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Ilha Deserta and Farol Island: A Small-Group Boat Trip in Ria Formosa from Faro
4.5
217 Ratings
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.
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…
- 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 Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro (Nautical Club of Faro) building. Please ensure you check in with our team at least 10 minutes prior to departure.
- Barreta Island - Also known as Ilha Deserta, this stop offers the opportunity to explore the island’s flora and fauna on a leisurely walk or simply relax and swim in the clear beach waters.
- R. das Flores 119 - Enjoy a stroll through the charming streets of this welcoming community. As you pass the lighthouse, continue to the end to admire a vast beach of fine white sand and calm, warm waters, marking the southernmost point of Portugal - the Santa Maria Cape.
- Ria Formosa Natural Park - After two stops, on the return journey to Faro, be captivated by one of Portugal’s 7 Natural Wonders – the Ria Formosa.
- Muralhas de Faro - The tour concludes with breathtaking views of Faro’s old town along the route.
- Portas do Mar - If you wish to disembark here, kindly inform your skipper in advance.
- Marina de Faro - The final destination of your boat trip.
- Marina de Faro - The final destination of your boat trip.
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)
- 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)
- 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…
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 inhabitants of a nearby fishing village.
This tour is designed for small groups of up to 11 people, ensuring a more personal and intimate exploration experience.
- A minimum of 2 adults per booking is required
- A maximum of 11 people per booking
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Location
Formosamar - Boat Tours Passeios na Ria Formosa
The meeting point for your tour is at our offices: Boat Tours Store at the ground floor of the building of Ginásio Clube Naval de Faro (Nautical Club of Faro). Please be so kind and check in for your tour or activity with our team members at least 10 minutes before the departure time.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(217 Ratings)
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Brigittepe6017av
Jul 12, 2025
Unforgettable 3h excursion with Carlos on June 8, 2025 - On June 8, 2025, it was very sunny,
Pleasant excursion from Faro on the Ria de Formosa towards Desert Island and Farol Island, with this transparent and turquoise water, beautiful , unforgettable!
We were only 5 on board in this beautiful very comfortable boat, accompanied by Captain Carlos, thank you very much for his explanations on the Ria, islands, wildlife, fish.
Carlos a passionate of his region, very kind, very kind and humorous!
Looking forward to returning for a sea ride!
Carlos with our best memory, kisses
Brigitte and Magic
We recommend this superb excursion
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alex_c
Jun 25, 2025
Fun outing - Very good guide who was affable and knowledgeable. There was plenty of time to visit both islands. I would recommend to anybody visiting Faro.
Review provided by Viator
Edurne_p
Jun 20, 2025
The tour is beautiful... - The tour is beautiful and the explanations of our guide have been very good. Very nice and highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Juliarc346vb
Jun 12, 2025
Very friendly guide - This boat trip was very well, our guide Miguel was excellent, it was visible, that he loves his work, it was 3 hours boat trip, but it was longer, thank you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guglielmom
May 26, 2025
to be tested - beautiful and instructive the trip; it lasts three hours but with two stops at different beaches. time has flown, also thanks to the exposures and clarifications of the guide, very prepared as well as nice. the landscape and fauna, typically lake / swampy (it seems to be in the delta of the po....) deserve a similar trip. to try.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sarahs659
May 18, 2025
Great tour of lagoon & islands - Really enjoyed the trip. The guide was very good. Relaxing & the weather was great.
Only negative was there were 7 of us who spoke English & 4 Spanish. The guide spoke in Spanish & then English. The 4 Spanish were so rude & spoke very loudly everytime the guide spoke to us in English. This was very annoying as they did it every time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
35hs35
Mar 30, 2025
If you can only do one Ria Formosa boat tour, do this one. - We were lucky we got to do more than one type of boat tour in Ria Formosa but if you only have time for one, I’d recommend this one. You get to see the park from the water but also two stop offs on beautiful barrier islands with lovely sandy beaches. I only wish we had longer at each stop but it’s a great tour to pack in as much as possible in 3 hours without feeling rushed! The boat is super comfy too and really calm moving through the water. We almost wanted to fall asleep in the sun but didn’t want to miss anything!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Judy_b
Mar 29, 2025
Obrigada Miguel - The Guide Miguel was amazing. Explained things so clear and made jokes and made our experience absolutely 💯 great. Was our anniversary and what a way to learn things about this beautiful country from an amazing person with a super sense of humour. OBRIGADA MIGUEL
Review provided by Viator
Rodalita
Apr 16, 2025
Small group boat Trip on Ria Formosa from Faro .. - SMALL GROUP TOUR IN RIA FORMOSA
IIha Deserta and Farol Island : a small group boat trip in Ria Formosa from faro - faro, Portugal-- some experience with a small group - a great trip and very smarty tour., friendly to talk by the guest guide to pass bt Formosamar boat tours Passerios na Ria Formosa..explore in the beautiful Island at Ria Formosa Bational Park.seen birdwatching . & flamingos the dangerous bird. In the Island of Ria Formosa..great guiding tour is excellent..knowledgeable.. and very kind...
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariarj8028wz
Apr 13, 2025
If you are not portuguese, avoid going - I am writing to express my deep disappointment regarding the 3-hour trip to the islands I took with my daughter this afternoon.
Unfortunately, the experience was far from what we had hoped for. From the moment we boarded, it was clear that two senior Portuguese couples were receiving preferential treatment. They were seated at the front of the boat, occupying an 8-seat area entirely on their own, while the rest of us were left to arrange ourselves elsewhere without consideration.
At one point, they requested the umbrella to be set up, and once again, no thought was given to the comfort of the remaining seven passengers. The lack of balance in how guests were treated was striking.
Moreover, those of us seated in the back of the boat, near the motor, could barely hear the guide. He had to stop the boat to speak, and even then, the explanation we received was a fraction of what was shared in Portuguese. This left us feeling like second-class passengers on a tour that should have been equally enjoyable for everyone.
I truly regret this experience and hope you take this feedback seriously. No one should walk away from what should be a pleasant outing feeling excluded or unwelcome.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
