Mother Nature continues to remind me that there is nothing man-made that can compare to her grandeur. A visit to the impressive caves along the coast of the Algarve definitely solidified that!
The cave in the picture to the right is perhaps the most famous–the Algar de Benagil. This is the iconic cave you see featured in many photos of the region. Many of the caves in the Algarve have a daylight hole or a “window to the sky” that lets in light and adds to the overall beauty.
In the past, you were able to swim in the Benagil cave and access the small beach inside, but when we went in September 2025 this was no longer permitted. You can enter the cave in a small boat, kayak, or paddleboard, but you must be part of a tour and you have to stay on your vessel. There is a fair amount of boat traffic coming in and out of the cave, so I think swimming in there would be a bit dicey anyway.
Our tour included several other caves as well, which were just as beautiful and interesting as the Benagil cave. It was super cool to see the different rock formations and colors of the stone!
The Benagil cave was a 35 minute speed-boat ride from Lagos. Whatever picture you just conjured in your mind of a “speed-boat”, the reality is likely different! We sat straddling the seat, with a rail to hold on to in front of us. Ride ’em, cowboy! The ride out to the cave was really fast and a bit rough. It was also chilly, so make sure you have a jacket. If you have a hat on, you might as well take it off, or use the Pro Tip of using a buff to hold it on and also protect your face!
The touring around the caves was done at a leisurely speed and covered about half the distance back to Lagos. The speed-ride home was therefore shorter, and the captain let it loose and took us on roller coaster ride through and around rock formations. It was a blast!
These caves were really the highlight of our trip to the Algarve. We rode the bucking bronco speedboat to the Benagil one day and took a kayak trip to similar caves the next. The two excursions were really different from each other and I recommend them both highly.
I’m sure there are other places in the world where similar coastal caves exist, but this was my first experience with them. Definitely a don’t-miss experience that was well worth the chase!
Please drop any questions or comments below. I’d love to hear of similar caves that you’ve experienced!
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