|
OLHAO , 8km east of Faro, is the largest fishing port on the Algarve and an excellent base for visiting the sandbank islands ( ilhas ). Train and bus stations are near each other off the Avenida da Republica northeast of town. The tourist office , just off Rua do Comercio (daily 9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5.30/7pm, winter closed Tues; tel 289 713 936) will provide a town map and advice on rooms. For accommodation , try the highly rated Pensao Bela Vista (tel 289 702 538; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27), left out of the tourist office then first left; or the Pensao Boemia , slightly further out of the centre at Rua da Cerca 20, off Rua 18 de Junho (tel 289 714 513; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27). The nearest campsite (tel 289 700 300) is at Marim, 3km east - buses hourly till 7pm from the main station. There are clusters of restaurants and bars around Rua do Comercio and along the seafront: Taiti at Rua Vasco da Gama 24 is reasonably good, as is Santos on Avda. 5 de Outubro 100. Ferries leave for the Ilhas of Armona and Culatra from the jetty at the far end of Olhao's municipal gardens, five minutes from the market. The service to ARMONA (June-Sept 9-14 daily; Oct-May 4 daily; journey time 15min; ?0.75 each way) drops you off at a long strip of holiday chalets and huts that stretches right across the island on either side of the main path. This is the only type of accommodation available here, and you'll be lucky to get one in summer; phone ahead to book (Orbitur tel 289 714 173). On the ocean side, the beach disappears into the distance and a short walk will take you to totally deserted stretches of sand and dune. The beach facing the mainland is smaller and tends to get very crowded in summer, but the water here is always warm. Boats to the more distant Ilha of Culatra are less frequent (4-7 daily; 35-45min; ?1 each way) and call first at unattractive Culatra town, then at FAROL , an untidy village of holiday homes edged by beautiful beaches on the ocean side. Note that ferry services are drastically reduced outside July and August.
Your Tip for Olhao
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Olhao - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Olhao - visit the main Olhao forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Olhao webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
