Portugal’s famous cave beach with new rules for visitors

Tourists can now only reach the Benagil Cave with licensed kayak and boat tours

One of the most photographed natural sites in Portugal, the Benagil Cave beach, has gotten updated and more restrictive rules regarding visitors. These rules, which entered into force yesterday, 1 August, aim to regulate the traffic of maritime tourist vessels, private individuals and beach users, both in the water and in the vicinity of the Benagil cave and sinkhole.

The rules in question will drastically curtail the freedom of movement of tourists, with one of them stating that no people can land on the sand beach inside the grotto.

Already in September 2023, the authorities banned access by canoes, kayaks and surfboards on six beaches close to the cave in order to limit the tourist flow to the area as the officials were worried that the safety of the visitors couldn’t be guaranteed. The rocky coast is prone to landslides.

At least no entry fee, yet

The iconic grotto, located on the Algarve coast between the towns of Lagos and Albufeira, is a magnet for tourists thanks to its picturesque form, featuring openings both in the ceiling and on the side to reveal a hidden beach inside.

The rules were put together in a joint effort between the Portuguese National Maritime Authority, in coordination with the Municipality of Lagoa, the Administration of the Algarve Hydrographic Region, and the Algarve Tourism Region, among other entities.

Here are the main rules:

• The prohibition of landing or using the beach within the Algar de Benagil for individuals and businesses;
• The prohibition of renting kayaks without a guide in the cave area;
• A ban on accessing the caves by swimming or using flotation devices;
• A limit on the number of boats and kayaks inside the cave;
• A time limit for visiting the caves;
• The implementation of a ratio of one “guide kayak” for every six touring kayaks in the area.

And when there are official rules that means that there will be official sanctions for breaking them. Tourists and operators that fail to abide by the regulations can expect to pay salty fines ranging anywhere from 300 to 216,000 euros!