Salema Eco Camp

Salema Eco Camp lies in Budens, in the municipality of Vila do Bispo, between Lagos and Sagres in the western Algarve. Its 12 hectares of green valley sit inside the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, about two kilometres from the sea, on the Rota Vicentina and Via Algarviana walking routes. Guests can pitch a tent, park a caravan or motorhome, or stay in tipi tents, domes, wooden eco lodges, mobile homes, studios and apartments.

The camp describes its approach as regenerative tourism and holds the Green Key award. It has built its own wastewater treatment plant to recycle the water used on site, runs a composting system that guests can use, and cleans only with natural or eco-labelled products. A dedicated sustainability, ecology and regeneration team, created in 2023, looks after the green areas, grows native plants in the camp's own nursery and calculates its carbon and water footprints. Since 2024 the camp has been working with Zero, MiZA and Zero Waste Europe to become a zero waste business.

Daily life revolves around the Nazari restaurant, where the menu shows the carbon footprint of each dish and ingredients come from within about 150 kilometres whenever possible, an eco store, a cowork space and a garden used for events. The programme includes yoga, craft workshops, guided walks and nature observation sessions. Salema beach and the quieter coves of the Vicentine coast are close by, and the camp is reached by road from Lagos or Vila do Bispo.