Portugal · RIA FORMOSA BOAT & CATAMARAN TOURS
The lagoon behind Faro is a national park of sandbanks, channels and barrier islands. The 15 trips below vary on how many islands you land on, how long you get on each, and whether lunch is your problem or theirs.
Catamaran tour from Faro through Ria Formosa’s islands, birdwatching, snorkeling on Deserta, and oyster culture, with time for Culatra.
“Extremely informative. Guide was very passionate about the areas. We had a good time. Not sure how to fill in this void.”
Small-group boat trip from Faro through Ria Formosa Natural Park to Farol and Deserta, with bird spotting and swim time.
“We took the Sunset tour In July. Our guide was Ricardo, he gave us infomation on the birds we saw, the protected zones, the islands we visited and he checked in with all guests regularly to ensure they were happy and having an enjoyable time. The sunset on the way back was beautiful. It was a lovely trip and gave a great snapshot of the islands. The price was comparable to other companies. The information sent before was also useful. Overall a fantastic experience.”
A small-group boat trip through Ria Formosa’s islands, with shaded comfort, island time, and guide commentary from Olhão.
“Guide, Claudio was excellent and brought us to a great place to have lunch. Now for the negatives. They changed time from 11 to 10 to avoid crowds on islands. We were there on time but waited around for almost 1/2 an hour before starting. Very annoying. Lighthouse portion was missable. I think there are better things to do in Algarve.”
Small-group boat tour from Olhão to Farol, Culatra, and Armona, with white-sand swims, island villages, and Ria Formosa nature stops.
“A wonderful memorable experience, enhanced by Ivan - a great guide, very humorous and knowledgeable.”
Small-group Ria Formosa island cruise from Faro with live guide commentary, birdwatching, Barreta swim time, and sunset views.
“A boat trip through the lagoon's low lying islets and two islands rewarded with an unexpected dolphin show of leaping and diving. A chance to enjoy nature on a busy holiday or beach getaway. Our guide Ricardo was very informative.”
Half-day catamaran from Faro through the Ria Formosa Natural Park, with 3 islands, swimming, oyster farming, and optional island lunch.
“Informative of Ria Formosa & most importantly it was enjoyable pleasant experience. Joao the Guide from Estrela da Ria Formosa boat tour was exceptional. The boat trip was good which I'm sure all tours could provide but it's a huge bonus to have an exceptional guide. Highly recommended to have Joao & go for all the islands provided.”
Small-group catamaran island-hopping in Ria Formosa from Faro, with stops on Deserta and Farol plus snorkeling masks and lighthouse views.
“It is worth the excursion and the visit to the 2 islands, our guide Pedro was great, made the trip very enjoyable and we enjoyed his indicationsAuto-translated”
A small-group sunset catamaran in Faro for Ria Formosa Natural Park views, bird spotting, and sky color over the water.
“Such a beautiful place. Just flying over the Ria Formosa is a site to see, so don’t miss it when you are getting into Faro. The boat ride was okay, there weren’t too many birds that day but just looking at the water and sunset there is spectacular if you like sunsets. Good tour, I would go again.”
A 4-hour boat cruise from Olhão through Ria Formosa, stopping at Culatra and Farol for lighthouse views and fresh-fish lunch options.
“A must if in Olhão! Both islands definitely worth visiting. Joao is an excellent a guide - very knowledgeable and entertaining at the same time.”
3-hour boat trip from Olhão through Ria Formosa to Culatra and Armona, with multilingual captain tips and time to swim.
“Despite light rain and wind, it was worth it. A nice opportunity to get to know Portugal from a bit different side. The islands are a showcase of serenity, tranquility, beauty and hard everyday work. The guide is a professional and knowledgeable, fluent in French and English.”
Eco-friendly Faro bird watching by solar boat in Ria Formosa, gliding through saltwater canals with binoculars and expert guides.
“This is a great way to see some of the Ria Formosa and its birds. The boat is quiet and slow, and you don’t feel like you are encroaching on this truly unique habitat. The guide was also very knowledgeable and an expert at positioning the boat for the best views of the birds. We are very happy we did this.”
1-hour Faro lagoon tour by pontoon boat in the Ria Formosa. Live guide, birds, and Old Town wall views for $29.
“Lovely short tour around the ria Formosa, had we a little more time it would have been great to go on a longer tour, but the hour was enough for us to see the area”
Sunset solar boat trip from Faro through Ria Formosa, small group, live guide, quiet ride, wildlife and Old Town views.
“I loved this sunset boat trip! The boat trip itself was very chilled and relaxed, we really were able to appreciate the beauty of the sunset on the sea without any feelings of seasickness as the boat was very steady. Andre was very fun, personable and informative. He told us very interesting facts about the algarve and made a great effort to engage with us and get to know us. I loved this boat ride, and I would highly recommend this company too”
A 1-hour sunset boat ride in Faro through Ria Formosa Natural Park, with live onboard commentary and excellent bird-spotting chances.
“A great trip with a friendly and knowledgeable host in Miguel who shared his personal knowledge of the environment and wildlife. I’d recommend it to anyone.”
1-hour sunset pontoon cruise in Faro’s Ria Formosa, with live wildlife commentary and a romantic natural wonder view.
“This was a truly memorable experience that we were very happy to go on. Our guide, Diogo, helped to make it even better. The laid-back vibes gave it a very relaxed feel, in the best possible way. Would 100% recommend.”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
