From the adrenaline rushes of kitesurfing to the peacefulness of sailing through sheltered bays on board a yacht, the Algarve has 200 kilometres of beaches for you to explore.
The west-facing beaches on the Costa Vicentina (Vicentine Coast) are favourites for those who love surfing and bodyboarding. Odeceixe sets the tone, with a huge expanse of beach and other smaller ones nestling in between the cliffs but with good access. Arrifana, Vale Figueiras, Bordeira, Amado, Cordoama, Ponta Ruiva, Beliche and Martinhal are just a few of the spots where the land ends and the good waves begin.
The sea along the south coast can be calm but there’s still plenty to do: banana boats and pedaloes, canoes for one or two people, water skiing, windsurfing and boat trips. On Tavira Island (Ilha de Tavira) you will find all this and more.
You cannot come to the Algarve and not experience the pleasures of canoeing. Enjoy some of nature’s most magnificent gifts to the region: two rivers (the Arade and the Guadiana) and two estuaries (the Ria de Alvor and the Ria Formosa), which are bound to take you by surprise. In leisurely fashion or at full throttle. To the whim of the purest and most energising leisure.
If you like diving, the Algarve is a sea of opportunities in which to discover magical, unexplored worlds of anemones, algae and impressive coral in between the rocks. At the Ocean Revival Park, off Portimão, four sunken warships are ready and waiting to be explored.
The Ria Formosa beckons you to enjoy a coastal cruise from Faro, Olhão or Tavira. Here, everything is connected: barrier islands, marshes, sandbanks, mudflats, dunes, salt pans, lakes, you and the spirit of the place.
If sports fishing is your passion, the fishing grounds in the Algarve are replete with different types of bream and sea bass. And you can sail out to the high seas and fish for sharks, rays, tuna, swordfish and other big game species.
Go for a trip up the River Guadiana, which forms the border with Spain. Or, at the other end of the Algarve, the Barlavento offers boat trips on the River Arade and through the Ria de Alvor. Stress in the Algarve? Only if that’s what you want.
There is a range of specialised companies to choose from where you can hire equipment or have lessons in water sports. They will be delighted to help you enjoy all of the Algarve’s pleasures to the full.
Make the most of the sea in the Algarve.