Lagos: Ponta da Piedade Caves & Coast by Skiff
Before you book
- Life jackets must be worn for the whole trip
Highlights
- ✓A small boat — the kind that gets inside the caves
- ✓The Cave of Love and the Cathedral, up close
- ✓The shapes the rock has carved — the Elephant, the Gorilla and the Titanic
- ✓Praia da Batata, Pinhão, Dona Ana, Camilo, Canavial and Porto de Mós
- ✓A short, inexpensive trip — it fits in a morning, and the photos are the best
About this activity
An hour and a quarter on a small motorboat through the Ponta da Piedade caves — small enough to go where the catamarans cannot.
On a small, agile boat you reach where big boats cannot go: the caves and corners of Ponta da Piedade, right by the water. It leaves Marina de Lagos on a short but intense trip.
The skipper tells the legends and points out the shapes erosion has carved into the rock — the Elephant, the Gorilla, the Titanic — and takes the boat to the Cave of Love and the Cathedral. It runs an hour and a quarter, it is cheap, and it is where the best photos of Lagos come from.
Itinerary
- 1Check-in at the operator's desk, 30 minutes before departure
- 2Boarding at Marina de Lagos
- 3The Lagos coast — Praia da Batata, Pinhão, Dona Ana, Camilo, Canavial and Porto de Mós
- 4The Ponta da Piedade caves, with the boat going into some of them when the sea allows
- 5Back to Marina de Lagos
What's included
- ✓A 1h15 motorboat trip, on the Discover I or the Discover II
- ✓The boat goes inside some of the caves, whenever sea conditions allow
- ✓The Ponta da Piedade caves, the Cave of Love and the Cathedral
- ✓Praia da Batata, Pinhão, Dona Ana, Camilo, Canavial and Porto de Mós
- ✓Live commentary from the skipper, with local legends and the shapes carved into the rock
- ✓Life jackets
Stops and access may be adjusted on the day, depending on sea or weather conditions.
Location
Where this activity starts
Marina de Lagos
Marina de Lagos, Loja n.º 13, 8600-780 Lagos
Important information
What to bring
- Clothes that can get wet — the boat is open and catches spray
- Sunscreen and a hat
- A camera
Not recommended for
For safety reasons, there is no landing and no swimming inside the caves.
Cancellation policy
Full refund up to 12 hours before for bookings of up to 9 people, and up to 24 hours before for bookings of 10 or more.
This deadline is the operator’s and applies to bookings made online. If you book with us on request, our own booking conditions apply. Booking conditions for direct requests.
More information
The trip runs on the Discover I or the Discover II, small 10-seat motorboats. There is no toilet on board. The activity is free for children under 2 years old. The same boat is available for private hire, just for your group.
Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get wet?
On a motorboat expect spray, especially in a choppier sea — bring quick-drying clothes and protect your camera or phone.
What languages is the activity in?
The crew or guide speak Portuguese and English.
Can I bring my own food and drink?
Bringing your own food or drink on board is not allowed, with the exception of food for small children. Boats with a bar sell drinks and snacks, and trips with a meal included bring everything you need.
Will we see dolphins?
This is not a dolphin-watching trip: the route follows the coast and the caves. Dolphins do turn up now and then, and when they do the boat slows down — but that is not what the trip goes looking for. For that we have dedicated dolphin trips, with their own route.
Are there life jackets on board?
Yes, for adults and children, and the crew shows you where they are before departure. Wearing one at all times is only mandatory on the boats and routes where the law requires it — you are told at boarding.
Pregnancy, back trouble, a wheelchair or a pushchair — is it possible?
Nearly always, and the right answer is given before you book, not on the quay. As a rule a pregnant passenger can go, with the final word resting with the skipper depending on the sea that day. Anyone with a sensitive back will feel the impact far more on a small fast boat than on a catamaran, which is stable and has proper seating. For a wheelchair or a pushchair, some boats have a boarding ramp and on others boarding requires you to be steady on your feet, and the toilets on board may not be adapted. Tell us the specifics and the date you want: we confirm with the operator which departure works, and only then do you pay.
What happens in bad weather?
The decision to sail is always the skipper’s, for safety. If a departure is cancelled because of the sea or the weather, you choose: a new date or a full refund — the booking is not lost.
Can I bring my pet on board?
As a rule no, with the exception of guide dogs with proper documentation. Some operators will consider it case by case — if you want to bring yours, tell us before booking and we will check with the boat operator.
Can I bring a backpack?
You can, as long as it fits on your lap. Bring only the essentials.
What if someone feels unwell on board?
Every operator follows safety protocols and has maritime support. If it happens, tell the crew straight away — that is what they are there for.
From €16