How to visit the Benagil Cave
The Benagil Cave is one of the most famous attractions in Portugal and the Algarve area in particular. It absolutely has to be on your list to see on your next visit to the Algarve!
But what is the Benagil Cave and how do you get to it? Here is your ultimate guide to getting the most out of your visit to the Benagil Cave and making sure you see everything the area has to offer!
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What is the Benagil Cave?
The Benagil Cave is a large cave with a small beach inside, there is a large hole in the ceiling where the light flows in, creating a magical ambiance.
It all began with a small crack in the limestone rocks that form the Algarve’s coast. Rain caused the roof of the cave to erode, creating a large hole in its ceiling. The waves form the ocean crashing against the limestone rocks caused the arches that you enter through to get into the cave.
It’s a huge natural area of interest and there are thousands of people that visit by boat, kayak and on foot every year!
One day the Benagil Cave will cease to exist as waves will continue to erode the cave and the cave will likely collapse – so it’s really worth prioritising your visit to the Benagil Caves, there is no better time than now!
Is the Benagil Cave Closed?
No the Benagil Cave is not closed. However, there have been restrictions put in place as of Autumn 2023 which resulted in kayak tours being temporarily suspended. Kayaks have since been allowed access to the cave if you are a part of a guided tour, but further restrictions were released in August 2024.
The latest August 2024 rules prohibit visitors to Benagil Cave from disembarking or using the sand inside the cave, accessing it by swimming or with flotation devices, as well as entering kayaks without a guide in the cave area.
Restrictions have been put in place over the last couple of years as a response to a record number of incidents involving canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and swimmers in and around the Benagil Cave area.
These rules are currently still in place as of the 2025 Summer season, but fear not - you can still visit the Benagil Caves in many different ways!
New rules have also been put in place to prevent people from docking up on the small beach inside the cave; swimming in the water inside the cave has also been banned.
There are also limits on the number of boats and kayaks allowed inside the cave at a time, as well as a ratio of one guide kayak for every six kayaks with visitors for kayak tours in the area.
Are these Restrictions Temporary?
Restrictions seem to have been updated semi-regularly over the course of 2023 and 2024. With new edits to rules being made. As Summer is the most popular time for Benagil Cave visits, it's likely that the authorities could implement new rules during the summer season, or after the summer season ends, depending on how visitors behave.
The current restrictions that are in place should not put you off visiting the Algarve area in 2025, you still have plenty of chances to visit the Benagil Cave.
Please note that I aim to keep my blogs as up to date as possible, and will update this post with any Benagil Cave restriction updates as soon as possible.
How do I visit the Benagil Cave?
Typically, you can get into the Benagil Cave via boat tours or by renting kayaks. You can get boats and kayaks from most major beachside towns across the Algarve.
You can also visit the top of the cave on foot, giving you a stunning view of the inside of the cave all the way from its highest point!
Please note: Kayak rental to the Benagil Caves is only allowed as part of guided tours due to new safety restrictions. I aim to keep my posts as up to date as possible and will update my posts as soon as I’m aware of any changes to rules and restrictions.
By Boat Tour
Getting on a boat tour to the Benagil Cave is the safest way to travel inside of the cave. Boat tours depart from most major towns, such as Albufeira, Carvoeiro, Portimão, Lagos, Vilamoura, Armação de Pêra, Ferragudo, Alvor and more.
What Type of Boat Tour should I do?
Most boat tours don’t just take you to the Benagil Caves, but in so many other amazing caves, beaches, or sometimes swimming spots and dolphin watching areas around the Algarve coast.
Aside from Bengali Cave, my personal favourites were visiting the Heart Cave and Marinah Beach!
The type of boat tour you take depends on what you want to see!
Tip: It’s worth going on a smaller speed boat as they can fit in some of the caves that bigger boats are unable to fit in!
Boat Tour Price
The price of a boat tour varies depending on the town you’re coming from. Typically if you’re in a town that’s further away from Benagil then the cost of the boat tour will be more than if you were in a town nearby.
However, the price difference isn’t usually significant enough for you to feel the need to travel to a closer town.
Boat tours also vary in length as some boat tours also combine with dolphin tours, so they will take you out to see the common spots where the dolphins are before heading in some other caves on the way to the final destination of Benagil Cave.
The tour I went on was run by Carvoeiro Tours and took 1 hour and 15 minutes, departed from Carvoeiro beach and went inside loads of caves, ending at Benagil Cave and then Marinah Beach, on my way back to Carvoeiro we saw some dolphins! The boat trip cost about 30 Euros per person.
Here some boat tours from different major towns in the Algarve area*:
Other ways to book
It’s not always necessary to book online, in most cases you will find a kiosk near main beaches in most seaside Algarve towns. I went to ‘Carvoeiro Tours’ by Praia de Carvoeiro and booked a tour for the following day.
However, keep in mind that during peak season, you might need to book for a few days in advance in order to be able to get on a boat tours. Some boats are bigger and seat several dozens of people, but others are small and might only fit 8-10 people on a boat.
Outside of peak season I would still aim to book a boat tour for at least the day before you want to go.
Due to the current restrictions surrounding group tour sizes and individual Kayak and SUP rentals to Benagil Cave, boat tours are likely going to see a higher demand than in previous years. I recommend booking boat tours online and in advance of your trip to the Algarve. This will help to guarantee you can get a space on a boat tour.
Kayak Rental
As well as getting a boat tour, a popular way to get to the Benagil Caves in the past has included kayaking!
Previously, visitors have been able to rent a kayak and go out on their own to the cave. However, due to current restrictions you now you must join a guided tour.
I only recommend renting a kayak if you’d class yourself as a strong swimmer, the waves can be quite choppy and you sometimes need quite a lot of strength to remain in control, especially if you happen to capsize.
To avoid the stronger waves, I’d recommend going out in the morning, as often it gets windier in the afternoon which will cause the water to get choppier. Always make sure to assess the weather conditions before you make a decision.
Kayak rental is not as easy to come by as boat tours are. There are kiosks that you can walk up to by nearby beaches such as Benagil Beach and Marinha Beach. However, it is probably easier is to book Kayak rental online. Searching online is usually easier when wanting to find kayak rental nearest to you.
As of August 2024, kayak rentals have been allowed to resume after the temporary suspension that occured in September 2023. Visitors are now allowed to visit Benagil Cave as part of a guided tour only. Disembarking onto the beach inside the cave is banned.
I aim to keep my articles as up to date as possible and will look to update this when any updates to restrictions are made.
Guided Kayaking Tour
Due to visiting restrictions, the only way to access Benagil Cave with kayaking is via a guided tour.
This is done in a group with a professional guide, the only downside is that you must travel with your tour group as opposed to being able to kayak at your own pace and spend time in the caves and private beaches that you’d like to. However, guided tours are a much safer option compared to solo kayaking hire.
The current restrictions in place as of August 2024 mean you can only now go in groups of 6 kayaks per guide.
Kayaking vs Boat Tour
Regardless of whether you have a preference, I would always recommend doing the boat tour first if you have never been to the Benagil Caves. This is because the skippers and boat drivers are experts, having done the routes many times before.
They took us inside loads of caves on our way to the Benagil Cave that we weren’t even aware were there! They explained a lot of the history and tales about different caves, and even pointed out beaches along the coast that they recommended we visit! The whole thing gave us a really interesting perspective from people that are local!
Most importantly, they offered lots of tips and explained to us the best times to come by boat and kayaks, as well as what dangers to look out for if we were to come back on our own.
They explained how most accidents that have happened during the summer 2023 season have involved kayak users getting injured as opposed to people on boats, which is why kayaks were temporarily suspended partway through their summer season, with further edits to rules around kayak hire planning to be implemented before solo kayak trips are resumed.
After doing a boat tour and knowing the route, it can be a good idea to rent a kayak to visit the caves!
The main advantage of kayaks over the boat trip used to be that you could dock up on the mini beach inside the Benagil Cave. However this is now forbidden as of August 2024 visiting updates.
If you’re choosing to kayak, or even swim in the water in the Benagil Cave, keep the weather forecast in mind in order to stay safe; the water can be very choppy in and around the caves. Rent kayaks at your own risk and consider doing a boat tour instead, especially if you are not a strong swimmer, as it is generally a safer option.
Can you Swim in the Benagil Cave?
Swimming inside the Benagil Cave is no longer allowed. New rules and restrictions have been put in place as of Autumn 2023 in order to keep people safe as well as preserve the cave. The ban on swimming continues to be in place with the latest restrictions announced in August 2024, and look to remain in place for the 2025 Summer Season.
Previously, swimming in the caves was allowed, however, it was not recommended due to the choppiness of the waves and the number of boats manoeuvring in and out.
Visiting the Benagil Cave on Foot
Now that you’ve seen the Benagil Cave by boat, why not see it on foot? With a free carpark just a short walk away from the top of the cave, you can walk to the roof of the cave for a completely different view.
Look into the big hole on the ceiling and get a magic view of the cave from above. You do not need to join a tour in order to see this, you can easily head there by yourself!
Where to Park?
It will take you approximately 50-60 minutes to drive from Faro, 30-40 from Albufeira, around 10-15 minutes from Carvoeiro, and 40-45 minutes from Lagos.
There is a large car park a short walk from the beach and caves, and even better it has free parking!
The carpark is just called ‘Free Parking Benagil’ and is located on Estr. de Benagil 8400.
Keep in mind, during peak season there might be a lot of people driving to the area to see the Benagil Cave by foot.
Do I need to pay to visit Benagil Cave on foot?
You do not to pay to visit the Benagil Cave on foot! You might see walking guides advertised, but it is not necessary to book onto one of these. You can walk up to the cave on your own and view it for free!
What are the rules for visiting Benagil Cave for the Summer 2025 season?
Rules are constantly being updated for visiting the Benagil Cave, the current restrictions mean that:
No swimming is allowed in the Benagil Cave.
Kayaks, SUPs or Boats are NOT allowed to disembark on the beach inside the cave.
You can only enter the Benagil Cave on a guided tour if you're entering with Kayak or SUP. There is a limit of 6 people for every 1 tour guide.
There are time restrictions on how long you can stay inside the cave for regardless of whether you visit with a kayak or boat.
There are restrictions on the maximum number of boats and kayaks allowed in the Benagil Cave at a time.
Authorities have proposed installing a CCTV system inside the cave to ensure people are following the rules.
I aim to keep this post as up-to-date as possible and plan to update this post as soon as we are aware of new information.
Benagil Cave FAQ's
Where is the Benagil Cave?
The Benagil Cave is located in the Algarve area in Portugal. It is one of Portugal’s most famous landmarks, located in Lagoa, Portugal.
Is the Benagil Cave closed?
No, the Benagil Cave is not closed, but there are restrictions on how you can visit. As of August 2024, you cannot visit by kayak unless part of a guided tour. However, the rules could change at any time, so it is best to check with official statements from the authorities before you plan your visit.
How do you get inside the Benagil Cave?
The best way to get to the Benagil Cave is by boat tour or joining a guided kayaking tour. However there are tighter restrictions in place surrounding kaya.king, Swimming to the cave is currently banned. This means that your best chance of getting to Benagil Cave is by going on a guided boat tour from one of the many Algarve beaches.
Can you walk to the Benagil Cave?
It is possible to walk to the top of the Benagil Cave on foot. You can stand on the top of the cave and look from the top inside. To walk to the cave, you will need to walk on the paths along the cliffs next to Benagil Beach (Praia Benagil). However, it is not possible to go inside the cave on foot. In order to visit the inside of the cave you will need to visit by boat.
Where do you park to see the Benagil Cave?
There are several carparks by Benagil Beach which you can park at to walk to the cave. There’s a large free car park a short walk from Benagil Cave which is called ‘Free Parking Benagil’ and is located on Estr. de Benagil 8400.
Is it better to see the Benagil Caves in the morning or afternoon?
It tends to be recommended that you plan a boat tour to the Benagil Caves in the first half of the day. In the afternoon, the sea often gets choppier and sometimes this will prevent boats from leaving the shore due to safety measures. To increase your likelihood of being able to visit the Benagil Cave without your boat tour being cancelled, aim to book a morning boat trip.
