Carvoeiro Benagil
4 things you need to know about the Benagil Cave
Region: Algarve
4 things you need to know about the Benagil Cave
The cave of Benagil is probably the most famous sea cave in Portugal.
So if you are on holiday in the Algarve, you should definitely visit it!
The whole area around Benagil is also worth a visit for its impressive landscapes.
Here are 4 things you need to know about the famous Benagil Cave.
1. What is the Benagil cave?
The Benagil cave is a unique rock formation with a big eye in its ceiling which allows the sun to shine into it.
The Algarve is known for its unique rock formations and hidden caves.
Benagil is the most famous sea cave in the Algarve. It’s a little piece of paradise. You’ll only understand when you see it yourself.
2. Where is the Benagil cave?
The cave of Benagil is located in Lagoa, a city in the Algarve, in Portugal.
The cave can be found on the coastline just between Benagil Beach and Marinha Beach.
Benagil Beach is right next to the cave. It’s a small secluded beach that gets rather crowded due to its location right next to the cave, which is on its left.
Marinha Beach is a beach that’s really worth a visit. It has won several tourism prices for its unique beauty with its famous two arches.
3. How can I get to Benagil Beach?
To get to the Benagil Beach, the easiest is surely by car.
It’s 6-7km from Lagos, which is on the main national road, the N125.
If you want to go to Benagil Beach by public transport, you can go by train or bus to Lagoa. From Lagos you can then get a taxi, which costs about 10€ to Benagil Beach.
However, from the major cities, in the Algarve, you can get a boat tour to the Benagil cave and many other caves, which might be the easiest way.
The Benagil cave tours depart from:
• Vilamoura
• Albufeira
• Armação de Pêra
• Carvoeiro
• Ferragudo
• Portimão
• Lagos
4. How can I get into the Benagil Cave?
To get into the cave, you can swim or join a boat, kayak or SUP tour. Swimming in the Benagil cave may seem easy as it’s a rather short distance from the Benagil Beach, but it can be dangerous.
There are many boats going in and out of the Benagil cave at the same time, especially at high season. Unfortunately, swimmers can be overseen.
In addition, the sea conditions can make it very risky to swim to Benagil cave as there may be strong currents. So, to swim to the cave, be sure you’re a very good swimmer and bring along a buoyancy aid to make sure you’re seen and can take a rest when needed.
From our experience at SeaBookings, the best way to see Benagil cave is by boat, kayak or SUP.
Boat tours depart all year round and vary from 1 hour to full-day trips with beach BBQs.
Boat tours are a great choice for families with kids or people who prefer to stay dry while exploring the impressive caves.
Be aware that disembarking passengers in the Benagil cave is not permitted by law, but the boats stay in the cave for a while so you can admire it closely and take some impressive pictures.
More active people may want to join a kayak or SUP tour to Benagil. The advantage is that with kayak or SUP, you can get really inside the Benagil cave beach.
On the guided tours, be it by kayak, SUP or boat, you’ll see many more caves beside Beangil.
You can see up to 15 caves on some tours!
To make sure you don’t miss out on some other impressive caves of the Algarve, join a guided boat, kayak or SUP tour.
During high season, from June to September, we recommend to book in advance to guarantee your seats on a tour to visit the Benagil cave.
Author Bio:
SeaBookings is an online platform where you can discover the best sea experiences in Portugal. The platform was founded by 2 Dutch sisters who fell in love with the Portuguese sea when they started surfing and sailing myself. All the experiences on SeaBookings are curated, so you'll only find the very best. You can easily discover and book cave tours to Benagil or Lagos, BBQ cruises, dolphins watching tours, surf lessons and other, along the whole Portuguese coast and islands! Click on the link to visit the website SeaBookings
