Ponta da Piedade Boat Tours from Lagos

Motor boats slow down at the entrance so you can photograph the cave, but they no longer sail deep inside. If you want to be inside the cave, book a guided kayak or SUP tour – that is currently the only permitted way in.

Sightings happen on the large majority of trips, but these are wild animals and no operator can guarantee them. Morning departures usually mean calmer water and better odds. Many operators offer a free repeat trip if you see nothing.

It depends where you are going. For Ponta da Piedade, Lagos is unbeatable: the headland is ten minutes out, so a 75-minute trip is nearly all sightseeing. For the Benagil cave it is the other way round — Benagil lies about 35 km east, and Portimão sits closer to it. Pick the port by the destination, not by the price.

In July and August the popular morning slots sell out one to three days ahead. Outside high season, booking the evening before is usually fine. Since almost every tour cancels free up to 24 hours before, booking early costs you nothing.

Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light windproof jacket – on speedboats you will catch sea spray. Bring your phone in a waterproof pouch. Tours run in light rain but are cancelled and refunded when the sea is too rough.

The larger catamaran and dolphin boats take children of any age and carry child life jackets. Speedboats usually have a minimum age of around three to six years because of the bumpy ride – the age limit is stated on each booking page.