The beach at Praia da Oura is about more than just sunbathing and recovering from the night before. There's a proper watersports setup running from the sand during the summer months — jet skis, parasailing, banana boats and inflatable rides are all available to hire. Fishing trips head out into the Atlantic from nearby Albufeira Marina, and there are boat tours running along the coast to explore sea caves, secluded coves and the famous Benagil Cave. For something calmer, the eastern end of the beach around Praia dos Bicos has rock pools and interesting cliff formations to explore on foot.
Praia da Oura's beach is split into two distinct sections by a rocky outcrop. The western side is the busier half — closest to The Strip, lined with sunbeds and backed by a short promenade of restaurants and beach bars. This is where the watersports action happens and where the crowd builds from mid-afternoon. The eastern side, known as Praia dos Bicos, has a completely different character — jagged rock formations rising from the sand, pine woodland on the cliff tops, and far fewer sunbeds. In the morning, before the party crowd surfaces, the whole beach is calm enough for a proper swim. It does get busy in summer — there's no getting around that — but if you time it right, it's a brilliant beach with clean Blue Flag water and proper golden sand.
