Albandeira Beach has a special place in my heart, maybe because it was the turning point every day for my stand up paddle tours. Maybe because it just is a stunning little gem of a beach with a massive natural rock arch, incredible cracks joining the two sections of beach, a natural jacuzzi and an island?
It’s the perfect spot and is slightly more difficult to get to than the easier Benagil or Marinha beaches, being a little more off the beaten track. If you’re paddling along the coast you will definitely not miss that massive natural rock arch. It will be a sad day when that plunges into the water.
Everyone loves to save money, right? Well an enterprising young businessman in Lagos has enabled you to do just that. Access Algarve not only gives you discounts but it offers you many buy one, get one free offers. One of the most incredible is a SUP session with www.ZEN-SUP.com I tracked down John Hogan who owns the company and interviewed him about his company and we also chat briefly about Access Algarve. Thanks John!
Treetop Adventures are apparently really popular in the UK (especially if you look at something like GoApe.co.uk It IS slightly scary, but isn’t it wonderful to be able to conquer your fears? This is what makes it so exciting.
The Algarve isn’t far behind, with three treetop adventure parks situated all across our beautiful region. I went along to check out the treetop adventure park in Albufeira (called Parque Aventura) along with my good friend, Yvette, from OlaLocal.
Treetop Adventure Park
If you have no idea what a treetop adventure is, well… imagine a beautiful secluded forest. The soft glades entice you in, as shafts of sunlight cast warm shapes on the little valleys below towering pine trees. The adventure starts off with an extensive safety chat in order for you to master the art of clipping and un-clipping yourself to cables which take you throughout the adventurous course above the forest. It’s quite a fascinating technique which allows you to be always connected to safety wires while moving from one tree to the next. Zip lines, rope ladders, big rope nets and other well thought out obstacles challenge you on your way through.
Parque Aventura
Parque Aventura was originally started by two French men who arrived in Portugal and realized there was a definite opportunity to create a treetop adventure park. So they did and one was born up north in Figueira da Foz It was soon followed by three more parks down in the Algarve. There are treetop adventure parks in each of the following towns:
There are so many things to do in the Algarve. There are so many activities in fact, that it is tough to choose what to do. Think about the following activities: jeep safaris, motorized buggies, quad tours, walking and hiking, surfing, kite-surfing, paddle-boarding, cooking lessons, painting holidays, theater shows, live music, escape rooms, a vast array of restaurants, bars and cafés and … yes, the beaches! Beaches are perfect for winter walks too. Check my about page for more ideas.
You can add treetop adventures to that growing list of things to do in the Algarve.
Have you ever been on a treetop adventure? Either in the Algarve or anywhere else in the world?
Did you know you can just Google “sunset” and it normally tells you the time of the sunset wherever you are? I’m pretty sure Siri can do it as well, but it’s pretty important when you’re trying to schedule a quick drone mission or a sunset paddle.
The best spots for an Algarve Sundown
Sagres – Cape St Vincent
Ponte Piedade – Lagos
Carvoeiro boardwalk
Praia Falesia (with all those RED cliffs!)
I thought I would get that out of the way and then explain that sunset isn’t necessarily a geographical thing. Naturally it’s great to have the Sagres lighthouse in your sunset photo but there are a host of other factors that play a part in a truly mind blowing sunset experience.
Think about, if the sun is going down and the sky is clear, you’ll get a great glow, but it won’t be a mesmerizing event. Generally in the Algarve we enjoy our best crepuscular shows in the spring and autumn when there is a fair bit of cloud about. Obviously you can’t have too many clouds otherwise there won’t be a sunset at all! It’s a tough science to try and get a sunset shot with lots of cloud, because at the last minute the chances are that your beautiful glowing sun will disappear behind a bank of impenetrable cloud.
Where the sun is going to set
Always bear in mind where the sun is going to set. Look west (!) but it’s not always incredibly clear EXACTLY where the sun will set; especially if you’re new to the Algarve and are on a beach with a massive cliff to the west of you. You’ll have to move about for the best shot.
You can get a great sunset photo from anywhere, just bear in mind these points to make it a superb shot!
Get there early and research your scene before settling in for that inexorable wait as the sun drips down into the ocean. Grab a cold beer (or a Gin and Tonic) and savour the experience!
The Algarve Addicts series of VLOGS (video blogs or video diaries) continues. This is the fifth in our video series that we are looking to ramp up and publish more frequently. The vlogs are designed to show you a slice of life in the Algarve, and what it’s like to live, work and play down here in Portugal’s southernmost region.
The Portugal Masters is the biggest event on the Portugal Golf calendar for the entire year and forms a part of the European Tour. I am not a golf expert and don’t follow it extremely closely so excuse the silly comment in the video, I am sure many of you would have loved to be at the tournament.
It was great to see UK pro golfer, Tom Lewis, winning the tournament for the second time and pocketing just over €300,000. Great job! Additionally, a record was broken with the first round under 60 in European Championship history as the Portugal Resident relates:
After the most unpredictable day in the tournament’s history, England’s Oliver Fisher is now forever etched in the record books of European golf. Astonishingly, the 30-year-old from Essex had begun the second day with the prime objective of making the cut. However, he carded the magic 59 with a scintillating performance, marked by his nerveless approach to the prospect of making history. “I was just trying to make the weekend,” he revealed afterwards, “but after birdieing the first three holes it was at the back of my mind.”
You probably already know this, but the Algarve is consistently rated as one of the best golf destinations in Europe with over 40 high quality golf courses. Surprisingly, that number is half of all of the golf courses in the whole of Portugal. There is tons more info at the tourism boards special golf site.
Did you go to the event, or would you have liked to go?
