Sea Kayaking to the Benagil Cave in the Algarve

Sea kayaking into the Benagil Cave along the coast of the Algarve in Portugal will astound you. Benagil Cave is the most famous sea cave in Portugal and has been named one of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal. Certainly, sea kayaking is the best way to see the cave. Unlike the big boats, you can land inside the cave to explore and take gorgeous photos. In addition, you are able to explore other caves and beaches along the Algarve coastline during this sea kayaking trip.

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Where is the Benagil Cave?

Benagil Cave is on the Algarve coastline near the city of Lagoa in Portugal. It is between two spectacular beaches, Praia de Benagil and Praia da Marinha. There is free parking near both beaches. If you walk the trail between the beaches, you will be able to see the Benagil Cave from above. This trail is called the Seven Hanging Valleys hike and is a magnificent way to see the Algarve coast after your sea kayaking trip.

Sea Kayaking to Benagil Cave with Secret Algarve

I chose Secret Algarve for my sea kayaking tour to Benagil Cave. They offer kayak and stand-up paddleboard tours from Benagil Beach near their office overlooking the sea.

The adventure started at the Secret Algarve headquarters tucked away on the top of the hill on Estrada de Benagil. There is a large parking lot above the beach to park for free.

As the tour group gathered, the guides offered us oranges grown by the owner Mario. The guides started out with basic kayak strokes and orientation to the kayak. Then we walked downhill to the beach. The company had the kayaks set out on the beach and the guides helped launch them for each pair of paddlers. The boats were plastic doubles sit-on-top so you got your lower body wet. They also lack a seat back, so be prepared to use your abdominal muscles.

Our guides were Jack and Zac. Jack was from China and Zac was from Cuba. There were 10 paddlers in total, and it was an international group with folks from China, Hong Kong, Spain, and the United States. In one of the caves, I chatted with Jack and learned that before he was a guide he was a spy. How often do you get a former spy for a sea kayak guide?

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Sea Kayaking to the Local Caves near Benagil

We paddled along the coastline, skipping the Benagil Cave initially to explore some other caves. First up was Pirate Cave. It had two low entrances and a surf landing, so getting in was quite an adventure. The guides went first and pulled each boat onto shore in the cave. After we beached in Pirate Cave, we stayed for about 20 minutes exploring the cave. It was quite dark with the two small entrances offering dim light. Jack showed us some barnacles on the wall of the cave and explained how they are expensive delicacies in Portugal, especially the Algarve.

Then, Jack showed us the dome of the cavern’s ceiling, where the myth says the pirate’s treasure is hidden. We also saw a sunken ship at the entrance to one of the caves. It was cool to look down in the crystal clear water and see the outlines of the sides of the ship.

After a surf launch from Pirate Cave, we headed to Monster Cave. We paddled into one entrance, took a big right turn, and went out another arched entrance. It was a crazy fun paddling maneuver to glide through the cave.

Jack explained some of the geology along the way. At one point he showed us a fossilized starfish up high on the rock. He often emphasized how eco-friendly it was to kayak along the Bengali coast rather than use motor boats. The motor boats stress out the birds with their noise, therefore quiet paddling is preferred. Tourism in the Benagil caves area started when people would ask fishermen to take them out to the caves. Soon the fisherman decided it was more lucrative to do tours than to do fishing. Kayaking soon followed as a more sustainable way to see the coastline.

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Sea kayaking by the beaches near Benagil Cave

Secret Beach was our first sighting of beaches, and it was a beautiful strip of sand that is secret because it cannot be reached from the land, only by sea. It would be lovely to land there and spend a day on your own private beach in the Algarve.

The turnaround point of the kayaking tour is near Praia da Marinha. Here, we marveled at the beautifully chiseled reddish rocks. One mammoth rock group looks like an elephant towering over the ocean, hence, named Elephant Rocks. The ocean was aqua blue and clear.  Praia da Marinha used to be touted as the most beautiful beach in Europe until some instability made huge rocks fall onto the beach.

Exploring Benagil Cave by Sea Kayaking

After viewing the stupendous rock formation around Marinha Beach, we turned around and paddled back to Benagil Cave. The guides again helped us do a surf landing in Benagil Cave. We spent about 30 minutes in the cave, watching how the light filtered through the hole in the ceiling. At first, the cave was quite crowded but as others paddled away, our group had the cave to ourselves. As most people left, we could get incredible photos.

The Benagil Cave has two entrances to the sea and an eye overhead that allows light into the cave to reveal the gorgeous colors of the sea and the sand. The golden walls of the cave glow overhead.

The cave is visited by speed boat tours but you don’t get to land in the cave and explore. You can also do a dolphin tour while exploring the caves by powerboat. There was even a group of swimmers traveling to the cave by bodyboard. Even though they had wet suits, I imagine the water was very cold.

Secret Algarve also rents kayaks to experienced paddlers who want to do the trip on their own. Their Alone in Benagil Caves tour is for people who want to photograph the caves without hoards of tourists in the way.

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Logistics of the Sea Kayaking to the Benagil Cave Trip

Rent a car

The best way to explore the Algarve is by car. Public transportation and Uber are possible, but I enjoy the flexibility of having a car to explore the backroads and remote beaches of the Algarve. I use and recommend Discover Cars to find your rental car in Portugal. They work with reputable agencies offering excellent prices. I rented the car in Lisbon and the entire cost of the rental was much less than we would have spent on public transportation. As a result, we had the freedom to see secret places of the Algarve on our own schedule.

Places to stay near Benagil Cave sea kayaking

Staying in Lagoa will put you close to Benagil Cave sea kayaking and the Seven Hanging Valleys hike. A studio at the Lagoa Hotel is a nice base for Algarve adventures. It has an outdoor pool and you can rent a bike there.

Alternatively, you could stay in the fantastic historic village of Silves as we did. It’s only about 20 minutes to the ocean and what it lacks in sea views, it more than makes up for in old-world charm.

If you are enamored by Portuguese tiles as much as I am, you will want to stay in Mosaiko 5 Suites. The design is exquisite and the location in the heart of Silves puts you close to the best restaurants and sights.

If you are looking for another place to kayak on the Algarve then visit Ria Formosa Natural Park in Faro, the historic capital city of the Algarve.

Gear for a sea kayaking day trip

My recommended essential gear for a warm weather kayaking day trip with links to where to buy it.

Clothes

Wide brim hat or baseball cap

Long-sleeved synthetic shirt or rash guard for sun protection

Quick dry shorts

Teva or Chaco sandals

Gear

Waterproof phone case

Dry bags

Reef safe sunscreen

Water bottle

Sunglasses with floating retainer

Related post -> The Best Gear for Fantastic Sea Kayaking Camping Adventures

Wrap Up of Sea Kayaking to Benagil Cave

Although Benagil Cave is one of the most popular attractions in the Algarve, it is definitely worth visiting. Sea kayaking to the caves and beaches of the area is the best way to see it. You can take your time soaking in the amazing views. Plus, the trip by Secret Algarve has a sense of adventure as you paddle into the many caves along the coastline. I went in the winter when the crowds were less. Even though the water was too cold for swimming, the sunny skies and pleasant temperature made for comfortable paddling.

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Disclaimer: I was a guest of Secret Algarve on this trip. I was not compensated or asked to write a positive review. All opinions are from my honest experience.