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The Algarve Experience That Ruined Every Other Boat Ride
Some trips have a highlight. Others have moments that quietly raise the bar for everything that comes after. This catamaran cruise along Portugal’s Algarve coast was the latter.
Some travel experiences are fun. Some are photogenic. And others reset your standards altogether. And a catamaran cruise along the Algarve coast of Portugal does exactly that. It’s the kind of afternoon that makes you forget what day it is and lose track of time in the best way.
Albufeira is already known for its golden cliffs and bright blue water, but seeing it from the ocean is just chef’s kiss. I hopped on a catamaran while traveling on Portugal Adventure: Porto, Lagos Old Town & Benagil Caves—here are a few of the highlights.
Laying in the sun on a catamaran floating along the Algarve coast, Portugal.
The Benagil Cave moment
There’s a point during the cruise when you hop off the catamaran and onto a smaller boat to head toward the iconic Benagil Cave. As you move into the cave, the air cools slightly. The sound changes. Waves hit the sand and echo off the stone walls, and suddenly you’re looking straight up at a perfect opening in the ceiling, sunlight spilling in like it was placed there on purpose. When I think about travel moments that transcend the trip, this is going to be the standard from here on out.
The LOL moment
Not every great travel memory is a big, dramatic scene. Some of them are funny, random, and completely unplanned. Like turning around on the catamaran and realizing one of the other travelers is wearing the captain’s hat…and steering the boat. That’s it. It was absurd in the best way, the kind of thing that makes you laugh immediately and then randomly remember months later for no reason at all.
The main character moment
Picture this: You walk from the shaded inside of the boat out onto the deck with a glass of prosecco. You head toward the bow without thinking much about it…and then you look up. The cliffs of Albufeira are right there—massive, dramatic, staggering. Like, do I work for a travel company? Sure. But did I ever expect to be on the deck of a boat, bubbles in hand, puttering around one of the most beautiful natural sites on the planet? No, no I did not.
Heading into the sea caves along Portugal’s Algarve coast.
Why seeing the Algarve from the water just works
The Algarve is beautiful from land, but from the water, it’s a different experience entirely. From the catamaran, you notice the curves in the cliffs, the hidden beaches you’d never spot from above, the way the water shifts from deep blue to bright turquoise depending on the light. The coastline feels bigger, wilder, and of course more cinematic. You’re just out there living your best life, watching Portugal and Mother Nature show off. And honestly? It’s hard to imagine a better way to see it. Travel that’s pretty and good for the world? Sign us up.
Key takeaways
- There are singular travel moments that will leave you speechless, surprise you with flavors you were afraid to try, or make you sob tears of joy. And there are others, like a catamaran cruise along Portugal's southern Algarve coast, that will blow any and every future boat ride out of the water.
- From the sun bouncing off the limestone cliffs and light filtering into the Benagil sea cave to that one person in your group taking command of the boat (and your life let’s be real), seeing the beauty of the Algarve coast from the sea is unbeatable.
Know before you go
Insider tips about how to navigate Portuguese culture.
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