Ilha Deserta and Farol Island: A Small-Group Boat Trip in Ria Formosa from Faro

Embark on a small-group boat trip to the stunning Ilha Deserta and Farol Island in Ria Formosa. Explore the natural beauty of the Ria Formosa Natural Park, spot diverse birdlife, and immerse yourself in the local fishing village. Limited to 11 people for an intimate experience.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Formosamar - Boat Tours in Ria Formosa - The tour begins at our office located on the ground floor of the Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro (Nautical Club of Faro) building. Kindly check in with our team at least 10 minutes before your scheduled departure.
  • Parque Natural da Ria Formosa - The tour starts at our office on the ground floor of the…
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Life vests
  • Live commentary on board
  • 3-hour catamaran boat trip (includes a stop of 1 hour in Farol and 20 up to 30 minutes in Deserta)
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Food and drinks
  • Tips (Optional)
Additional Information

Explore the unique natural beauty of Portugal on a 3-hour catamaran journey to Ria Formosa, departing from Faro. Join a small group and step aboard a cozy catamaran to discover the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Traverse the Deserta Island and the Farol Island, keeping an eye out for various bird species and observing the everyday activities of the…

Location
Formosamar - Boat Tours Passeios na Ria Formosa
The meeting point for your tour or activity is at the office of the local partner at the shop "Boat Tours Store" - ground floor of the building of Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro (Nautical Club of Faro) Please be at the meeting point to check-in 10-minutes before the departure time of the tour.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.5
(227 Ratings)
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Boriso941
Dec 4, 2025
Smooth experience - Smooth experience from start to finish. Reasonable price. Great, caring and funny guide. Found amazing shells on the islands. Would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
104audeg
Oct 5, 2025
Timeless moment - Very nice time, our guide was great, it is really an excursion to do. And we have a huge chance to see dolphins! A moment out of time, thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Florence_s
Oct 4, 2025
Great. - Very beautiful landscapes nature protection super guide that explains very well. For small and large fun and educational walks
Review provided by Viator
L969rosamanthaf
Sep 28, 2025
Beautiful, adventurous and informative - JC was a fantastic guide! Knowledgeable, friendly, funny and professional. Fantastic guy! We learnt about the local birds, seahorse breeding grounds and oyster farms. We could've spent more time on the lighthouse island, as it had restaurants and lovely beaches. We had some sangria and garlic butter prawns at one of the restaurants. Staff were friendly and welcoming.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scenic34552836613
Sep 19, 2025
Maravilhoso - It was a wonderful walk. Claudio was mt friendly and explained everything mt well. We went to the lighthouse island a small island but mt rotates. We had lunch at Culatra a sardine wonder. And we went on to take some dive on Desert Island. Just wonderful. To repeat without a doubt.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Parastoo_m
Sep 14, 2025
I had a great time. - Miguel, our guide, was very passionate about the lagoons and algarve and his job. He gave us a lot of info about the birds, the wildlife there, the locals, etc. It was an amazing experience.
Review provided by Viator
Christina
Aug 22, 2025
Island boat tour - Guide service was very professional. Nice well kept boats. Our guide, Pedro, was friendly & very knowledgeable of the local ecosystems. The guide took time to explain local customs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q5922qppatriciao
Aug 19, 2025
Ria Formosa, Ilha deserta and Ilha do Farol - Interesting and pleasant. The guide explained understandably and sympathetically, and resolved our doubts. The boat goes gently over the water, without giving boats.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fiona_b
Dec 8, 2025
Chilled out day by boat. - A nice way to see some of the islands and view the national park. Very informative tour guide, who was very kind to a young child onboard, and let him steer the boat. Very relaxed tour. It was easy to book, location for pick up is well signed. Good tour.
Review provided by Viator
703francoisem
Aug 25, 2025
Beautiful walk 3h discovery Ria Farmosa - We took the 3h discovery walk of Ria Formosa Park with the company Formosamar. We really liked the explanations of the guide and the stop on the desert islands. However we left practically 15 minutes late because we waited for a family, delay that we did not recover (return at 2pm as planned at the port of Faro). We made a stop of 1h10 on the Farol Islands and 30 minutes on the desert islands, which we found too short. We would have preferred the opposite: a longer stop on the desert islands.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $47
up to 11 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).