When we decided to try to squeeze the Algarve into our trip, it was for one main reason: to see Benagil Cave. The most famous coastal cave in the Algarve, Benagil’s stunning image is on every website, travel book or brochure about the region. For me, it was a can’t-miss site in Portugal and I was willing to add days to our trip and rearrange our travel route to see it.
During our two nights in the Algarve, we stayed in Lagos. While we loved the hotel and the town, Lagos is not especially close to Benagil. Our options seemed to be to take a 2 hour speed boat ride from Lagos to the cave or to find a land/sea tour combination that would get us closer to the caves for a shorter boat ride. I read a lot of the Lagos boat tour descriptions, and quickly noticed a common theme… they all had warnings that the trip was not suitable for pregnant women or people with a bad back. Ummm… major red flag there. We had taken some terrible boat rides in the Galapagos and that was not something I wanted to repeat. Vomiting over the edge of the boat is not my idea of a fun vacation outing.
So I started researching boats tours that left from closer to the cave and were therefore shorter, slower and calmer rides. I was thrilled to find that South Explorers offered a tour leaving from Lagos that went by van to Carvoeiro for a boat tour and cliff walk. It sounded perfect!
We were picked up at our hotel in Lagos and taken to Carvoeiro by van. We arrived at the small beach in Carvoeiro and were fitted for life jackets before walking down to the water. There was no marina which meant a wet entry to the boat so we left our shoes on the pier, rolled up our pants, and climbed aboard. Once everyone was settled, several men helped push the boat out and we were off.
The scenery was immediately stunning. Dramatic golden cliffs met gorgeous turquoise waters for miles. It was even more magical than I had imagined.
There were caves dotted all along the shoreline – some were big enough to enter and others were not. It wasn’t long before the boat slowed down and we turned towards the shore to enter our first cave.
We went into 10-12 caves in total. Each one was a little different. Some were so small we had to back out of them when we were ready to leave. Others were large enough to turn around in. Some were completely enclosed overhead. Others had holes in the roof that brought in streaks of sunlight. Many of them had names, like Heart Cave or Eyes of the Devil. All of them were cool to explore.
At one point we were in one of the caves and it appeared that we were coming under attack by a pirate ship! Fear not, the Pirate Ship Leaozinho offers tours and not pillaging. It was cool to see it sail by the entrance of the cave we were in. Ahoy mateys!
After about 45 minutes, we made it to the main feature, Benagil Cave, and it did not disappoint. The cave is one of the largest in the area and certainly the prettiest. The cave features two different entrances and a large hole in the ceiling. This natural sky light shone a stunning spotlight on the beach and brought out the colors in the layers of rock in the walls. We were lucky to be there when it wasn’t too busy. It can get packed and the presence of too many boats, SUPS, kayaks, and people can take away from the experience (and the photographs!). There were only a handful of people on the beach and one other boat that took turns with us going into each of the two openings so I felt like we really got to appreciate the beauty and magic of the spot.
Before heading back we went a little bit further to check out Praia da Mesquite, a beach with huge rock formations. Like the caves, many of the rock formations along the coast have names. Some of them I could never make out. Others I could see only if I sort of squinted and used my imagination. A handful were immediately obvious once they said the name. The first picture below is one of the obvious ones – an elephant drinking water!
We retraced our path along the shoreline, enjoying another view of the cliffs, caves and rock formations. The Algarve coast is jaw-droppingly beautiful and is best appreciated from the water. Whether you make it to Benagil or choose to take a boat tour around another town in the Algarve, do not miss an opportunity to see the cliffs from the sea!
