Praia de Cabanas (Cabanas de Tavira)

Coordinates (research)

• Used: CM Tavira’s published location 37.134126, -7.590597 — the municipality’s own pin (what it marks is not stated); ABAE 37.13393, -7.59012 is 48 m away, APA sampling point 37.1335, -7.5897 106 m; all distances straight-line. [CM Tavira beach page, read 2 Oct 2026; ABAE; APA 2026]
• OSM way 79509901 centroid 37.1322181, -7.5924396 is 268 m from the CM point; pt-Wikipedia (island article) 37.13528, -7.58917 is 180 m. [Nominatim 2 Oct 2026; pt-Wikipedia rev 2024] → conflict slot below.
• Boat landing on the mainland: OSM ferry terminal node 4830671287 at 37.1364993, -7.5919098 (Rua da Fortaleza), 288 m north of the CM point across the lagoon. [OSM]

Access (research)

• From Avenida Ria Formosa and Rua da Fortaleza, in small fishermen’s boats. [CM Tavira]
• Parking: free, on-street only. [CM Tavira]
• Confirm the operating dates, current fare and last return at the waterfront before crossing. The municipal beach page confirms boat access but gives no timetable; we could not verify a current operator timetable on 11 Oct 2026. [CM Tavira]
• Vamus 41, Tavira (Terminal Rodoviário) ↔ Cabanas de Tavira (Molhe), takes 15 minutes each way. For 12–18 October, 26 October–1 November and 2–8 November 2026, checked on 12 October, the TRENMO feed lists 9 buses each way on Monday–Friday, from Tavira 07:40–18:40 and back 07:55–19:00. The longest departure gaps are 13:35–16:30 from Tavira (2 h 55) and 14:25–16:45 back (2 h 20); the gaps before the last buses are 60 and 65 minutes respectively. No service is scheduled on the checked Saturdays or Sundays, including 1 November; the operator’s full timetable has business-day columns only, excluding public holidays. Its school-holiday columns have 7 buses each way; check the applicable dates and current fare with Vamus. These bus times do not confirm the beach boat’s operation or a connection. [TRENMO GTFS, 21-day check; Vamus 41 timetable, read 12 Oct 2026]
• Titus lists a separate private aqua-taxi: Cabanas ↔ Ilha de Tavira €30 by day (08:00–20:00), Tavira → Cabanas €50 by day, with €5 added at night (20:00–08:00). These are prices per boat trip for up to nine people, not tickets for the public crossing to Praia de Cabanas. Check the current price and availability for your date. [Titus Boat Tours, checked 11 Oct 2026]
• Since the 1999 dune-reinforcement works it is no longer possible to walk to the beach at low tide. [pt-Wikipedia Ilha de Cabanas, rev 2024]

What the sources say (research)

• Ilha de Cabanas: a long, narrow strip of golden sand facing the village; from the Cabanas waterfront one sees the moored artisanal fishing boats and the fishermen’s gear huts. [CM Tavira]
• Popular for windsurfing and sailing. [CM Tavira]
• Services: beach bar, medical post, WC; concession; marine-tourism activities; not adapted for reduced mobility. [CM Tavira]
• Sunbeds, restaurants, WC, showers and lifeguards in season. [Lugares Incertos, Jul 2025]
• Water-quality profile (Cabanas-Mar): beach with restricted use associated with sensitive natural systems; on Ilha de Cabanas; PNRF, Natura 2000, Ramsar; frontage 500 m; tidal range 3.4 m; mean wave 0.5 m; wind E/SE; 0 days with bathing advised against or prohibited due to short-term pollution in 2025. [APA profile PTCL9H, v1/2026]
• Água balnear Cabanas-Mar and praia de banhos (lifeguards assured) 1 Jun–30 Sep 2026; Cabanas-Poente (lagoon side, no bathing-water code) also qualified as praia de banhos for the same dates. [Portaria 204-A/2026/1]; AMN lists both, 1 Jun–30 Sep (no year printed). [AMN]
• Blue Flag 2026 (Cabanas-Mar, code PTCL9H); Época Balnear and Época Bandeira Azul both 01/06/2026–30/09/2026. [ABAE 2026]
• CM page label: Bandeira Qualidade de Ouro 2025. [CM Tavira]
• The island is about 7 km long and only about 70 m wide. [pt-Wikipedia Ilha de Cabanas, rev 2024]
• pt-Wikipedia states The Guardian named it the best beach in Portugal and Spain in 2013 (no link checked). [pt-Wikipedia Praia de Cabanas de Tavira, rev 2022]
• Cabanas de Tavira is a vila; its parish was re-established on 14 March 2025 (Lei n.º 25-A/2025) after being merged with Conceição in 2013; 1,081 inhabitants (2011). [pt-Wikipedia Cabanas de Tavira, rev Apr 2026]

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