Lagos Adventure

A kayak company based in a warehouse at the Lagos fish market, on Rua da Docapesca. It runs guided group and private outings through the caves of Ponta da Piedade.

Who they are

Lagos Adventure is a small Algarve company devoted to a single thing: kayaking the coast of Ponta da Piedade, south of the town of Lagos. Its website presents a team of four, with Humberto Costa in charge, and describes itself as a tourist-activity operator registered with Turismo de Portugal under number RNAAT 396/2018. The brand is registered and the company also shows an ETICO sustainability certification, awarded by Tec Ambiente. The website does not say what year it began operating, so we cannot give a founding date.

The approach they stand for is a calm, motor-free activity on the water: silent kayaks to enter the caves, guides who explain the coast and a request to take all your rubbish back with you. It is a proposition designed for anyone who wants to see the arches and coves of Ponta da Piedade from below, at water level, and not just from the clifftop viewpoints.

What they do and when

The activity is a guided tour of the cliffs, caves, grottoes and rock formations of Ponta da Piedade. It runs in two formats: in a shared group or private, just for your group. The full outing lasts about two and a quarter hours; of that time, a good hour is spent paddling, and the rest goes on the catamaran transfer to the kayaking area and back. If the sea allows, there is time for a swim. They offer double kayaks, which suit couples, friends and families with children.

The website does not publish a closed season. Outings always depend on the weather and the state of the sea, and in the Algarve wind and swell rule: it is best to book with some margin and keep a spare day on your trip in case it is called off.

Meeting point, ages and equipment

They are based on Rua da Docapesca in Lagos, warehouse no. 9, next to the fish market and the marina, and you must show up 15 minutes before the time; the tour starts on the dot and latecomers may lose their place. On the tour sheet they count anyone over 12 as an adult and accept children aged 4 to 11 in a kayak. You can also go as a companion without paddling, on board the catamaran.

The price includes a local guide, kayak, paddle, life jacket, a prior explanation of how to paddle, bottled water, insurance and taxes. It does not include transport to Lagos, food, water shoes, fins, sunglasses or a towel, so it is worth bringing booties, sun protection and some dry clothes. Anyone who cannot swim must tell the guide before setting out so that they pay more attention; everyone paddles in a life jacket.

Bookings, cancellation and languages

You book online on the website itself, in the tour section, or by phone and WhatsApp on +351 937 166 980; the email is [email protected]. Note: the website also shows another number, +351 968 792 803, in some call links, so if one does not answer it is worth trying the other. Cancellation is free with a full refund up to 24 hours beforehand. If the company is the one to call it off because of the weather or sea, it offers another date or a full refund.

The guides speak Portuguese, English and Spanish, which makes the outing much easier for Spanish travellers: the safety and coast explanations can be followed in Spanish.