Benagil Cave Kayak Tour: An Honest Review

Okay, so you’re thinking about checking out the Benagil Cave by kayak, right? It’s almost like, everyone who goes to the Algarve hears about this cave. Pictures all over the web sure make it look cool. Very, very few pictures capture what it’s actually like, though. That’s just what I’m here to talk about, very simply, what you can actually expect, to find out if a kayak trip to Benagil Cave is something for you. We will go over the experience itself, the level of physical effort involved, what you need to bring, and a handful of ways to potentially sidestep some of the usual tourist crowds. In other words, I hope to give you useful advice about how to make the best of it.

Choosing Your Kayak Tour: Things to Consider

When booking a Benagil kayak experience, you have like, several options, yet it can be hard to weigh them up. Location, tour duration, and tour operator reviews matter a bit. Armação de Pêra and Benagil Beach are common starting points, yet each one offers slightly a different travel time to the cave. A shorter boat trip could be better for someone with young children. Or people that don’t do very well on the ocean. Plus, you should think about when to actually go. Is that the first tour of the day? Is it sometime in the middle? Is it the last tour? Very few people think about that and the caves can be very, very different experiences based on the timing. Read past reviews and pick a top-rated provider to increase your chance of a super experience. Consider a few things that can affect prices and overall experiences.

Speaking of location, is that close to your accommodation? A longer drive very early in the morning is going to take a bit away from enjoying your boat trip. Duration is so key too; a quicker tour can be fine, however that might only provide enough time to basically visit Benagil Cave and that’s basically it, so it is up to you to see a bit more of the Algarve coastline. Ultimately, I mean, picking the correct tour is so important in enjoying the entire Algarve experience.

The Physical Challenge: Are You Ready to Paddle?

Let’s get really practical, alright? The kayak tour can really be a bit of a workout. I mean, sure, it sounds relaxing, very simply gliding through the crystal blue water, however that water can often get really choppy. I should add that the wind tends to pick up. Depending on the route, you might actually be fighting the currents, too. Now, a certain amount of kayaking tours do involve actually using a support boat to basically tow the kayaks, still not all tours do this. Most tours don’t like your own personal tour guide helping you get out there. As a matter of fact, most count on the fact that you will, with no prior experience, take a kayak through unpredictable water. People that don’t exercise regularly are more prone to feeling it in their shoulders and back later on. Basically, if you don’t actually work out often, prepare for a pretty rude awakening.

And here’s another bit you have to think about. It’s very common for trips back to land to actually involve getting wet, specifically during very choppy weather or perhaps strong winds. People need to be completely conscious and prepared. Listen closely to the instructions offered. Be prepared to help other passengers. Do you think other passengers on the tour may need help? Don’t plan anything later for that day; just consider taking a rest.

Inside the Cave: What to Expect

The Benagil Cave is truly something, a majestic spot where the sunlight cascades in, shining on a bit of beach. In pictures, it’s really otherworldly, but be aware it gets pretty crowded. During peak season, you’re looking at what is almost like kayak gridlock sometimes. The guides mostly all try their best to keep some type of order and to basically give everybody a short moment to basically snap photos, yet it feels more like Grand Central Station, only wetter. What a lot of boat tours don’t say: most boat tours don’t actually allow you to get out and stay on the beach.

Then, of course, there’s the sound. The cave almost seems to amplify chatter. When twenty or thirty people speak at once, it gets kind of loud in there. It’s also important to bring a certain amount of protection for the electronics; salty air could easily damage cameras. Take a waterproof bag and wipe things down afterwards. It gets quite hot and very stuffy.

What to Bring: Packing Essentials for Your Kayak Trip

Preparation, as they say, truly is key. Getting ready can really affect the overall experience. You should use sunscreen – reapply frequently, in fact. The sun just beats down on you out there, so very easily you could wind up burnt, and that does happen. Take lots of water, too. As I was saying, kayaking is really a workout and dehydration is very simple. I should also mention you could wear a hat, yet only when it is tightly secured. When the wind picks up, your favorite baseball cap ends up in the ocean. Additionally, it may just simply go with the flow and opt for a wet suit or a fast-drying clothing.

Ultimately, protecting personal stuff has to be somewhere near the very top of your preparation priorities, right? I am talking about zip lock bags for protecting equipment, but more significantly your cellular phone. Almost always consider the potential risk and go out ready. Almost always bring things that will improve comfort during boat trips. Very, very, very important!

Avoiding the Crowds: Timing is Everything

This part cannot be emphasized too much: go very early or almost toward the end of the day, which may really reduce contact with crowds, in a way. The first tours often see fewer people, and basically the light can be amazing. So that, tour operators tend to increase in cost in the middle of the day too it’s almost like some of the least desirable times of day coincide with peak pricing. You have to realize the offseason tends to be a bit emptier. Plus, you can experience a bit more of that natural charm. A lot of companies will not permit kayak tours during those times of the year because of climate and seasonal limitations.

Another plan could be taking a boat tour that does not let out passengers on the inside of the caves; that way, very simply, you don’t contribute to congestion, and then you get to simply go on further to some nearby beaches. If the kayak tours aren’t for you, just know that there are alternatives to basically check out the area and basically make the experience pretty interesting.

So, is a kayak tour worth it? If that is in off-peak season and you know about the physical needs and challenges, it is likely that you can have fun. Still, you should prepare for crowds.

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