Kayaking in Lagos, Portugal
When I first booked my flight to Portugal, I had no idea what to expect. I had never been to Europe before, as I am typically drawn to destinations with dramatic, isolated landscapes rather than old cities, but I'd heard that Portugal had a mix of both, so I figured I'd give it a try. What I discovered was not only one of the coolest little surf towns I've ever been in, but also some of the most rugged and beautiful coastlines I've ever seen. Now, as a Canadian, our east coast, with it's jagged cliffs and long green grasses, and our west coast, with its endless mountain ranges and tall trees, are some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The coastline in Lagos, however, was something entirely on its own.
Massive, yellowed limestone cliffs ascended above white sand beaches. Turquoise waters splashed along the rugged stone walls. My friend and I had seen all of this in photos before we'd visited, but seeing those cliffs in real life didn't actually look real.Now, there are several ways to experience Lagos's dramatic coastline, such as booze cruises, sailboat rides, stand up paddleboarding, or just chilling and drinking beers on the beaches. We decided beforehand, however, that the best way to experience the epic Lagos coastline was kayaking alongside it.
Luckily, Lagos offers tons of different kayak tours right at Meia Praia Beach, which is the first beach at the end of Lagos's boardwalk (where the canal meets the ocean). The guides will take you out for around two and a half hours for about 30 Euros. On the tour you cruise past a few of Lagos's beaches (Praia de Dona Ana was my favorite), explore grottos and caves, while kayaking over some of the clearest turquoise water out there, and travel past massive rock formations that jut out of the Atlantic Ocean.Kayaking around Lagos itself takes around an hour and a half, so don't drink too much the night before (unless you're planning on a late afternoon tour). Once the kayaking portion is complete, you and your group hangout on an isolated beach for 30 minutes, take photos, and then (this is one of the highlights) you and all of the kayaks get towed back to Meia Praia Beach by a powerboat. The tour's almost worth the 30 Euros just for that.
Since the tour takes about 2 - 3 hours and is spent almost entirely on water in a tiny kayak, here are a few suggestions as to things you may want to bring for your journey:
A water proof cellphone bag so you can make sure your Instagram game is on point while kayaking through the grottos around Lagos
A waterproof camera (like a GoPro) or a waterproof case for your camera
Snacks in case you get hungry from all of the paddling
Sunscreen
A hat (preferably a large straw hat)
The tour group will most likely give you a bulky waterproof bag to hold all of your belongings. This bag, however, is quite bulky, and you will have to dig through it to find your cell phone and camera once you get going, thus why it may be more beneficial to come prepared with your own waterproof materials for these items if you're planning on using them a lot.
Other than that, the tours are pretty straight forward! All you really need to do is show up, pay your 30 Euros, and then paddle until your arms are tired. There are usually several tours a day between around 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, and it's usually fairly easy to sign up for one on the day that you'd like to go, but, if you'd like more information or would like to sign up for atour early, here are some links to tours operating out of Lagos:
Happy Paddling! Check out this article for my ideas for your trip to Lagos. For more content like this, follow me here.