Cabanas Beach Portugal is one of the most stunning beaches in the Algarve with white powdered sand and natural dunes.
Set on Cabanas Island, one of Ria Formosa’s barrier islands, it’s easy to reach from Cabanas by boat. Being a protected area, you still find all the necessary amenities on the beach.
In this post, I’ll go through everything you need to know before visiting Cabanas Beach, Tavira Portugal.
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Table of Contents
How to get to Cabanas Beach Portugal
The only way to reach Cabanas Beach is by boat. There are frequent boat shuttles from different departing points along Cabanas Boardwalk that take across to Cabanas Island.
They are super affordable for only 1.50 Euros there and back and the journey only takes a couple of minutes. Make sure you have cash to pay the skipper and save your ticket for the return as you have to show it. I actually had to give it back altogether.
When you reach Cabanas Island, you need to cross the boardwalk to the other side of the island to reach Cabanas Beach.
If you travel to Cabanas de Tavira by car, there is parking by the fishing port, but there is also along the streets on the outskirts of the old town, which is only a few minutes walk through the old town to the boardwalk.
Facilities on Cabanas Beach
- sunbeds
- parasols
- recycling bins
- restaurant
- changing rooms
- toilets
- lifeguard
Cabanas Beach is largely a virgin beach and it is easy to walk along the beach to get nice spots all to yourself. But the area you come to when you cross the boardwalk from the boat is fairly well equipped.
First, you will pass a restaurant and changing rooms where you also find toilets. On the beach, you can rent sunbeds and parasols and there are rubbish bins for recycling on the beach. There are also lifeguards on duty in this area.
Note that once you walk further up or down the beach there are no amenities and no lifeguards.
Cabanas Beach
Cabanas Beach (Praia da Cabana) is my absolute favorite on all of the barrier islands in Ria Formosa. It is easily accessible and still the sand is pure white powder compared to the other islands.
It’s backed by beautiful sand dunes making it feel very remote and natural – which is exactly what it is!
It is a popular beach among locals and tourists alike. Yet, I find it’s less crowded than other beaches in Tavira. Even in the summer, you can walk a bit away from the main beach area and enjoy long sandy stretches almost by yourself.
The loungers and parasols often sell out in the busiest period, but you can usually get one if you go early. Most locals bring their own parasol and chairs and walk further down on the beach and if you want to do the same, you can purchase it in one of the beach shops in Cabanas de Tavira before you take the boat across.
Praia da Cabana is also a popular windsurfing spot, so if that’s your passion, you should join the locals and have some fun!
Things to do near Cabanas Beach
Since Praia da Cabanas is located so remotely, the closest place you’ll find things to do nearby is Cabanas de Tavira. The small fishing village is one of the most relaxing towns in Algarve so there aren’t tons of activities, but I’ll list up what to do in Cabanas de Tavira here.
- Walk the boardwalk – There is a charming boardwalk lining Cabanas and Ria Formosa’s saltwater lagoon where you can admire the fishing boats and Cabanas Island.
- Go shopping – Different boutique shops and beach shops are lined up along Cabanas promenade where you can find clothes, beach gear, and handicrafts.
- Snap pictures of the old fishermen’s shacks – These are called “cabanas” in Portuguese and are the origin of the town’s name.
- Stroll through the old town – The old streets are super charming with colorfully painted and tiled houses.
Reflections on Cabanas Beach
Cabanas Beach is the perfect beach for you if you’re looking for a relaxed beach in the Algarve with fewer crowds in the summer and powder sand.
There isn’t any surf, but you can see locals go windsurfing a bit further up the beach, so if you’re looking for a destination for this it’s also ideal as there is plenty of space with no swimmers.
Happy travels!