The new measures, aimed at regulating the traffic of maritime-tourist vessels, private boats, and beach users, both on the water and in the vicinity of the Benagil cave and sinkhole, were published in an official notice on July 30.
It is now prohibited for individuals and companies to disembark or use the sand inside the Benagil sinkhole, access the caves by swimming or with flotation devices, and rent kayaks without a guide in the cave area.
Limits have been set on the number of vessels and kayaks allowed inside the cave, maximum visitation times, and a ratio of one guide kayak for every six visitor kayaks for kayak tours in the area.
Fines are also provided for, which in the most serious cases can go up to 216,000 euros, for operators of maritime-tourist vessels who do not comply with the rules set out in the notice.
Located off the coast of Benagil beach, the caves are considered a relevant natural heritage site and one of the main tourist attractions in the Algarve. During the summer period, they have attracted increasing interest from visitors, especially by sea.
The official notice, which comes into effect 10 working days after its publication, resulted from the work carried out by the Benagil Caves Working Group, formed in August 2023.
