Cacela Island

Portugal, Portugal

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Cacela Island is a sandy barrier island at the mouth of the Ria Formosa in the Algarve region of southern Portugal that was actually part of a peninsula until the autumn of 2010, when powerful storm action cut through the narrow land bridge and turned its westernmost 4.4-kilometer (2.7-mile) section into an island.

The island's beach is known as Praia da Fábrica or "Factory Site Beach," and access to it is made either by wading through the shallow inlet at low tide or by boat from the nearby village of Vila Nova de Cacela. Situated within the protected Ria Formosa Natural Park between Cacela Velha village and Tavira Island, the island offers pristine white sands, turquoise waters, and a wild, uncrowded environment with far fewer visitors than other Algarve beaches, making it a secret gem for those seeking peace and natural beauty.

The island is part of the civil parish of Vila Nova de Cacela in the municipality of Vila Real de Santo António, just 20 minutes from Tavira and near Spain, and the area surrounding it features marshlands, winding waterways, windswept sandbanks, and abundant birdlife.