If you are here, it means that you are looking for the best Faro boat tours to uncover the mesmerizing coast of the Algarve region.
Personally, I have been on a ton of boat trips from Faro, and the rest of the Algarve and the area never ceases to impress.
To the east, you have the splendid barrier islands of Ria Formosa Natural Park, and to the east, you have the world-famous golden cliffs and sea caves.
There are several different types of boat tours to choose from, and sometimes a romantic sunset cruise with your loved one is all you want, while other times a fun Faro boat tour exploring hidden coves and beaches with snorkeling sounds a lot more exciting.
In this post, I’ll share all the best Faro boat trips so that you can start planning your summer adventure!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi, I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Brainy Backpackers. I’ve been based in Spain for the last 10+ years, and travel locally and abroad whenever I have a chance. I’m passionate about responsible travel, slow and off the beaten path travel, and outdoor activities, especially hiking. I’m currently slow traveling in my van Persistence (Persi among friends) with my fiancée Mohammed and rescue puppy Atlas. I’m excited to help you explore this planet responsibly!
MY TOP 3 PICKS FOR FARO BOAT TOURS
⭐Best Ria Formosa Tour: Ilha Deserta and Farol Island Small Group Tour – this is an epic boat tour taking you to 2 of the barrier islands in Ria Formosa Natural Park, Farol and Deserta Islands.
⭐Best Cave Tour: Benagil Cave Tour – if you haven’t visited Benagil Cave before, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I think anyone visiting the Algarve should do!
⭐Best Wildlife Tour: Small Group Dolphin and Wildlife Watching Tour in Faro – an excellent opportunity to search for dolphins while learning from a Marine Biologist.
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The Best Faro Boat Tours
1. Ria Formosa Small Group Tour – Ilha Deserta and Farol Island
Duration: 3 hours
What’s Included:
- Life vests
- Local guide with experience and knowledge
What’s Not Included:
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
This is one of the numerous Faro boat tours, and with stops at the barrier islands Ilha Farol and Ilha Deserta, it’s easily one of the best boat tours of Ria Formosa.
The tour guides speak different languages and, in my experience, have a great sense of humor, so you’re bound to have a blast.
This Faro boat trip lasts for approximately 3 hours, giving you plenty of time to include other attractions on your Faro itinerary.
It can get a little cold on the boat during the winter months, so make sure you bring something for the wind.
👉BOOK YOUR RIA FORMOSA BOAT TRIP FROM FARO
2. Benagil Cave tour from Faro
Duration: 5 hours
What’s Included:
- Air-conditioned vehicle between Faro and Benagil
- Boat tour from Benagil
- Safety Jacket
- Sun umbrella
- Snorkeling gear
- Professional guide
What’s Not Included:
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
This Faro boat tour includes a trip to two of the Algarve’s major locations – Benagil Cave and Marinha Beach. Seeing these sites is one of the best things to do in Algarve.
You’ll be picked up at Faro Train Station and taken to Benagil Beach by minivan. There, you’ll be venturing out on an adventurous boat tour exploring different caves, including Benagil Cave.
Due to new regulations, it’s not allowed to enter the caves anymore, so all the fancy pictures you’ve seen online of people kayaking and paddleboarding into the caves won’t happen ever again. Unfortunately.
Yet, it’s a fantastic experience seeing the different caves in the area, and I still think it’s a must-visit addition to any Algarve itinerary.
After the caves, you’ll pass by Marinha Beach, which is nothing short of a paradise with its natural towers and arches jutting out of the water.
On the way back to Faro, the minivan will stop at Praia de Nossa Senhora da Rocha, where you can swim and snorkel in the summer.
👉BOOK YOUR BENAGIL CAVE TRIP FROM FARO
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3. Small Group Dolphin and Wildlife Watching Tour in Faro
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
What’s Included:
- Marine Biologist guide
- Lifejackets
What’s Not Included:
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Food and drinks
This Faro boat tour is awesome for any dolphin lover. With a marine biologist on board as a guide, you’ll learn so much about the dolphins and other animals you might see, like whales and orcas.
While there’s no guarantee of seeing wildlife, the skipper knows where to look for dolphins as they frequent these waters, and in my experience, we’ve always spotted them.
What I love about this tour is that the marine biologists on board also collect data for research, so it kinda feels like you’re contributing to something useful while joining. And they’re so knowledgeable.
👉BOOK YOUR DOLPHIN WATCHING TOUR FROM FARO
4. Private Catamaran Boat Tour – Ria Formosa
Duration: 3-7 hours
What’s included:
- Snorkeling equipment
- 2 Paddle Boards
- Toilet on board
- Fuel surcharge
- Welcome drink
What’s Not Included:
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Food
This private Faro boat tour is by far one of the nicest available. The catamaran is big enough to hold up to 16 people.
Whether you’re organizing a bachelorette party or taking your family on a boat trip, this is one of the best boat trips from Faro for anyone traveling as a group.
The tour can also be customized to your taste, if you don’t have any locations in mind, the Skipper will give you all the options available.
This tour normally includes stops at different bays and desert beaches. The boat typically stops at Ilha Deserta and Ilha Farol in Ria Formosa Natural Park.
The latter is home to a couple of bars and restaurants, so after swimming and enjoying other water activities, you can treat yourself to a nice meal at Farol Island.
👉BOOK YOUR PRIVATE CATAMARAN TOUR FROM FARO
5. Romantic Sunset Tour in the Ria Formosa: From Faro
Duration: 1 hour
What’s Included:
- Local guide
What’s Not Included:
- Alcoholic drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
This romantic sunset tour is private for one couple. It takes you through the breathtaking Ria Formosa Natural Park and its barrier islands during sunset.
In all honesty, it is hard to beat a sunset over the water in Ria Formosa Natural Park, which means that this is a spectacular boat trip in Faro and is easily one of my favorites (have I said that before?)
👉BOOK YOUR ROMANTIC SUNSET CRUISE FROM FARO
6. Half-Day Private Catamaran Boat Tour – Ria Formosa
Duration: 3.5 hours
What’s included
- Welcome Drink
- 2 Paddle Boards
- Snorkeling Equipment
- Toilet on board
What’s Not Included
- Drinks and food
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
This private tour is another one of the boat tours Faro offers that can be customized or tailored to you and your group. And of course, the skipper is always there to offer suggestions.
This tour is perfect for family and friends looking for an intimate boat trip to ad to the memory book.
The boat will make stops at a couple of the barrier islands so you can have lunch and some drinks at any island of your choice.
You can go for a short swim or try out any water activities with the equipment available. The crew is very friendly, and combining that with the beautiful scenery of Ria Formosa, you’re bound to have a fantastic time.
👉BOOK YOUR PRIVATE CATAMARAN TOUR FROM FARO
7. Hop On Hop Off Islands
Duration: The ticket is valid for 24 hours
What’s Included
- Ferry ride
What’s Not Included
- Lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Guide
- Entry fees to the islands
There’s certainly no better way to enjoy Ria Formosa Natural Park than by hopping on and off different breathtaking islands.
This is a hop-on hop-off boat service without a guide. You’ll basically be hopping between the islands of Ilha da Culatra, Ilha do Farol, and Ilha Deserta.
You get to get off the ferry at any island you like and spend as much time as you like on each. The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so if you start in the afternoon, you can also spend the next morning island hopping, though I do recommend doing it on the same day to get the most out of it.
Ilha Deserta is the only uninhabited island of the barrier islands and boasts incredible wild beaches.
At Ilha do Farol, you’ll see the fishermen at work and get a taste of the small community thriving there.
And finally, at Culatra Island, you can walk through the little fisherman’s settlement and across the boardwalks to the beach on the other side of the island.
👉BOOK YOUR HOP-ON HOP-OFF BOAT TICKETS FROM FARO
8. Bird Watching Guided Boat Trip in Ria Formosa from Faro
Duration: 2 hours
What’s Included
- Use of binoculars
- Bird identification guide
- Life vests
- Local guide
What’s Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
This tour is the only one of the Faro boat tours that is perfect for bird lovers. You’ll be riding in a Saveiro, which is a traditional painted boat.
On this bird-watching tour, you can typically see flamingos, waders, whimbrel, turnstone, spoonbills, white storks, egrets, and grey plovers. But there’s never a guarantee of what you’ll see.
Although, the area is inhabited by tons of different species of birds. There will also be a short stop at Desert Island.
👉BOOK YOUR BIRD WATCHING TOUR FROM FARO
9. Eco Boat Tour in the Ria Formosa Lagoon from Faro
Duration: 1 hour
What’s Included
- Life vests
- Local guide
What’s Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
This Eco boat tour from Faro is the best way to explore the lagoons and marshes of Ria Formosa Natural Park without disturbing the birds.
You’ll see the best of Ria Formosa and get to watch wild birds nesting and feeding in their natural environment without any noise-making engines.
👉BOOK YOUR ECO BOAT TOUR FROM FARO
10. Sunset Tour in Faro
Duration: 1 hour
Wheelchair accessible: No
What’s Included
- Professional Skipper
- Life Jackets
What’s Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
There’s no better time of the day to explore Ria Formosa Natural Park on a boat tour from Faro than when the sun sets. I love the reflections of the pink sky in the lagoon.
This sunset tour is a beautiful and tranquil experience, and the skipper is really nice, giving so much information about the area. I highly recommend it!
👉BOOK YOUR SUNSET TOUR FROM FARO
MORE FROM FARO..
- Best things to do in Faro
- One day in Faro
- Is Faro worth visiting?
- Best places to stay in Faro
- Winter in Faro
- Best day trips from Faro
Final thoughts on these Faro boat trips
As you can tell, there are a whole lot of different boat trips from Faro that you can take. Whatever you choose to go for, I am sure you will have a blast. In all honesty, going on one of these boat tours is among the absolute best things to do in Faro.
I have still not been disappointed by any of the Faro boat trips that I have done. The natural surroundings of this area of the Algarve are so incredibly beautiful that it is hard to go wrong.
I love that you have the calm and flat eastern Algarve at your doorstep, but you can also reach the central Algarve’s dramatic coast.
Happy travels!