I recently posted about The Stunning Caves of the Algarve. We were really satisfied with both of the operators we chose, so I want to share those with you.
A note about Viator… I have been using Viator for years to book travel tours and experiences. They first won my trust due to their connection with TripAdvisor. Viator connects you with local experiences from tours to cooking classes and everything in between. They don’t provide the tours or guides, those are all locally owned. They have thousands of experiences and are very clear about cancellation policies. Most can be cancelled up to 24 hours in advance and I have never had an issue with bookings or cancellations. Just as with TripAdvisor, I have found that you can trust the reviews. They are known and used by people like me, who are serious about their travel.
I am now a Viator Affiliate (yay!), which means I may receive a small commission if you book after clicking on a link on this page. I only recommend from my own personal experience, unless I clearly tell you otherwise.
Boat trip to the Caves of Benagil
As I mentioned in my previous post, the Algar de Benagil is the most well known cave to travelers to the region. There are dozens of tours to chose from on Viator, likely similar to each other. We chose tours out of Lagos because the marina is only 15 minutes from where we were staying in Luz. What really set this tour apart was the guides. They made the trip fun, described the caves and explained how they are formed, the causes of the different colors and formations, and added in a great speed ride back to Lagos. As an added bonus (but hugely important to us as foodies), the guide pointed out three places for lunch near the Lagos Marina–Pearl, Tasca da Lota, and Adegada da Marina. We ate at all of them and each was delicious!
You will meet at the Lagos Marina. When you get to the meeting spot they send you, ask around to make sure you are with the tour company that you booked–Lagos Grotto Trips. Then listen for your name to be called as they have lots of trips departing at the same time. Please take a bit of cash to tip the crew.
I highly recommend this tour and this operator! Click on the title of this review or here to see pictures, more details, and hopefully to book!
Kayak Experience in Ponta da Piedade
This was a really great kayak experience! You meet at the Lagos train station and then follow your guide across the street to the marina. You first board a boat that takes you at a very leisurely pace to the area of the caves. Ponta da Piedade is much closer to the Lagos Marina than the Benagil caves. After just a few minutes, you arrive and you launch your tandem kayak off the boat. These are sit-on-top kayaks with back rests, so they are very comfortable and there is no rudder or pedals or skirt to deal with as with sit-inside kayaks. They go over basic strokes on the boat. Once in the water, you are led by your guide around rock formations and into grottos and caves. You follow him and the boat is always nearby if there is any issue.
I have done a lot of kayak experiences in several countries and this with Bluefleet was one of the best. What made this tour fantastic was again, the guides. They were knowledgeable and fun and I would not hesitate to go out with them again. Note: when they tell you how to push a shark away with your paddle, they are KIDDING. I admire Beth for being brave enough to jump into the water for a swim at the end of the trip even though she was not 100% sure! (He said it so matter-of-factly, it was hard to know!)
If you are looking for experiences ANYWHERE, please click on the Viator banner to get started! I’d love to hear about any experiences or tours you have taken that were outstanding, please drop them in the comments below!