Ria Formosa Natural Park - The Luxury Report

Away from it all

At the southern tip of the Algarve lies the chance to experience those rarest of luxuries – time, space, and a place to watch nature flourish

A haven of those who treasure peace and quiet, the Ria Formosa Natural Park covers 60 glorious kilometres on the southeastern coast of Portugal. This protected area of exceptional beauty is a maze of waterways, marshes and sandbars that flow in and out of a sparkling lagoon. Voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal in 2010, the lagoon and its barrier islands are home to an incredible array of plants and animals. From seahorses to flamingos, storks and osprey, the park offers a veritable oasis to migratory birds and fragile marine life. This precious corner of the Algarve is of huge ecological significance, welcoming visitors who love the natural world – which means incredible white-sand beaches, the crystal-clear ocean, and breathtaking sunsets.

As a designated natural park, the area is protected from development, indeed visitors should be ready to embrace ilha deserta – a desert island experience, with nothing but the sound of the waves, the soft breeze, and the occasional chameleon for company. With glorious infinity reaching out before you, the stage is set to explore the network of boardwalks, leaving the stresses of life behind as you go.

Year-round destination

Among the many wonderful things about the Algarve is the average temperature in the winter months, which hovers somewhere between 15°C and 18°C, and the pleasant sunshine still makes the ocean inviting for a refreshing dip. It’s also around autumn and spring that the migratory birds – for which the natural park is such a haven – begin or complete their journeys, making this the best time for nature watching.

Of course, we all love the summer months, but what better than the tranquillity of low season, enjoying a morning coffee with the locals, before heading off for stroll down the beach – not a soul in sight.

Local knowledge

The Ria Formosa Natural Park has a number of barrier islands that shield the lagoon from the bruising Atlantic beyond. These islands are home to some of Europe’s wildest and most beautiful beaches. But in order to get there and learn more about them, you’re going to need a local expert. Enter Animaris, a family-owned company that has been specialising in tours throughout this coastal paradise since 1987. With its headquarters in Faro, Animaris offers a whole range of services and dedicated nature tours – they also know the best place to eat, and can take you there and pick you up as part of a tailored service. More of that to come.

One of the most popular tours is the hop-on hop-off island tour, which takes you to the barrier islands of Culatra, Farol, and Ilha Deserta. These islands encapsulate perfect isolation, each offering an expanse of perfect white-sand, kissed by the azure Atlantic. Take Culatra for example: a small fishing community six kilometres from the mainland, home to around 1,000 residents, with just a few cafes serving delicious traditional food The island is as away from it all as it gets, indeed it’s never crowded, and just four or five hours exploring this coastal wilderness feels like a true escape.

Farol offers a little more by way of facilities, with a restaurant and an area of sun-loungers and parasols, making it perfect for a lazy afternoon with a good book punctuated by regular dips in the ocean.

Ilha Deserta leads to Portugal’s southernmost tip at the Cape of Santa Maria. As the next stop is Casablanca some 330km to the south, the horizon is once again your oyster and you should follow it as far as Deserta Beach. One of the most pristine, least frequented beaches on the Algarve, this Blue Flag gem is the pride of Animaris, and they look forward to providing all you need for a day or three of barefoot bliss. Ilha Deserta is also where you can discover the true taste of the Ria Formosa Natural Park at the renowned restaurant, Estaminé.

Nature in focus

With bird habitat in decline the world over, especially wetland, it’s rare to find places where nature truly rules the roost. The Ria Formosa Natural Park is one of Europe’s most important corridors for migratory birds, with White Storks and Eurasian Spoonbills among the many species you can expect to spot – depending on the season of course.

Of course, the joy of birds is that you don’t have to actually see them to enjoy them. As you doze off on the beach you’ll hear two things in the Natural Park: the waves lapping the shore and the heartwarming chatter of Chiffchaffs as they flit about the dunes. Find a good vantage point, focus your binoculars and you might be lucky enough to spot a Sardinian Warbler or a Eurasian Golden Oriole, among others. The barrier islands are also a crucial breeding ground for Little Tern and Audouin’s Gull, both of which are threatened species. The success of these birds here in the Natural Park acts as a timely reminder to the fragility of nature and the importance of responsible tourism.

The only way to truly appreciate the splendid biodiversity of this golden pasture is with Animaris, who work in conjunction with a number of conservation groups to ensure tourism is handled responsibly.

With a number of bird and nature discovery tours on offer, these wetland experts will get you to zoom-in range of some of Europe’s most lesser-spotted species. Then it’s over to nature to delight and surprise – just as you’re enjoying a resplendent flock of Great Flamingos a mighty osprey may just glide into view. All Animaris tours are conducted by a multilingual ornithologist, and binoculars are provided, so don’t worry about suitcase space! Highly recommended is the Early Bird Tour, which captures the magic of sunrise on Ilha Deserta, a time when our feathered friends are at their most active.

Animaris conduct tours in a variety of ways depending on your preference. There are guided boardwalk tours across Ilha Deserta, ecotours through the channels of the Natural Park, and hop-on hop-off nature tours that explore the barrier islands.

Make it private

You might be fooled into thinking that Animaris just look after the wild side of life in the Natural Park, but there is so much more to their services. They are also your go-to company for events and celebrations. So, whether it’s for a wedding, honeymoon, birthday, or business event, the Animaris team will guarantee a day to remember.

Animaris’ events expertise dovetails with their private chartering services, offering customised tours ideal for groups or families. If you’ve got an idea, let Animaris know, and chances are they can make it happen.

Desert island dining

Among the best kept culinary secrets on the Algarve, Estaminé is the Ria Formosa’s very own fine dining oasis. Animaris’s expertise reaches beneath the waves into the sumptuous world of seafood, and everything is prepared fresh with techniques passed down through the generations. Here, culinary tradition meets modernity against the sparkling backdrop of Deserta Beach. Settle in for a starter of brined mackerel fillets dressed with olive oil and lemon – a real local’s favourite. Or maybe try the simple but delightful homemade pickled tuna, with onion and olive oil.

There’s no better place to enjoy seafood than in a restaurant cooled by the salty Atlantic breeze, with a hint of thyme blowing through, as Ilha Deserta is also known for. And few places do seafood as well as Estaminé: think fresh Ria Formosa clams cooked in rice with coriander, or local oysters straight from the sea. For mains, it’s time for Grandma’s Squid Stew, with tomato, peppers, onions and garlic all cooked down into a rich, sweet sauce, served with white rice. Or maybe be more adventurous and go for the Ria Formosa cuttlefish sautéed in black ink and served with chips. Those after something chunkier can turn to the meat section where they’ll find fried Iberian pork tenderloin, cooked with fresh Ria Formosa clams, served with chips or oxtail, slow-cooked in wine reduction and served with white rice with sultanas and almonds.

Estaminé is renowned for its charcoal grill, and the chefs have perfected cooking in this traditional way. The hot coals seal in a sumptuous smoky flavour, leaving the meat tender and juicy. Whether fish, pork, or chargrilled vegetables, this is the way to eat at Estaminé.

Desserts include the perfect combination of Algarvian dried figs and almonds, served with vanilla ice cream. And you simply have to try the legendary cheese of São Jorge in the Azores. Exclusively produced on the island and cured for a minimum of three months for maximum flavour –wonderful with a glass of crisp white wine.

Estaminé is entirely solar powered, while the water – the scarcest of all resources in a desert – is desalinated and put through a process or reverse osmosis. So, much like your clams and oysters, it’s quite literally from ocean to table.

Memories of an incredible meal

To enjoy an unforgettable meal at Estaminé, all you need to do is let Animaris know. They operate a daily ferry from Faro to Ilha Deserta – or, for a luxurious touch, from Olhão on the private Jamanta Catamaran. The last departure from the island is 17:30 to 19:00, depending on the time of year. But whatever the season, it’s not uncommon to see acrobatic dolphins hooping across the waves – let’s a raise a glass to that.

Back in Faro Marina, Animaris is also proud to present Santa Maria. This delightful bistro opens at 10am for refined snacks and coffee, before gearing up for a tasty restaurant service between 12 and 10pm. Like the team at Estaminé, Santa Maria like to do things properly using local ingredients and pride themselves on the highest culinary standards.

Santa Maria makes the perfect beginning and end for a day with Animaris: swing by coffee and a mid-morning snack, head out on the boat to a desert island beach, and get back in time for dinner. It’s hard to think what could be more perfect.