Scuba Diving

The waters around Portimão and Lagos are among the best places in Europe to learn to dive, or to log a few dives if you're already certified. The Algarve coastline offers dramatic rock formations, sea caves, and several impressive shipwrecks, all within easy reach of the quinta.

Where We Send Our Guests

We've had great experiences with WeDive Lagos, based at the Marina de Lagos. They're a PADI and SSI certified dive centre with a friendly, professional team, and they cater to everyone from complete beginners to experienced divers.

Dive sites nearby range from colourful rocky reefs to several shipwrecks, with depths from around 5 to 35 metres, so there's something for every level. A particular highlight is Ocean Revival Park, an artificial reef made up of four sunken ships, a fantastic dive for anyone reasonably experienced.

What You Can Expect to See

The rocky Algarve coastline is full of life if you know where to look. Divers regularly spot conger eels, moray eels, and all kinds of crustaceans tucked into the crevices of the rock walls, along with small fish darting through the underwater tunnels near Ponta da Piedade. Visibility varies with the conditions, but on a good day it's a genuinely rewarding stretch of coast to explore.

Never Dived Before?

No experience needed. All the local dive clubs offer a Try Dive for complete beginners: a short pool briefing followed by a real dive in the sea with an instructor by your side the whole time. It's a great way to see if diving is for you before committing to a full course.

Getting Certified

If you'd like to become a certified diver, the PADI Open Water course typically takes about 3 days and combines theory, pool training, and open water dives, at the end of which you'll be certified to dive anywhere in the world up to 18 metres. Dive clubs also offer further certifications for those looking to go deeper or explore wrecks in more depth.

Good to Know

The Algarve sees good diving conditions on the vast majority of days each year, and the milder, cooler water here (compared to tropical destinations) is actually considered ideal for training, since it prepares divers for a wider range of real world conditions.

If you'd like help booking a dive or a course, just let us know, we're happy to point you in the right direction.