The Eastern Algarve is more than just sun, sea and sand!
When you think of the Algarve in southern Portugal, you picture sun, sea, and beach. But there is more! In the eastern part of the Algarve, between Faro and Tavira, lies a 60-kilometer-long belt of islands and peninsulas with a lagoon behind it.
Seahorses, dolphins, flamingos, chameleons, migratory birds can be spotted in this beautiful and unique nature reserve Ria Formosa in the sunny Algarve.
From our Guesthouse, we look out over the fishing village of Fuseta, the Atlantic Ocean, and this unique lagoon! Distance to beach and sea is 8 kilometers!
Photo: salt pans near Tavira
Pearl of the Algarve
This entire nature reserve Ria Formosa, also known as the Pearl of the Algarve, consists further of sandbanks, salt pans, marshes, white beaches, and dunes with plants and about 1500 animal species.
You can actually compare it to our Dutch Wadden Sea area. On a special app, you can see exactly when you can safely cross on foot to one of the islands before high tide comes again.
Unique environment for birdwatchers and hikers
For birdwatchers, this breeding and migratory bird area is very interesting. There are more than 200 different species of birds to spot. The most well-known for us laypeople are the storks, flamingos, and herons, but there are also rare and local species to discover.
When it's dark, we see in the distance the small fishing boats on the Atlantic Ocean that catch octopus with bright lights. Every morning these are sold fresh in the market halls in the various seaside villages.
You can't get fresher (and tastier) fish and shellfish than in the Ria Formosa. On the boulevard in the village of Olhao, we regularly go to a French café to eat oysters. These oysters are grown in the lagoon that you look out on from this little restaurant on the boulevard.
Dolphin spotting in the Algarve
In the lagoon, you can also find freshwater turtles, seahorses, and dolphins. With boat excursions, you can, with a bit of luck, especially in spring, spot dolphins.
Chameleons
Chameleons also occur here. They are quite rare in Europe and are beautiful to see, especially their special very slow way of moving. But well, this way he can sneak up on his prey very well. If you encounter one on a path, feel free to help him before he gets run over!
In our garden, we have now seen them several times. Our caravan is under two large carob trees whose ripe pods regularly fall down. A chameleon fell out of the tree and onto Maarten's shoulder! Quite a shock when such a large pod starts moving!
The visitor center Parque Natural de Ria Formosa, part of the nature park Ria Formosa, is located on the edge of the lively village of Olhao. Here you can spot these chameleons and many other animal species.
Photo: chameleon in our garden
Seahorses
What we didn't know is that the Ria Formosa houses the largest community of seahorses. Unfortunately, the seahorse population has drastically decreased in the last 20 years due to environmental changes, illegal fishing, or excessive shipping traffic. In another blog, I will come back to this peculiar fish!
Also enjoy all this beauty in the east of the Algarve, near Spain?
Do you want to experience for yourself that the Algarve is indeed more than sun, sea, and beach? You can at our Boutique Hotel Guesthouse Moncarapacho. The booking site is open! Bem vindo or welcome!
Photos: blooming yucca, agave, and palm in our young Mediterranean garden
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