Are you tempted by an Algarve Beauties bodyboarding tour, but aren’t sure what to expect?
Do you want to find out how to reach Benagil cave?
This blog is for you! We’ll take a look at what happens during the trip so you’ve got the answers you need to get started on your Algarve caves adventure.
Searching on how to to reach Benagil cave can be an overwhelming experience when there’s so much choice.
So what exactly is the difference between a cruise, a bodyboard, and kayak tour anyway?
If you’re someone who values a comfortable and dry experience that keeps adventure at an arms-length, a Benagil boat tour might be right for you!
Though you won’t be allowed to go inside the famous sea cave, you can enjoy its age-old beauty from the outside.
Already desperate to escape? Sounds like you’d be better suited to a kayak tour.
With plenty of guided options near Benagil beach, you can pair up or go at it alone. This way you’ll be able to weave between the boats straight to the action.
Get to know the safe landing and leaving positions for the Benagil cave beach as the swell is known for capsizing kayaks.
Or perhaps you’re a confident swimmer who enjoys the freedom of ocean swimming. Sound like you?
A bodyboarding Benagil Cave tour is what you need to get inside the hidden caves and grottoes. There’s nothing like being waist-deep in salty sea water whilst feeling totally weightless and at whim of nature in its wildest form.
Algarve Beauties provides you with the must-have equipment and guidance needed to spend quality time inside the most beautiful cave.
The sibling of surfing, bodyboarding has just as much to offer new recruits as it does seasoned thrill-seekers.
Here are Algarve Beauties’ 3 fun facts that will make you want to hit the water running.
As far as we know, Hawaii was the birthplace of bodyboarding with the earliest recorded sighting in the 1700s. But it was as recent as the 1970s that a guy called Tom Morley invented the nimble foam bodyboards so popular in the world today.
And yes – you guessed it – that are used for visiting Benagil on Algarve Beauties tours.
What is bodyboarding? I hear you ask.
Though it’s a water-based activity that involves surfing the ocean, true to its name, you lie chest-down steering the board with your hands and paddling with your feet.
At the end of the day, it can be a water activity, a water sport – or in your case, a way to get to an insanely beautiful beach – it depends on how you look at it!
And yes – you guessed it – that are used for visiting Benagil on Algarve Beauties tours.
From the second you launch into the ocean from Benagil beach, muscles in your arm, upper body and legs work extra hard to get you to your destination.
This is because bodyboarding is an extreme exercise equivalent to a cardio workout.
So when you land on the Benagil Cave beach, you’ll feel like you’ve churned out more than a few lengths in the pool. Which is why a relaxing warm-up session is equally important as your swim.
If you’ve read this far down, chances are you’re moments away from reserving your seat with Algarve Beauties.
But just in case you needed more persuading, here are our 3 top reasons why bodyboarding is your best option.
Golden sandstone glows against a luminous blue backdrop.
You could be on any beach, except there’s something utterly magical about basking in the natural spotlight of Benagil.
With a dizzy skylight formed by sea erosion, its exclusive location means you’ve no choice but to take to the water.
So it’s no wonder that Benagil cave features one of the “must-see” beaches in the Algarve.
Find out more about the the Benagil Cave with these 5 juicy facts.
The ocean can be a scary place when you don’t know what to expect. So no Algarve Beauties experience is complete without your bodyboarding guide.
Andres is a surf instructor with over 10 years of experience who has guided thousands of people into the heart of Benagil. With his keen understanding of the tides and timings, you’ll stay close to the coastline from start to finish.
Little known by most, soaring summer temperatures brings a south east current to Benagil. Which means a stronger swell into the cave that’s best for bodyboarding.
You’ll have the green light only when the sea and wind conditions are safe for swimming. Prepare to feel the thrill of a cave tour like no other.
If you’re someone who wobbles at the thought of mounting a bodyboard, relax.
Popular opinion says that bodyboarding is easier to learn for beginners because you aren’t balancing on a moving body of water.
And at Algarve Beauties, absolutely zero surfing means one hundred percent swimming. The simplest step in an easy activity, all you do is paddle with both arms and kick with your legs.
Rest assured, this writer has zero bodyboarding experience and reached Benagil Cave without falling in or losing a fin. If she can do it – you can too!
As with any ocean-based activity, preparation and safety are key to your enjoyment. So what exactly will you need on your special day out from Faro? Let’s dive in!
You’ll need a wetsuit to brave the Atlantic ocean chill that grips the Algarve between October and April. Thanks to currents that migrate from the Antarctic to southern Portugal. Brr! Shiver not, we provide wetsuits in all sizes on your experience for the cooler days.
Who hasn’t seen the classic photo of a bodyboarder flung sky-high seconds before riding a wave?
But it looks a tad more doable knowing they’re wearing swim fins, right?
At Algarve Beauties, swim fins make the difference between you reaching Benagil Cave in 10 minutes and 20 minutes. Easy to slip on with sturdy heel straps, the most trying part of wearing swim fins is getting in and out of the water.
You begin with a backward walk and 360 spin – on instruction – that fires you on your way to the Benagil sea cave. And once you’re close, your guide ensures you’re flipper-free before your first steps onto the sand.
Choosing a bodyboard that fits your size and height starts before you’ve hit the water.
Bodyboards are more or less half the size of a person. So the general rule is to place the board on the ground facing you and aim the nose for your belly button. If it’s taller or smaller, keep looking.
Algarve Beauties has a collection of lightweight bodyboards that are included in your equipment for the day. You’ll be instructed on how to swim with your bodyboard before you head out.
Whilst your bodyboard keeps you afloat, the leash connects you to it like a lifeline.
So it’s essential that before you’ve touched the water, your leash is velcro-wrapped around your ankle or your wrist.
Your guide will show you how to use your leash in a pre-swim demonstration at the nearby beach.
Though a lifeguard is present to supervise on busy mornings, you’ll be jostling for limited space with boats of all sizes, and kayakers and bodyboarders trying to land safely on the world-famous cave beach. Not to mention that the swell can push you closer to the rock wall.
So you need to be a confident swimmer to book with Algarve Beauties.
Bodyboarding with no or little swimming experience is dangerous. It’s our responsibility to be totally honest so you know what to expect on Algarve Beauties tours.
Though we provide life safety jackets, it’s protection for customers who already know how to swim well.
If you can’t swim, please choose a Benagil boat tour instead. We highly recommend Taruga Tours.
So don’t worry about rental bookings, equipment or silly queues, rock up to our yellow van for a tour from Faro and we’ll do the rest.
For the best, guided bodyboarding experience on the Algarve coast contact Algarve Beauties today to make your reservations for the 2022 season.
