Albufeira boasts beaches where the sand is fine and the sea a turquoise blue sheltered by cliffs which are canvasses painted with a whimsical palette of natural hues. It is for its beaches that Albufeira is internationally renowned, because all of them are different... and they are all equally enchanting.

Gale - An expanse of sand that stretches for miles, between cliffs. It is equipped with a wide variety of tourist facilities. In the direction of Albufeira there are two small beaches that are quiet and little visited.
Castelo - A cove c protected he ruck formations. Great natural beauty.
Coelha - A small beach between colourful cliffs.
São Rafael and Vigia - Beaches of great beauty seperated be rocks. Tourist facilities. Nearby Ponte Pequena and Ninho das Andorinhas are fascinating rock formations
Baleeira - A broad crescent of sand opposite Albufeira
Albufeira- A long strip of sand with the city surrounding it like an amphitheatre, it is made up of three beaches: Peneco, Pescadores and Inatel.
Oura, Balaia, Maria Luísa and Olhos de Agua - A series of beaches each sheltered BY colourful cliffs. Tourist and sports facilities
Falesia - Endless miles of beaches fringed by the green pines and the many reddish colours Of the surrounding cliffs. Tourist and sports facilities available.

Situated in one of the best-known regions of the Algarve, between Albufeira and Armação de Pera, Salgados is already one of the symbols of the Portuguese golf. In fact, the proximity of the sea and the variety of lakes make this a very interesting test of golfing skills, different to other courses in the Algarve.

The original project is by the Portuguese designer Pedro de Vasconcelos, with more recent contributions from other Portuguese architects. But the final layout has been heavily influenced by Robert Muir Graves.

The 6,000 metre links, replete with water obstacles, is not very long, yet you will need all your skills to reach the greens. The accuracy of the drive is crucial for achieving good scores, thus making the course a pleasant experience, especially for technically-skilled players.

The eighteen holes are well balanced, as each half of the course has two Par 5 holes of around 500 metres and three Par 3 of more than 170 metres. Par for the course is 72.

Pro's Playing Tips
To gain maximum satisfaction from playing this course you need to think each shot carefully. Pay particular attention to where you anticipate landing each drive and never underestimate the usually stiff, onshore breeze. You will be tested on every shot in your bag right from the first tee. The par-5 sixth has a lake running the entire length of the right hand side. The fairway is generous enough off the tee, but there is a tendency to "think left" and you can overdo it. The hole is 515 meters. The green is offset to the right, protected by the water, and the fairway a good deal narrower. The approach is all carry, with a scant 20 meters or so in front of the two tiered green. Have a thought that it might be wiser to take the dry route round to the left.

The next is a testing par 4 of 415 meters. You are usually playing right into the wind and it is, technically, probably one of the best holes in Portugal. Of the par 3's, the twelfth is over water - 130 meters to a tricky two tiered green. It should not be difficult, but it can be intimidating.

The fourteenth and fifteenth are two par 5's where you can really open the shoulders. The fifteenth is 545 meters and you are teeing off over a tidal creek. With a line of ornamental bushes to the right, left looks the best line, but you do need to avoid the dune hummocks which divide this from the fairway of the previous hole.

This is one of the country's most original golf courses, built in a pine wood at the edge of spectacular cliffs, overlooking the beautiful beaches of the Algarve and the Atlantic beyond.

Opened in 1990, Pine Cliffs was de-signed by Martin Hawtree. The nine hole course is not very long - only two holes run to more than 360 metres - yet, despite this, it presents an interesting challenge for the golfer, regardless of handicap. As well as concerning himself with the playing area, Hawtree was careful to leave the surrounding land undisturbed and largely as it was before the course was built.

The perfectly-kept course opens with two undemanding holes, but the challenge gets tougher from the third hole.
For several years, the president of the club was the British motor racing star Nigel Mansell.

Pro's Playing Tips
The opening hole is a par 4 with a drive through an avenue of trees to a generous fairway. Thapproach is a mid-iron to a large, undulating green protected by bunkers. From there onwards, the holes follow a path through the estate. The finishing two skirt the clifftop with the hotel providing a backdrop. The famous par-3 ninth - 155 meters to the green, but you are playing over a cavenous ravine. The hole is known as "The Devil's Parlou". It is extremely daunting. Reaching the green safety gives great satisfaction. As Martin Hawtree, the course architect said of his progeny: "This is not a course to ply in a hurry. It is necessary to take time to savour the peace and magnitude of the place".

Based on a 9-hole (all par 3) loop, the Balaia Golf Village is an ideal course for beginners or for perfecting distance control. The undulations of the fairways and the excellent condition of the greens are also attractions, as well as the convenient location close to the road between Albufeira and Vilamoura. All 9 holes can be seen from the first tee. An old wooden bridge divides two lakes opposite the green at the first hole and is the main feature of the landscape. The length of the holes varies between 67 and 160 metres, requiring special precision when driving off. The third hole is the shortest with a high, sloping green, well protected by a bunker; the next hole is the longest, flanked by oak trees and with two bunkers on the right. After the sixth hole, the course heads back to the imposing clubhouse that dominates the complex: the bar and restaurant lead on to a large terrace that overlooks the course, the complex and the Atlantic in the distance.