The Benagil Caves (Algar de Benagil) are one of the Algarve’s most iconic sights and a must-see for the whole family.
Only accessible from the water, it’s easy to jump on a boat tour from Portimão to visit them – and a whole host of other less famous but equally eye-catching caves, plus the rest of this stunning stretch of coastline.
We booked with Atlantis tours (available via Tiqets,Viator and Get Your Guide) for a fantastic two-hour trip in a rigid inflatable boat, spotting rock formations, hearing more about the coast and getting tips on where else to visit as well as exploring the caves.
You can watch my video of our boat trip to the Benagil cave here.
While a lot of boat tours to Benagil leave from Portimao, around 30 minutes’ drive down the coast, you can also find tours leaving from Lagos.
To whisk you along the coast, this speedboat tour to Benagil is suitable for aged 8+, or for a slightly more relaxed option in a RIB boat, Lagos Grotto Trips has this two-hour Benagil and Carvoeiro cruise, for age 6+.
For a family-friendly option, if you’re travelling with younger kids, this 2 1/2 hour catamaran cruise from Lagos visits Benagil, as well as time to swim.
Or combine dolphin watching with a cruise to Benagil with this two and a half hour boat trip.
You’ll also find boat trips to the Benagil cave from Carvoeiro, or if you really want to get close to the rock formations, this kayak tour from Benagil beach lets you go right inside the caves – not suitable for under-fours though.
Ponta de Piedade
The rock formations and caves just down the coast from Lagos are one of the biggest attractions in the western Algarve and you won’t be short of choice for a boat trip taking you here.
Some travel in small boats from Lagos marina, while others take you down the coast in a larger boat before heading into the caves and coves in a smaller boat, such as this two-hour cruise with Boat Trips – the option we chose, which had a great guided tour from the smaller boat.
Incidentally, a lot of boat tours – including ours – include time to swim and snorkel. It’s worth knowing that there’s very little to see underwater around this area, as the sea is simply too cloudy, and even in peak summer, the water of the Atlantic are still on the chilly side!
For a shorter tour, you can speed down the coast from Lagos in smaller boats to go straight into the caves – Days of Adventure, Boat Trips and Lagos Grotto Trips are a few of the best.
Or travel in style with a sailing boat tour to Ponta de Piedade – although there isn’t a huge amount of shade on board, you can choose and earlier or later departure to avoid the heat of the sun in summer.
If you really want to get up close to the rock formations, you can kayak along the coastline, although if that feels a bit more effort than you want on holiday, there are kayaking boat tours where you cruise along the coast before heading out in a kayak – Days of Adventure and Actual Boat Trips are two of the companies offering this.
For more things to do in Lagos with kids, check out my top picks
Cruise around the Ria Formosa
The Ria Formosa lagoon is a nature lover’s paradise, consisting of a labyrinth of canals, islands, wetlands, and sandbanks – a world away from the busy resorts.
On a cruise around the Ria Formosa, kids can enjoy spotting the area’s wildlife, including many protected bird species as well as a chance of seeing dolphins.
There are various different trips on offer but I’d definitely recommend the full-day tour (approx 5-6 hours) with Odyssey tours, which takes you to three different islands as well as a guide around the waters – unspoiled Farol was my favourite, along with the sight of a sea eagle and stories of the endangered seahorses living in the protected waters.
For a shorter cruise, this two-hour tour of the Ria Formosa from Fuseta, just east of Olhao, makes one stop at Armona Island and gives you a taste of the reserve’s natural beauty.
Sail on a pirate ship
A pirate ship cruise is one of the most fun things to do in the Algarve with kids, sailing along the coastline in search of hidden bays and coves (with buried treasure? Who knows…)
Kids will love becoming pirates for the day on board a traditional ship, with plenty of pirate ship cruises to choose from. The Santa Bernarda is probably the Algarve’s most famous pirate ships, with half-day and full-day options from Portimao.
The Leaozinho also departs from Albufeira, if you’re closer to this part of the Algarve than Albufeira, for another devilishly good Algarve boat tour with kids.
Speed boat tour
If you want to get your heart racing as well as seeing a few views of the coastline, there are also speedboat tours in the Algarve.
This Jetboat tour from Lagos is for age 8+ and you’ll spend 45 minutes hurtling along the coastline. You’ll see the Ponta da Piedade along the way, but the focus here is on adrenaline thrills, 360 degree turns and abrupt stops rather than soaking up the scenery on a sightseeing tour!
Or this 30-minute Jetboat ride from Albufeira is similarly fast paced – not suitable for kids aged five and under – with the focus on stunts and thrills as you speed along the coastline.
A lot of the tours to the Benagil caves are in RIB boats – Rigid Inflatable Boats – so you’ll zip along the water at high speed anyway,
How to buy – booking your Algarve boat tour with kids
In most cases, you can easily book tickets in advance for your Algarve boat tour – some have limited space so book up quickly, while popular options like the pirate ships also tend to sell out.
However, if you haven’t booked in advance, you can often try your luck on the day. In Lagos, there are kiosks around the marina where you might be able to negotiate a deal for the last seats, as the various companies try to sell their final places.
For many tours, the boats and sights are pretty similar so if you’re flexible, you might find a last-minute deal. However, if you’ve got your heart set on a particular date or trip, or if you’re visiting in peak season, it’s safer to book in advance.
If bad weather (including high winds in summer) cancel the trip, you’re normally given a voucher or automatic booking to a new date, which dolphin spotting trips which don’t spot dolphins usually have a free repeat tour to try your luck again.
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