Having just returned from a week s stay at Club priaa da oura albufeira, as a second time visitor, I had a unsavoury experience on the "Strip". I was walking down the Strip about lunchtime last Friday(Good friday) with my boyfirend. We are both in our 20's, when it began to pour rain. The atmosphere seemed to change quickly in the area with the rain. One dark man approached my boyfriend whilst we were looking at a sunglasses rack outside one of the gift shops on the strip and asked did he want hash. He showed him what appeared to be it . As we walked down further we were approached a second time again by a dark gentleman offering hash and then a third time by what seemed to be a British guy. My boyfriend then felt a man began to follow us and we walked into a souvenir shop to let him pass. We dont know was he actually following us but his behaviour certainly seemed extraordinary.
A fourth man then offered it to him again before we reached the end of the Strip at the Wild and co pub end. We then saw three of these guys meet up together and then head back up the strip. I feel very uncomfortable with their behaviour, and having travelled to many holiday resorts before such as Ibiza Tenerife Gran Canaria etc I have never actually felt as uncomfotable as I did with these guys about. There was no sign of any of the police who were actively walking around the night previously. I dont know if this was because it was the start of the bank holiday weekend or what. Most certainly however there was a change of atmosphere with the weather as an almost eerie feeling seemed to descend.
If you are due to travel here please dont get me wrong Albufeira is a fantastic resort, so much so I have returned twice and prob will again, but please, especially if you have teenagers , be aware of this carry on. my fear would be that these people may carry knives or could prove threatening if handled wrong. I could nt believe we were approached four times in a matter of 15 minutes. We dont even smoke cigarettes and are a quiet enough couple. I am from Dublin so am not a person who would be upset easily with undesirables but there was something seedy about these people.
I was wondering if anyone can tell me if this has happened to them or maybe Algarveaddick would know if this does occur. some people told us it was because it was a bank holiday weekend for the locals and told me to avoid the strip for the weekend. I would actually like to return again in Sept but I was a little off put by this. Maybe someone can put my mind at ease.
Sun Worshipper
The same guys will offer you cheap cigarettes if you look older, or sunglasses, or cameras etc. they will leave you if you say no, it was just coincidence that the guy appeared to be following you - they do not want to draw attention to themselves - just the opposite, they want to be as annonymous as possible.
I am pleased this unsavoury experience has not put you off, but there really is no danger from them.
The lesson to all is do NOT buy anything at all from dodgy looking blokes in the street it IS, repeat IS a stitch up, everytime.
I am pleased this unsavoury experience has not put you off, but there really is no danger from them.
The lesson to all is do NOT buy anything at all from dodgy looking blokes in the street it IS, repeat IS a stitch up, everytime.
Just to add that they will not in fact offer and physical danger. While I was crewing a yacht a couple of years ago we docked at Gibraltar. In a local bar I was approached by a stanger and as is customary go into conversation. It was not long until I was offered a sum of money to sail to Morocco and bring back some black plastic bags which would contain CDs. I learned from him that these were of course pirated and would be given to the street sellers who went around the bars in the Costas. I understand they cost about 10p each and would be sold for about £10. Microsoft Word etc etc. 
This is far less dangerous to the seller than flogging ganja! 
This is far less dangerous to the seller than flogging ganja!
Having just returned, I can say that I was aware of drug use and selling, but I was never offered. My mum and sister were serveral times 'harassed' and crowded by these sellers to try and let them make a purchase. Everytime I go, the situation does appear to get a little worse.
My husband was offered sunglasses ..then watches ...then cigarettes ...then hash ... by some beach vendors if that's what you woudl call them , it happened onthe 1 occasion only but I wasn't . It does happen in lots of places now but not to everyone . I actually don't make eye contcat and just say no thanks and walk on .
Rgds
Helen
Rgds
Helen
I went in February and every day I was asked if I like to smoker the hash.
I also went in februar... and therefore always 2 times a year, including winter and summer. Never had any trouble, although I'm a 20 years old guy...
I think the problems you're reporting are of all tourist and city areas.
I think the problems you're reporting are of all tourist and city areas.
Apart from all that is the night life good and are there lots of things to see?
Mmmm, i had intended posting a question regarding the "Lucky Lucky" Men and whether there was a problem with them on The Algarve.
Presumably this just relates to the Strip and if you say no they leave you alone?
I've seen the Lucky Lucky Men get quite violent in Ibiza and Majorca and obviously aprt from not wanting any drugs off them the sunglasses and watches etc that they sell are tat anyway.
Presumably this just relates to the Strip and if you say no they leave you alone?
I've seen the Lucky Lucky Men get quite violent in Ibiza and Majorca and obviously aprt from not wanting any drugs off them the sunglasses and watches etc that they sell are tat anyway.
I am so surprised by these reports, we have been going to Albufeira for the last 15 years, usually twice a year, and we have never ever been offered drugs either in the street or on the beach. We have never had any problems with the lucky lucky men we just so No Thanks and they go off.
We were there in March and my husband was offered watches, cigarettes, hash and cocaine from these guys although they never approached me and didn't appear to be approaching families either - only the men. We didn't feel threatened by them though just said no thanks and they were fine. The timeshare touts were more of a nuisance to be honest!
i was in the strip on good friday as it was the day we arrived, there was 7 of us, 3 adults and 4 children, didnt see any of these men, so dont know, but will look for them
Having been to the Strip before in 2004, during what was a very hectic time there with Euro 2004 I had no problems at all. I had been there for a full week nearly when this happened this time. I am not too sure what it was all about. They were definitely approaching men. I was told that during busy period there are more police around and it doesnt occur so much. I was just taken aback by it as there seemed so many of these guys about in a very short period of time. I had walked up and down the strip all through the week and never had this, just this one day. I dont know what it was all about.
Dont let it put you off albufeira as I myself am planning another visit in June. Just thought I would let ye know my experiences, just to be on the safe side
Dont let it put you off albufeira as I myself am planning another visit in June. Just thought I would let ye know my experiences, just to be on the safe side
We were collared by quite a few of these people when we went in july, except they must have gone upmarket as they were offering cocaine too.
If you are in a group of lads walking down or up the strip then expect to be asked hashish, coke every 20ft or so!! Because it happened to us every day.
If you are in a group of lads walking down or up the strip then expect to be asked hashish, coke every 20ft or so!! Because it happened to us every day.
Just ignore them, as a previous respondent said, sunglasses for the elderly & hash for the young 
If the drug guys approach you just say in a very loud voice " I dont do drugs" they will walk away pronto. As far as the timeshare touts go just carry on walking saying you own a property, and if they say where, just say dont be bloody nosey, dont be dragged in with them and dont accept the scratchcards. Cheers jayjan
True jayjan definetley ignore the scratchcards, me and my wife fell for that trick 
I tend to find that if you take the mickey they just walk away. Me and the missus sometimes make a wee game of it and know what we are going to say to the next "scratchie" person. Gives you a laugh anyway.
Try speaking to them in a foreign launguage (broad Scots does the trick sometimes).
Tell them you are a devout Christian and scratchcards are gambilng and a sin.
Say thanks, grab the card from them and keep walking without saying a word, they dont like this one
Start asking them the same crappy questions they usually ask you etc etc.
Best one was I challenged one to a race to the traffic lights on the Strip and said if he beat me I would go on their presentation thingy. We got ready and on "GO" he ran like mad for the lights amd me and my wife just stood there laughing like mad as he ran away to the lights.
They usually take it in good spirits, sometimes not, but I'm not particularly bothered. I dont really mind them to be honest, just tell them no and if they persist just give them the stare. I'll only be rude if they start to pester me.
Maybe we should start a thread on the best comebacks for timeshare/scratchcard touts??
See ya
Lummie
Try speaking to them in a foreign launguage (broad Scots does the trick sometimes).
Tell them you are a devout Christian and scratchcards are gambilng and a sin.
Say thanks, grab the card from them and keep walking without saying a word, they dont like this one
Start asking them the same crappy questions they usually ask you etc etc.
Best one was I challenged one to a race to the traffic lights on the Strip and said if he beat me I would go on their presentation thingy. We got ready and on "GO" he ran like mad for the lights amd me and my wife just stood there laughing like mad as he ran away to the lights.
They usually take it in good spirits, sometimes not, but I'm not particularly bothered. I dont really mind them to be honest, just tell them no and if they persist just give them the stare. I'll only be rude if they start to pester me.
Maybe we should start a thread on the best comebacks for timeshare/scratchcard touts??
See ya
Lummie
My old man pretends to be deaf and dumb (sorry, no offence meant ), or, if we spot them, we separate and one of us walks on the other side of the road as they only usually want a "couple".
This is one of the reasons that we don't like the more commercialised areas.......you don't get timeshare "scratchies" in the nice small villages!!!!!
Pat
This is one of the reasons that we don't like the more commercialised areas.......you don't get timeshare "scratchies" in the nice small villages!!!!!
Pat
In all the times we've been to Albufeira we've only been offered a scratchcard twice. We had no problem just saying no 
the first time and we own an apartment here the second time. I don't really know why people get so worried about these guys - why not just walk on without saying anything at all? 
What are they going to do - run after you? No, they're already looking for the next couple coming along.
the first time and we own an apartment here the second time. I don't really know why people get so worried about these guys - why not just walk on without saying anything at all? What are they going to do - run after you? No, they're already looking for the next couple coming along.
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