Which boat to Benagil? Speedboat, catamaran or kayak

Trips to Benagil are sold from Albufeira on very different boats, and the descriptions all sound alike. They are not. The difference decides whether you see the cave from the inside or only its entrance – and that is rarely stated as plainly in the listing as it should be.

Here is what each type of boat does well and, more usefully, what it cannot do.

First, the one rule that governs everything

The Algar de Benagil has two seaward arches. Motorboats may enter only through the western entrance and may stay two minutes. Kayaks and SUPs use the eastern entrance, travel in single file and get eight minutes per group. That is set out in the decree of the Portimão port authority, amended in July 2025.

Since that amendment there is no longer any legal length limit for boats – the old “twelve-metre rule” is still quoted all over the internet but no longer applies. What remains is physics: the arch is low and narrow, and the skipper has to judge whether the boat can turn safely inside.

And: entry is never guaranteed. In a swell every boat stays outside, whatever it cost.

The speedboat or RIB

What it is: a rigid inflatable or open motorboat, usually ten to twenty seats, bench rows, no shade.

What it does well: getting inside, and getting there fast. At 20 to 25 knots the run from Albufeira takes 20 to 30 minutes each way – so a good half of a two-and-a-half-hour trip is left for the coast. If the cave is what you came for, this is the hull you want.

What it cannot do: be comfortable. Hard bench, no shade, usually no toilet, every wave through your spine. This is where someone is most likely to get seasick, and many operators set a minimum age – often six.

The small motorboat

What it is: a covered boat with six to twelve seats, often sold as a small-group trip.

What it does well: also gets inside, but more calmly and with more room than a RIB. In our catalogue these tours sit at roughly 32 to 50 euros and are the compromise for anyone who wants the cave without being shaken about.

What it cannot do: be cheap. You pay more per head because fewer people share the boat.

The catamaran

What it is: two hulls, a wide deck, forty to a hundred guests, shade, toilets, often a bar and a swim stop.

What it does well: staying level and making a pleasant day of it. For families, for several generations travelling together and for anyone who has had a bad time on a boat before, this is the obvious choice. The longer trips with a swim stop and food – in our catalogue from around 49 euros for four hours or more – are a good day in their own right.

What it cannot do: enter the cave. A catamaran is simply too wide. You see the entrance from the water. Some operators transfer guests onto a tender that goes in – this is common but not standard. If the inside of the cave matters to you, look for the transfer explicitly in the description and do not book on assumption. This is exactly where the disappointed reviews come from.

A second honest point: at around ten knots a catamaran needs 40 to 50 minutes each way. Out of two and a half hours, a good ninety minutes is transit.

The sailing boat

What it is: a yacht or small schooner, eight to thirty guests, engine off at least part of the time.

What it does well: atmosphere. For the late afternoon and for couples it is the finest way to travel this coast. In our catalogue sailing trips start at around 34 euros.

What it cannot do: the cave. Draught and beam rule it out, and the wind has a say in how the day goes.

The kayak

What it is: a guided tour, six kayaks plus a guide, life jacket compulsory throughout, helmet as well where there is a rockfall risk.

What it does well: staying inside longest. Eight minutes instead of two, at eye level with the water, through the eastern entrance. It is the most intense way to see the cave – and at around 29 euros for tours on the Benagil coast, one of the cheapest.

What it cannot do: happen without a guide. Unguided tours and rentals are expressly forbidden in the cave area. The usual minimum age is six; a few operators take children from four in a family kayak. Landing on the inner beach is prohibited here too.

Which boat for whom

“I want to be inside the cave.” Speedboat, small motorboat or kayak. Nothing else.

“I want to be inside as long as possible.” Kayak.

“We have small children, or someone who gets seasick easily.” Catamaran, morning departure – and without expectations of the cave interior.

“We want a full day on the water.” Catamaran with a swim stop, four hours or more.

“We want it calm and beautiful.” Sailing boat in the afternoon.

“We are watching the budget.” Kayaking on our own coast from 18 euros – though that means no Benagil.

Three things to check before you pay

Whether the boat goes in or only stops outside. If it does not say so explicitly, it usually does not go in.

What happens in a swell. Operators cancel for wave height, not for clouds. Kayaks and RIBs are the first to go. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead is standard – so booking early costs nothing.

Whether the price is per person or per group. Shared tours are priced per person, private boat tours per group – from around 600 euros, which can work out cheaper per head than it looks, depending on group size.

You will find the full selection under Benagil cave tours, catamaran tours and kayak tours.