Olhao Marina

You meet your guide at Olhão Marina, the main gateway to the Ria Formosa islands. From here, the taxi boat that ferries you across the lagoon runs through a network of tidal channels, sandbanks, and salt marshes on the way to Culatra — about twenty minutes on the water.

Unlike standard coastal cruises, this is the working route locals take. Your guide points out oyster leases, bird species, and how the tidal patterns shape which channels are navigable at what time of day.