5emotionsalgarve — Local services in Portimão

Very unpleasant experience, the marine biologist Ruben allotted for the tour was incredibly rude and racist. There was a clear difference in the way other passengers were treated over how cold and offhandish the responses and welcomes I received were. It's one thing to be knowledgeable and have your degrees but not at the cost of basic human decency and a mind that has surpassed backward attitudes that do not belong in this time, especially in tourism. This experience sucked for me because the places were beautiful but the treatment was so grotesque it really took away from the experience, I did not enjoy it at all. Mr. Luis was kind and I want to take a moment to acknowledge him, his effort and genuine kindness; but the rest were a big, giant no. Also, the boat they use is super poorly designed. They have a caucasians first policy, where the best seats are given to who the company thinks deserves the best views, everyone given first preferences were white (irrespective of how early you arrive btw - big red flag). The rest are placed in seats where you see nothing but a sea of heads. All your photos and memories of the trip will be basically other people's heads, sincerely, don't waste your money here. There seem to be a lot of high rated reviews on Google, don't fall for the trap that I did, check Get Your Guide before booking, there are more honest ratings and reviews there. Do not recommend this company whatsoever, vote with your money and choose a place that is more evolved and treats everyone with respect and courtesy irrespective of the colour of their skin, far away from such backward mindsets and belief systems.

UPDATE in response to the business's response: I'm glad you ran an investigation but there is no way that you will invalidate my experience, it was cold, with differential treatment on the basis of what people looked like and where they came from; it had nothing to do with seating arrangements alone. Also, if you are so concerned about older people and children, run a separate tour for them, are the rest of your customers inferior, deserve a less than ideal experience or visiting on a discount? No. And, if children and elders were your priority, why where all the prime seats at the front of the boat given only to white, straight couples? Your response and defense of this behaviour is what is disappointing, and is purely a reflection of you and your company. I'm sure customers will make their own informed decisions, fancy reviews or not (none of whose validity was questioned in my review, just FYI, so I don't appreciate your accusation), irrespective of the platform. I will definitely not return to a business based on such outdated and backward beliefs in today's time. But, I hope you and the team choose to do and be...

We recently took a boat tour to see dolphins and explore caves, and unfortunately, it was not the experience we were hoping for. Despite the nice weather, we weren’t informed in advance that it would be so incredibly cold out on the water. The wind was harsh, and we were freezing throughout the trip. About half of our group ended up catching colds afterward.

The first half hour of the ride was extremely rough due to the waves. We specifically chose a larger boat hoping for a smoother experience, but we were tossed around so much that it felt unsafe. Surprisingly, there was no requirement to wear life jackets, which added to the sense of discomfort.

The guide, who was a marine biologist, barely provided any information about the dolphins. Other than mentioning how many dolphins were around, he didn’t share much more than what my six-year-old niece already knew.

As for the caves, they were honestly not very exciting. The highlight was seeing the dolphins towards the end when the boat ride became less choppy. Overall, if we had been warned on the website to dress warmly—as if going on a mountain hike—this would have been a much more enjoyable experience.

Additionally, we were unaware that disembarking into any of the caves was not allowed. We only discovered this later on a Facebook group. Clearer information on the website would have set more realistic...

I recently had the pleasure of taking the Dolphins & Caves - Benagil trip with 5 Emotions Algarve and it was an absolutely incredible experience. From start to finish, everything was top-notch and exceeded my expectations.

The trip started with a warm welcome from the friendly and knowledgeable crew, who made us feel comfortable and at ease. We then set off on our adventure, exploring the stunning coastline of the Algarve and discovering hidden coves, caves, and rock formations.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the opportunity to see wild dolphins in their natural habitat. It was truly a magical experience to watch these beautiful creatures swimming and playing around the boat, and the crew's respect for the animals was evident in the way they interacted with them.

The trip also included a stop at the famous Benagil Cave, which was absolutely breathtaking. The crew provided interesting and informative commentary about the cave and its history, and we had plenty of time to explore and take photos.

Overall, I can't recommend the Dolphins & Caves - Benagil trip with 5 Emotions Algarve highly enough. The crew were fantastic, the boat was comfortable and well-equipped, and the sights we saw were simply stunning. It was an unforgettable experience and one that I will treasure for a long time. Thank you, 5 Emotions Algarve, for an...