Faro : Magico Tour 6h by Ria Formosa Islands Small Groups

A big thank you to Nuno who shared his love, passion, and the history of the islands of Ria Formosa with us; it was a magnificent day where we were able to discover magical places, swim, and have lunch in a nice spot with local cuisine. I highly recommend this authentic excursion. 🌸🌸🌸

Fantastic trip around the islands with pit stops for a swim and refreshments.

Lovely day(6 hours) exploring the islands! Last stop longer so great for leisurely lunch & or swim - although too cold for us at the minute😜. Great way to spend the day and Pudim was a friendly, helpful, entertaining and a super host. We like to use more local and smaller businesses so this was perfect! Don’t hesitate to book!

One comment to start with: Our trip with Pudim took place in June 2025, almost a year ago. At that time I wasn't fit to write a review but now I am and PUDIM REALLY EARNED ONE so I'll keep true to my promise. :-) I contacted Pudim before our trip asking if he could accomodate our group of 8, reaching from my 7 week old baby grandchild to my mother who was 83 years old. He promptly answered and said yes, no problem. And this turned out to be true. We brought a car seat for the baby and Pudim put up the shade on this boat to help keep most of the passengers out of the glaring sun that we had that day. We then sped out to Culatra for our first stop, over to Ilha Deserta for the second and finally back over to Farol for the third. There was enough time at each place to look around as much as we wanted - and Pudim was as flexible timewise as the baby needed him to be. <3 On the way out to Culatra and especially towards the end, on our way back from Farol to Faro, we made several stops where Pudim explained the wildlife we saw. No question remained unanswered. Pudim speaks fluent English and has good stories to tell. It is totally obvious that he has spent his whole life loving and studying the ocean with its wildlife and he is eager to share his knowledge with his guests. I really appreciate his professionalism, his friendlyness and the really good communication with him. Whenever I had a question he was surprisingly quick to answer. And I know what I am talking about! Because now, months after our trip, I put together a personal blog on our whole trip. And when I got to my description of the day that we spent with Pudim in Ria Formosa, I realized (not surprisingly :D) that I had forgotten quite a few details. So I contacted Pudim once more on WhatsApp and immediately got answers. He was even so nice and recorded an audio for me explaining in detail what was to be seen on one of my photos. So, Pudim, we want to thank you for preparing all your life ;-) to make our trip to Ria Formosa a memorable and enjoyable one. You did your best - and it was really good. :-) Cheers from Germany Sonja

This tour surpassed our expectations. Aaron was very knowledgeable. Stunning scenery. Some free time to explore. Highly recommended.

Pudim is a wonderful passionate tour guide. He loves what he does! Pudim accommodated me with paying him by cash (€45) and a week prior, had informed me of his available tour dates. He added that if I was his only client, he would still take me on the tour (adjusting the price accordingly of course) I was one of 3 people on this tour and it was timed without rushing. Pudim explains with maps the Ria Formosa and how far it extends along the Algarve. We saw various birds but most especially the Osprey which Pudim also loves (in his business artwork). Pudim clearly explained what we would see (wildlife, oyster farms) and do on each island, when to return to boat & organised lunch booking for me on Culatra (near Farol). Everything was seamless and relaxed. If we wanted lunch on Culatra we just let Pudim know and he phoned ahead so a table was ready for me. If you don’t want to be a number on a larger boat, not rushed and a more personalised experience on the water - this tour is for you!!

There is certainly plenty of choice when it comes to visiting the Ria Formosa Islands whether you wish to depart from Olhão or from Faro as we did. In fact everything from a do-it-yourself water taxi service to 'traditional tourist' huge boats offering a stack em high but don't sell it cheap approach service. The latter is certainly not for us and having read comments on Tripadvisor and then having checked his own website we made our choice of Pudim Real Boat tours and it proved to be a wise move for us. We got a personal confirmation with details and a map link of how to find him. No problem finding somewhere to park nearby either for our 10.00 am start. The trip itself was full of personal insights and a genuine joy was portrayed of the sea, the islands and the array of birds in the area. Its a small boat - probably 6-8 people but perfectly safe with what looks like pretty new life support jackets and Nuno certainly knows how to handle his craft so absolutely no concerns. The 6 hours is made up of a series of stops at the islands and a couple of on boat stops when something interesting appears and plenty of walking/exploring/lunch time built in. We didn't feel short changed by that in fact its a lovely way of taking in the peace and quiet and admiring a much simpler way of life that some are lucky to have. We were lucky, although it was a Saturday our visit was in early March with bright weather - we were left with a feeling that in the height of the season it would probably not be so enjoyable as the number of boats and visitors probably provided a constant stream of much needed revenue to the local economy. So if you have a choice, choose your date wisely, but if there is availability, Pudim's Real Boat Tours certainly delivers a lovely small group experience so book up if you can

Pudim is an exceptionally dedicated guide who knows every corner of the lagune and is a person radiating positivity. He tells the most compelling stories about the area, the nature, and the people who live there. His programme is well structured and balanced between boatriding, island discovery, and storytelling. The 1-2-hour stops at the islands give a good taste of everything. We always try to avoid out-of-the-mill programmes and opt for something more special, and Pudim's tour gave us this exact experience. Highly recommended to everyone.

We had a private tour🤩 wonderful tour, wonderful stops, very good lunch in a typical fisherman restaurant. Thank you very much for the wonderful day.

What a fantastic experience. Our guide was really dedicated to our having a good time. He was knowledgeable, but presented the info with humour. He answered all of our questions. One member of our group spoke French and the guide made an effort to accommodate him. He made a reservation for us for lunch and we were greeted like VIPs by the owner. The food at this restaurant was exceptional, the recipes created by a gourmet chef!