Praia do Canavial: the #1 guide
Praia do Canavial is an isolated beach in the municipality of Lagos. Even though it looks similar to other beaches in Lagos, it is quite different from the others. The beach is relatively unknown and is also quite hard to get to. This makes it kind of a hidden treasure. The beach offers a lot of privacy and is good for sunbathing. It is a nude beach as well. In general, it is a good choice for people who would like to visit a quiet beach. Let’s discover this beach.
Watch it in HD
If you would like to see a preview of Praia do Canavial, check out the following video.
The beach
Praia do Canavial is a relatively long, but narrow beach. It is situated in a small bay and is backed by big cliffs. Even though there are cliffs around, it can be a bit windy on the beach. Literally, canavial means cane field. Praia do Canavial is named after the reed vegetation that you will encounter during your walk from the cliff down to this beach. When it rains a lot, there is also a torrential stream that cascades down the cliff, near the reed vegetation.
The sand on Praia do Canavial is golden, and you can see small rocks all around on the beach. The water quality here is very good. It is so clear that you can see that there are some rocks underwater. Beware not to hurt yourself against those rocks.
Praia do Canavial is located just east of Praia de Porto de Mós and west of Ponta da Piedade. During low tide you can actually walk from Canavial to Praia de Porto de Mós. It makes for a nice beach walk. This walk is only possible during low tide. Beware that Praia do Canavial pretty much disappears during high tide. Make sure to not get cut off by the high tide. Even though there is an exit from the beach through the cliffs, this is quite a steep climb. That is why it is best to visit Canavial during low tide.
Although Praia do Canavial is relatively close to the tourist magnet of Ponta da Piedade, it is a very quiet and peaceful beach. It is rarely visited and usually quite empty, even in the peak of summer. Surely it is the least visited beach in Lagos. The main reason for this is that Praia do Canavial is quite difficult to access. Praia do Canavial is mostly visited by couples looking for a romantic beach day and naturists.
You can explore some small caves in the cliffs. However, when relaxing on the beach, make sure to keep some distance from the cliffs, as there is the danger of falling rocks. Also keep in mind that there are no facilities on the beach.
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Nude beach
Praia do Canavial is an unofficial nude beach. Naturism is tolerated here. The beach offers plenty of privacy and is loved by many naturists. Usually, nudists stay on the far east end of the beach, although this is not an official rule.
Cliff walk
On the east side of Praia do Canavial, towards Ponta da Piedade, there is a viewpoint. From here you have a marvelous view over the beach. It is actually really nice to walk in this area and enjoy the cliff views. However, don’t go near the edge of the cliffs, as this is very dangerous.
How to get there
Praia do Canavial is relatively difficult to reach. There are no signposts to indicate the beach, so the entrance is quite difficult to find. That is probably the main reason why few people visit it. However, we will try to explain it clearly, so you can enjoy the beach. There are three ways to reach Praia do Canavial.
Walking from Ponta da Piedade
You can reach the beach by walking west from Ponta da Piedade. This is a scenic route, with beautiful views. It is over a kilometre of walking from the Ponta da Piedade lighthouse. A wooden boardwalk ensures easy hiking. You will pass the viewpoint on the east side of Praia do Canavial. At some point, the wooden boardwalk ends and you will have to continue on the footpath on the cliffs. Access is via Rua do Canavial. The beach of Canavial is located at the bottom of the cliff. When walking on that cliff, you can actually see Praia do Canavial from above.
You can reach the beach via a network of walking trails from the top of the cliffs to the beach. We recommend to wear walking shoes. Beware that some steps are quite steep. This makes it hard for people with mobility problems to access the beach this way. You can see how to reach the beach on the video below.
By car
If you are going by car, follow the signs in Lagos to Praia de Porto de Mós. When driving on Estrada de Porto de Mós, turn left at the last roundabout (before the beach) and follow the road towards Rua do Canavial. At the end of the road there is a small car park. From the car park you can see a dirt track. You can then reach the beach by using the network of narrow footpaths described above.
Walking from Praia de Porto de Mós
When you are on Praia de Porto de Mós, you can walk all the way east. During low tide you can walk around the cliff that separates the beach from Canavial. This might be the easiest way to reach the beach, and you will avoid a climb. However, this can only be done during low tide. You can see in the picture below that Porto de Mós directly connects to Praia do Canavial. In the picture, Canavial is the upper cove (east).
Restaurants and hotels
Praia do Canavial is relatively close to Praia do Porto de Mós. Thus we recommend the same hotels as you can find in the article about Praia de Porto de Mós.
Another option is to quickly check the availability of nearby hotels. Below you can find a map with the location of hotels in this area of Lagos. By changing the date of your holiday, the map will show you the current prices.
Excursions
There is a lot to explore in the area around Lagos. For example, you can kayak to Ponta da Piedade or take a boat tour to see the coastline of the Algarve. The best way to discover the area is by going on an excursion. Below you can find our favourite excursions, which can already be booked online.
Facilities
Praia do Canavial has no facilities at all. For example, there is no restaurant on the beach and there are no toilets. The nearest facilities would be on the neighbouring Praia de Porto de Mós. It is recommended to bring your own food and drinks. Also, there are no lifeguards on the beach.
Facilities in Praia do Canavial:
- Restaurant: no
- Bar/club: no
- Toilet: no
- Shower: no
- Water sports: no
- Sunbeds: no
- Parking: on top of the cliffs
- Lifeguards: no
- Blue flag beach: no
