Gorran Haven near Mevagissey is a small picturesque 13th-century village with a safe, sandy beach 3 miles south west of Mevagissey. The village sits in the lee of the spectacular 400-ft high Dodman Point which has traces of an Iron Age fort.

The heart of Gorran Haven is a cluster of fishermen's cottages, nestling around a secluded cove which remains much the same as in years gone by. The two village beaches boast golden sand and are amongst the safest in the County, making them ideal for the whole family (including dogs on a lead). The main beach is accessible to all, and all facilities are close by including a large car park. The harbour is sheltered by a stone quay from which angling trips are available and there are visitors moorings for the boating enthusiasts

To the south of Gorran Haven is one of the highest land marks along the coast, the Dodman Point, site of an ancient hill fort. Reaching out into the sea and crowned by a huge stone cross, the views of St Austell and Veryan Bay are truly impressive. The Dodman can be reached via the cliff path or from Lamledra and Penare car parks. Vault Beach situated to the east of the Dodman Point offers a mile of silver sand enabling the visitor to enjoy this remarkable unspoilt beach. The coastal footpath from Portmellon to Caerhays is usually done in three stages Portmellon to Gorran Haven, Gorran Haven to Dodman and Dodman to Caerhays. To the west of Gorran Haven visitors will find Caerhays Castle, beach and gardens. Caerhays beach is sheltered with golden sand, beach cafe and ample car parking. The gardens are open, in the spring, to the public and boast a breath taking collection of tropical plants in an idyllic setting. Among the excellent variety of beaches in the area, Hemmick, reached by going down winding lanes, with its rock pools and sheltered coves, is ideal for those who prefer more seclusion.

Goran Church Town a mile inland is an unspoilt hamlet, centred around the Parish Church of St Goran which is of Norman origin and is well worth visiting. Within close proximity are some outstanding examples of tropical Cornish Gardens. The Lost Gardens of Heligan.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, near Mevagissey in the Duchy of Cornwall, are one of the most popular botanical gardens in the UK. The style of the gardens is typical of the nineteenth century Gardenesque style, with areas of different character and in different design styles. The gardens were created by members of the Cornish Tremayne family, over a period from the mid-18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century, and still form part of the family's Heligan estate. The gardens were neglected after the First World War, and only restored in the 1990s, a restoration that was the subject of several popular television programs and books. The gardens now boast a fabulous collection of aged and colossal rhododendrons and camellias, a series of lakes fed by a ram pump over a century in age, highly productive flower and vegetable gardens, an Italian garden, and a stunning wild area filled with primaeval-looking sub-tropical tree ferns called "The Jungle". The gardens also have Europe's only remaining pineapple pit, warmed by rotting manure, and two figures made from rocks and plants known as the Mud Maid and the Giant's Head. The place-name, properly pronounced 'h'LIG'n',and not the commonly heard 'HEL-i-gun', is derived from the Cornish word , 'willow tree'.