On the coast of Portugal's Algarve, the sunny town of Lagos has a seagoing heritage dating back to the 15th century when it was a trading port and a base for exploration voyages. Today, throngs of tourists come to enjoy the sweeping stretches of beach and, thanks to local dive centers, the many diving opportunities. From wrecks to reefs, the Atlantic waters of Lagos will not disappoint you.
Dive Centers
- Blue Ocean Divers offers both shore dives and boat dives as well as a couple of night dives and a family cave outing each week. Dive classes and full equipment rentals are available, but the center does not accept credit cards. Dive Time is an authorized PADI five-star IDC dive center that offers boat diving and shore excursions as well as specialty courses such as underwater photography, cave diving and rescue diving.
Sea Conditions
- The Atlantic waters of Lagos are not particularly warm, averaging about 57 degrees and topping out at 71 F. On average, divers will be able to see 15 to 50 feet, depending on the current and the wind, but a good day can bring visibility up to 65 feet. Local divers say they wear 7-millimeter wetsuits year-round.
- Dive Sites
Divers may be greeted by a moray eel poking out from a reef.
Whether you want to go deep or stay close to shore, there are plenty of fascinating dive sites for the expert or novice. Shore dives include the aptly named Seahorse Reef, Burgau Wreck -- sunk over 50 years ago -- and Ingrina, where you begin by jumping into a cave and ultimately emerge on a beach. On Lagos boat dives, you might visit the canyon reef of Porto de Mos, a high reef wall populated by congers. Plunge into the Rodao do Alvor cave, a favorite hiding place for moray eels, or dive Ancora, a reef repository for old anchors.
Sea Life
- Shore divers can expect to see seahorses, rays, vibrant corals, anemones, sea urchins and schools of colorful fish. Deeper dives will reveal octopi, sea slugs, sea turtles, starfish, congers and moray eels. If you're looking for lobsters and crabs, you'll find them hanging out in rock formations and wrecks. Boat divers on their way out to sea are likely to spot dolphins frolicking about and perhaps even an orca.
