discover more by visiting www.abayoflife.com