It’ll take between five and ten minutes to swim to Benagil Cave.

This will depend on your swimming ability and the conditions of the day in question. 

Update: As of August 14th, 2024, swimming to Benagil Cave is prohibited with violators subject to heavy fines. Way to ruin all the fun, Portugal. Hopefully this article will be useful in the future. Until then, check out my other Portugal travel content!

What is the swim to Benagil Cave like?

There is a lot of misinformation online about the swim to Benagil Cave. 

Some articles will practically have you believe that you’re heading off to war. 

So as my friends and I got into the water at Benagil Beach (where you start the swim to the cave), we warmed up, stretched, said our prayers. And of course, our tearful goodbyes to loved ones…

I think you can sense my lack of conviction.

Many articles will tell you that it’s basically out of the question to swim. Too long, too far, too many boats, too dangerous. 

It’s all untrue. You go all the way to the left hand side of the beach and swim around the corner jutting out. 

Then you’ll be able to see the cave. That’s literally it.

Is it dangerous to swim to Benagil Cave?

I don’t want you to misconstrue my words and think you can proceed without any sense of caution.

Like anything else, take the time to figure out the hazards involved.

First, listen to Mother Nature. The water should be relatively calm. Don’t go if it’s stormy– even if you get to the cave, the weather can change quickly for your return trip.

Always a good trick if you’re not sure is to look at your surroundings. Can you see people swimming? Lots of boats? Or is no one in sight.

Second, never go by yourself. The same rule applies to the swimming in the ocean in general. And if you’re traveling solo, make sure you’re close enough to another swimmer or a boat that has eyes on you. 

Speaking of boats, they go in and out of the cave so stay out of their way for obvious reasons. Generally speaking, stick close to the cliff wall. Just not so close where a rogue wave can smash you into it. 

And make sure you’re a decent swimmer. It’s not a long swim, but currents can make it tougher. Bring a floatie if you’re nervous.

Why you should swim to Benagil Cave

There are several advantages to swimming to Benagil Cave.

The first, obviously, is that it’s completely free. Tours cost money, and so does renting a kayak.

But that’s not all. Tours will bring you into the cave for a matter of minutes, and you won’t have any time to relax and explore. If you go on your own, you can spend as much time as you like.

And when the boats and their big groups leave, you may even get the whole cave to yourself.

So take a deep breath and go conquer the waters of Benagil Beach!