Praia da Estaquinha is one of the coves the Lagoa cliffs keep for the sea. There is no practical way in off the land: this is a beach you reach by water, as one stop on the kayak, SUP and small-boat routes that work the cave-riddled stretch of coast around Benagil and Carvoeiro.
Seen from the water it is classic hanging-valleys material: a slot of pale sand under sheer ochre walls, rock sculpted at the waterline, and light that changes by the hour. Treat it as a landing, not a beach day: the cliffs above are unstable and shed rock, there is no supervision of any kind, and swell can make getting off again harder than getting on. Go with a guide or solid sea experience, keep clear of the cliff base, and give it a miss in any real swell.
Who it’s for: paddlers and boat-trippers collecting the coves between Carvoeiro and Marinha.
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