Complete Guide: Visiting the Benagil Cave in 2020 | 1

Complete Guide: Visiting The Benagil Cave In 2020 | 1

You can’t plan a trip to Algarve without visiting the Benagil Cave. In this guide, I’ll share all you need to know about getting there and how to enjoy it.

WHERE IS THE BENAGIL CAVE?

In the southernmost region of Portugal is where the Benagil Cave is located in an area known as the Lagoa, Portugal.

To easily visualize the region, below is a map of its exact location:

HOW TO GET TO BENAGIL CAVE?

You can choose to drive or take a bus to Benagil Cave but once you arrive you still have to choose which route to take to experience the inside of the cave.

Listed below are the various ways you can access the cave:

WALK TO THE CAVE

The best way to access the cave on foot is to park at the Benagil parking lot. From there you’ll find walking paths that will reach the top of the cave in 5 minutes. Although you won’t be able to go inside the cave when traveling on foot it is still a beautiful experience when visualized from above. From above the use of a drone will allow you to fly down into the inside of the cave for some shots or above the cave for some beautiful aerial captures.

SWIM TO BENAGIL CAVE IN 10 MINUTES

The cheapest way to access the inside of the cave is to swim. It’s roughly a 200 meter/218 yard swim and will take an average swimmer 8-10 minutes. If you don’t feel confident in your swimming skills make sure you swim at low-tide and order a life jacket before your trip. We use onyx life jackets throughout our travels, to purchase yours click here.

Your swimming adventure can start once you access the sandy grounds of Benagil Beach/ Praia de Benagil. First, you’re going to swim along the cliff for about 5 minutes, and as you follow the bend of the cliff you will see the inside of the cave. From that point, you should be roughly 100 meters away and will reach the inside after 5 more minutes of swimming.

RENT A KAYAK TO EXPLORE THE CAVE

To reach the cave by kayak you can rent your own boat from the beach that is located nearby. This way is safer, especially if you have camera gear to protect. The cost to rent is paid for in 2-hour increments for $60 USD. You can find kayak companies that offer a guide or even jet ski providers by clicking here.

USE A STAND-UP PADDLE TO GET TO THE INSIDE

Another option is to rent a stand-up-paddle If you want more of a workout or if you just enjoy using SUP’s. It typically cost $25 USD to rent but my balance isn’t the best so I and Dave weren’t going to consider this option.

EXPERIENCE BENAGIL CAVE THROUGH A BOAT TOUR

Currently, boat tours aren’t allowed to disembark on the beach so although this is an option I would only recommend it if you are ok with not going inside the actual cave. Most of the tour providers open at 9AM and arriving early is the best option because some boat tours will allow passengers 15 minutes to swim from the boat to the inside of the cave. Once it gets crowded that isn’t an option. You can search online and easily find boat tour providers with price points around $40 USD.

Check out Benagil Express; they’ll take you to multiple caves along the Algarve coast and are affordable.