It lies at the most southerly coastal point of Ceredigion, on the eastern shore of the Teifi estuary, from where there are views westwards over Cardigan Bay, and south-westwards to Poppit Sands and the headland of Cemaes Head, in neighbouring Pembrokeshire.

The settlement has an interesting history as a failed would-be resort, but despite its lack of facilities it is a popular holiday venue, being within easy reach of the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire coastlines, both rich in scenery and wildlife.

The vibrant tourist and sporting facilities encourage out-of-town visitors; the residents of the caravan park and hotels more than double the population for much of the year, and additional diversity is created by international staff within the hospitality sector.

The main settlement of Gwbert today comprises some 60 residential properties, mostly located on Coronation Drive, Towyn Farm, and Evelyn Terrace, a number of which are not owner-occupied, but are leased out for holiday use.

Many of these workers travel in from nearby areas, notably from Cardigan, which also provides an additional source of employment for Gwbert's small working population.

Despite the presence of hotels, and the nearby caravan park and boatyard at Patch, the impact of the tourist industry on the landscape is not great.

Morgan-Richardson, a Cardigan solicitor and businessman, named to head a company to develop the old Gwbert Inn property[16] through the purchase of 96 acres of land, and with capital of £20,000.

In addition to the considerable development of the Gwbert Inn, a row of villa boarding houses were to be built along what became Evelyn's Terrace.

)[17] In July 1889 the local paper wrote of Gwbert: "Surrounded on two sides by the sea, its rocky boundaries are fringed by golden sands, conveniently approached, abounding with charming nooks for the privacy of bathing without machines, while the magnificent scenery of the opposite, or Pembrokeshire coast, including its bold rocky headlands, glistening sands, snug homesteads &c., form a picture not easily rivalled.

A new road has been formed across the dunes and along the Teivi shore back to Cardigan town, and possesses the advantage of charming views of the Pembrokeshire hills and cliffs."

"[16] The Encyclopædia Britannica of 1911 also acknowledged the growth: "In modern times several small watering-places have sprung up on the coast, notably at Borth, New Quay, Tresaith, Aberporth and Gwbert."

Growth, whilst clearly recognised, was limited, and The English Illustrated Magazine (vol 39, 1908) wrote "Amongst these [places worthy of attention] may be mentioned Gwbert-on-Sea—where satisfactory bathing is to be obtained.

Despite, however, the developers' ambitious plans for growth, along with much publicity and promotion in journals and books of the period, a lack of appropriate accommodation and a derth of facilities meant that relatively little came about, and Gwbert never grew to be anything larger than a very minor resort.

A promotional book, published by the Great Western Railway in 1907,[21] declared "The Gwbert Hotel, the only one, is situate in its own grounds of 101 acres on the lofty cliffs by the mouth of the river Teifi, facing the Atlantic.

The Cliff Hotel was sold to new owners in April 1913,[16] and more recently it has again been extended and refurbished with the addition of more rooms and a new spa and leisure complex.

An alternative route, heading north from Cardigan Island Farm Park to reach the coastline much sooner, is currently under dispute, with alleged dangerous cliff sections.

The sandy area of Towyn Burrows, which comprises much of Gwbert, was caused by strong onshore winds following the last ice age, which left deposits of Irish Sea glacial till, now overshadowed by the extensive dunes.

In 1977 concerns were expressed about erosion along the coastline between Cardigan and Gwbert, notably at Patch, where the road was only 45 feet (14 m) from the top of the eroding boulder clay cliffs.

[30] In the early 1990s, following further erosion at Pen-Yr-Ergyd, remedial work was undertaken, whereby six groynes consisting of rock mounds were constructed.

[16] A decade later, in 1934, the 7,000-ton liner Herefordshire ran aground on Cardigan Island while being towed to the breaker's yard; the four men aboard were rescued through the use of rocket life-saving equipment that was kept at Gwbert.

[38] Cardigan Bay has a resident population of over 100 bottlenose dolphins (some estimates exceed 200), which are most frequently seen off southern Ceredigion between Gwbert and Aberaeron.

[41] In recent years visiting basking sharks, sun fish, and even orcas, minke and humpback whales have been spotted.

[44] Choughs live in holes in the cliffs, and the coast at Gwbert is also home to gannet, razorbill, guillemot, Manx shearwater, black-headed gull and fulmar.

During the summer months of June to September many hundreds of Canada geese can daily be seen heading northwards over Gwbert towards the Dyfi estuary marshes, returning each evening.

The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is at Aberporth,[47] which is 5.7 miles (9.2 km) ENE of Gwbert, and has a similar coastal aspect.

[56] In the mid-1970s a sand-covered medieval rubbish pit (3 m diameter and 1.5 m deep) was excavated in the eroding cliff-section in Coronation Drive, south-west of the present village of Gwbert.

[63] During periods of physical weakness he would return to Wales to recover, but continued ill health forced him to retire early.