Lagos Marina is one of the best-equipped marinas along the entire Portuguese Coast. In addition to its excellent tourism environment, the marina and service companies in the neighbouring fishing dock offer a full range of vessel support and chandling facilities.

Local clubs offering boat hire and sailing training include the Clube Vela in Lagos and the Escola de Surf e Vela in Praia da Luz.

The sea surrounding the Sagres/Cape St. Vincent peninsula, where the cold Atlantic currents meet the warmer Mediterranean streams, together with the influence of the Gulf Stream, offers some of the best big-game fishing waters in Europe.
Magnificent marlin, swordfish, tuna and corvina can all be found in this area. Well-equipped boats, with fishing chair and harness, are available for a day's fishing (typically 9am to 4pm including lunch for €55 per person fishing) or for a half-day (9am to 1:30pm for €40 per person fishing). There are several operators based in Lagos. Boats can also be hired for a half-day's coastal bottom fishing for €30 per person fishing.

Line fishing from the rocky outcrops and cliffs all around the peninsula is a popular pastime and often assures a delicious dinner.

The traditionally colourfully painted fishing boats remain a constant presence along the Algarve Coast continuing a tradition of many centuries. This is also evidenced by the numerous Algarvian villages and towns where fishing has been a tradition since the Middle Ages and in some instances since pre-Roman times.

While few tuna processing factories remain and the tradition of "xávega" , in which fishing nets were launched from a boat and then pulled back to land by teams of men on the beaches, no longer is practised, fresh and tasteful Algarve fish continues to remain a gourmet's delight.

The Western Algarve coast is one of the major destinations for serious surfers from around the globe as the long Atlantic rollers sweeping onto the west coast beaches offer ideal conditions for serious practitioners of this art. Many gravitate to the vast, sandy expanse of Praia do Amado near Carrapateira.

The Surf Experience, Lagos, and the Lagos Surf Shop in Lagos offer a full range of support for surfers including equipment hire, training, guides to the best beaches etc.