Ria Formosa Excursion: 3-Hour Island Hop to Culatra and Armona
4.9
234 Ratings
Olhão
Embark on a 3-hour island hop excursion to Culatra and Armona in Ria Formosa. Discover the unique fishing community of Culatra and its traditional houses. Enjoy delicious local cuisine and relax on the stunning deserted beach. A true paradise!
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

STOPS: 2 Islands

During the interpretive tour, you will get to know a lot about the Ria Formosa and its Nature. The captain of the vessel will talk about the customs and traditions of the region, the fauna and flora of the region, as well as its history!

During stops, everyone is free to carry out any type of activities on the respective islands, advised by the captain of the vessel.

  • Culatra Island (1h30 for lunch and/or free visit)

  • Praia Deserta (1h00 in summer) or Armona (1h00 in low season)

We leave from Olhão for an odyssey in one of the 7 natural wonders of Portugal, aboard a safe, comfortable and shady boat, with a maximum capacity of 11 people, which allows its passengers to enjoy and have an unforgettable experience in the beautiful natural park. from the Ria Formosa!

We are 100% focused and dedicated to the excellent quality of our experience and the safety of our passengers!

On this trip we will discover all the mysteries and secrets that the beautiful Ria Formosa Natural Park has to offer!

This is the ideal tour of excellent quality and economical if you want to know all the islands of the Ria Formosa in Olhão, it will be an unforgettable experience rich in unique and special moments to share and tell!

Points of Interest

  • Av. 5 de Outubro 2
What's Included
  • Informative map and guides
  • Complimentary water
  • Experienced local guide
  • Comfortable shaded boat
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Explore Ria Formosa and discover the island of Culatra, a charming fishing village home to nearly 1000 permanent residents, aiming to generate its own energy by 2030! The place boasts traditional houses and local customs, making it a global rarity!

There’s a variety of amenities and restaurants where you’ll get a chance to savour traditional dishes from the local eateries. Whether you reserve a table or prefer a picnic, you’re spoilt for choice!

Next, we’ll head to what many consider the best unpopulated beach in the Algarve, at the tip of Culatra Island. This beach, nestled between the deep blue Atlantic and the clear blue waters of the Ria Formosa, is perfect for diving, swimming or photographing! Experience a slice of heaven!

If it’s the off-season, we’ll visit the splendid Ilha da Armona, stopping for about an hour to wander around the island!

Location
Av. 5 de Outubro 2
Avenida 5 de Outubro
Stand: ODYSSEY Traditional Boat Tours
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(234 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Manuel
May 5, 2024
Recommended experience - We really enjoyed the whole experience. Boat trips to reach both the islands last about 15-20 minutes and are really fun thanks to the experience and the sympathy of the guide. Both the islands are really suggestive and visit first Culatra to explore the fisherman island and later Armona to enjoy the sunset was a good point. Totally recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
F3793wksophieb
May 5, 2024
Excellent day - Excellent day ! Very kind, smiling and very interesting guide. Knows the reserve perfectly. Stable and top boat We recommend !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
145steinis
Apr 28, 2024
Island hopping - Great impressions and a relaxed atmosphere. Nice guide. There was a safety briefing beforehand. It was a small boat, but that also made it more fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marc-ange
Apr 19, 2024
Visit out of season - Out of season it's good, I have doubts with high traffic. Without a doubt, the presence of our cool and serious captain served us well in his speech, but not only that. I loved it. The islands are not lacking in interest. In heavy traffic I have doubts. An hour on each island is a bit quick to discover it. Bars and other restaurants await you with open arms. The islands are very long. Run! There are few alleys because they serve the houses and in the summer I think your walk will take you to the main axis.. Either way, I enjoyed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurentcn2819cx
Apr 16, 2024
A great discovery 🤩🤩🤩 - Beautiful excursion, a very good atmosphere on the boat, a top captain and very friendly with a good address for the restaurant, we highly recommend. Thank you 😍😍😍😍
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N4706sprichardh
Mar 30, 2024
A time to get the real feel for the islands - The weather was getting a bit inclement, but Claudia (our captain) gave us a fantastic tour to ensure we got the most of our few hours. Being set down on the islands for an hour was really good - just enough time to explore and even get a swim in! The guide to what to see was brilliant - pitched at the right level to keep all passengers entertained. The exhilarating ride back was amazing - you certainly couldn't wear a hat. A great few hours and so much fun. We paid 30 Euros each for the session - great value for money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chantalf155
Mar 17, 2024
Amazing Ria Formosa - The boattrip was amazing!! Our Brasilian captain was really friendly and entertainment and could tell al lot about the history and area. Islands weer beautiful and fun to see. Do hike from the port of Culatra to the other end of the Island through the dunes! Nice sunny day on the water
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lidiac421
Mar 9, 2024
Excellent tour - A very beautiful tour and an excellent captain, very attentive... the children and adults loved it... we recommend it to everyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wendyhh7955aj
Apr 6, 2024
Relaxed boat trip - Booking online was very easy. Because I was ill I had to cancel the sunset tour, but Odyssey was easy to reach via WhatsApp and so I was offered another tour on another day, which became the 3-hour daytime tour. There were 8 of us on the boat, including the skipper, which was perfect because it gave you plenty of room to sit. While sailing we heard all kinds of things about oyster fishing. We stayed on Armona for an hour, wonderful island, complete peace and nature, I suddenly felt like I was in another world. We had dinner on the 2nd island (this is an option if you want to explore the island, which is also good). The food is highly recommended, great fresh fish from the grill. Then we went back, ended up being on the road for more than 4 hours instead of 3 hours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lynda
Mar 24, 2024
Lovely tour of islands in Ria Formosa - This was a 3 hour tour from Olhao which took in 2 of the islands. It was a small boat tour with 12 guests. Carlos spoke several languages so all were catered for. He told us a lot about the islands which was interesting. We stopped on Armona for 40 minutes to see the lighthouse and walk round the village which had beautiful flowers and cacti. Then to Culatra for an hour which was time for snack or lunch. Gentle ride on boat to see scenery. Saw various gulls, cormorants, egret and oyster catchers. Learned about oyster beds too. Fast trip back to Olhao.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
up to 10 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today
More activities from this operator
From $227
Ria Formosa & Islands: Private 2-Hour Nature and Culture Tour with Beach Stop
5.0
7 Ratings
From $43
Ria Formosa Boat Tour: Explore Armona, Culatra Island, and Lighthouse
4.9
1,060 Ratings
Olhão