| Start swim from | Praia de Benagil |
| Coordinates | 37.087443, -8.425982 |
| Length of swim | 400m (out and back swim) |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Time of year tried | End of December |
| Sea Temperature | 17 |
| Air Temperature | 15 |
| Tidal conditions | Shortly before high tide |
| Things to look out for | Fast and frequent boat traffic; usual wave/tides/current; steep water entry inside cave |
| Highlights | Fantastic views inside, exciting and fun little swim |
| Recommended trail | PR1 LGA Seven Hanging Valleys https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/portugal/faro/pr1-lga-sete-vales-suspensos?sh=ll1mdy |
| Cost | Free |
| Closest Airport / Port | Faro |
| Accessibility details | Steep tarmacked road to beach, 3 steps with hand rails. Beach is sandy, and walk to west side is approx 100m. |
The Fun we had
This was a perfect stop-off adventure swim in the middle of a cliff-top walk. After peering through the rooftop hole of the cave, and admiring the incredible blue of the water below, we made our way down to the Praia de Benagil beach. We followed the coastline round the short way to the closest cave entrance, and got a helping hand from a wave on the way onto the cave’s internal beach. The views inside were just as lovely, and we had to do some waving at the people now peering down at us!
All in all, a fun swim. Next time we’d probably pack provisions and use it as a stop off point on our way to explore further around the coast.
How to do it
There are free car parks just down the road in Benagil, and further along the coast in Praia da Marina and Praia do Carvalho. If you’re looking for a day out, we’d recommend walking part (or all!) of the PR1 LGA 7 Hanging Valleys path, which passes right by the swim start point at Praia de Benagil.
Enter the water from the east side of the beach – the motorboat tours like to do a speedy beach landing on the west side – and follow the cliff side round to the left. The beach is a fairly gentle slope, but the swell can be quite high, due to the cove. We’d recommend staying away from the cliff itself, so you’re more visible to boat traffic. And of course following all good water safety precautions! The Benagil cave is directly around the corner, and the first opening you come to. Be mindful of rocks at low tide, but otherwise it’s a straight swim into the cave’s beach. There’s a short swim up beach to exit at high tide, best enjoyed with the help of a wave where possible. Then enjoy your surroundings.
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