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Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?

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107 posts
Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Hi we were about to book a villa in Villa Sol golf area for a family holiday but I've been reading both here and on another forum about prostitutes and drug dealers, kids are ranging from 5-15 and it's not something I want any of them exposed to, especially the 15 year old who would understand.

Is it a good safe family resort? We would have the villa but were hoping not to self cater, we would have liked to eat out and gone for a few drinks each night

Any advice appreciated

west sussex, UK
Level Contributor
538 posts
68 reviews
27 helpful votes
1. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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I can’t talk for villamoura but these problems persist in almost every town, village, city all over the world.

If you want to go looking for it you will find it.

I’m sure it’s not happening on the golf resort and I’m sure it won’t be in the restaurants and bars.

But if you head into a certain part of town you could probably score and have a quicky.

Certainly when I went there for a day trip I didn’t see anything seedy.

Albufeira, Portugal
Destination Expert
for Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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85,787 posts
78 reviews
93 helpful votes
2. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Viamoura is a big enough place that you can avoid anything you don't wish children to see. Having said that, most of the 'drug dealers' are fraudsters selling harmless white powder to gormless individuals and there is only one place in the Algarve I have ever seen prostitutes plying for trade and it's not in Vilamoura.

Durham, United...
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1,826 posts
48 reviews
22 helpful votes
3. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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I have been visiting Vilamoura for 17 years firstly as a family and now as a couple.

I've never experienced any of the above mentioned in resort. IMHO it's one of the safest resorts you can visit.

As the above posts state there will be a small element in all resorts but nothing I have seen in Vilamoura.

Was there in September and returning in January.

Hope this helps

Coventry, United...
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465 posts
24 reviews
15 helpful votes
4. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Yes there are call girls in vilamoura but you would have to go looking for them to find them , there are at least 3 gentlemens clubs but girls don,t promote themselves outside or anything like that , like Steve B , I have never been approached by such girls or drug dealers in over 12 years of visiting and have never had a report of such activity from friends and family who are also regular visitors .

Nottingham, United...
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23 posts
58 reviews
78 helpful votes
5. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Hi Coventry kid,I’ve just returned from vilamoura on a golf trip. I’m 44 6foot 6 and bold not exactly the drug trades target market , but I got asked constantly if I wanted cocaine , one time around 7pm just off the marina whilst I was talking to my wife and sons who was at home someone offered it to me. I was annoyed by it and I did say to my wife , that as a family we wouldn’t be coming here. Which is a shame , as the bars and restaurants are really good, as so is the beaches.if you are street wise it won’t be a problem , I just said no and that was enough ,as a family I would imagine you would be left alone, however they offered it to everyone in our group whose ages went from 25to 70.

Hope this helps.

Coventry, United...
Level Contributor
465 posts
24 reviews
15 helpful votes
6. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Hi Nottingham , we were also there last week with no problems , possibly the would be dealers keep away from couples and target male/female groups , regardless you were targeted which must have been annoying , but please don't let it put you off its still a great place . Cubsur believes these 'dealers' are in fact just con men. I would also like to think that's all it is , and he rarely gets things wrong .

Edited: 5 years ago
1 post
7. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Essa realidade dos traficantes de droga vai acabar com a boa imagem de Vilamoura , e já começou a afastar muita gente , principalmente familias com crianças , e este cenário parece ser indiferente á administração do resort , pois nada fazem para acabar com aquela canalha que por acaso são ciganos e que monopolizam Vilamoura com droga e Quarteira com comércio e contrafação . sentem-se reis e senhores sem ser importunados por ninguem , e dessa forma a teia vai-se alongando cada vez mais . Quando acordarem já vai ser tarde

North East Cheshire...
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19 posts
2 reviews
1 helpful vote
8. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Google translation of the last post, the chap has concerns...... ' This reality of drug traffickers will end up with the good image of Vilamoura, and has already started to drive away many people, especially families with children, and this scenario seems to be indifferent to the resort's administration, because they do nothing to stop that bas***** who happens to be are gypsies and monopolize Vilamoura with drugs and Quarteira with trade and counterfeiting. you feel kings and lords without being pestered by anyone, and in this way the web is getting longer and longer. When you wake up, it's going to be late.'

Nottingham, United...
Level Contributor
23 posts
58 reviews
78 helpful votes
9. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Had a great weekend,brilliant golf courses , and bars and restaurants and weather and locals . Will return ,just not with my family,and not just because of the hassle, I do not believe it is a great family resort in my opinion.

It’s the best golfing experience I have experienced.

Middlesbrough...
Level Contributor
16 posts
36 reviews
29 helpful votes
10. Re: Concerned over prostitutes and drug dealers?
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Have been to Vilamoura for the past 5 years staying in the old village with family including tenages have never come across prostitutes or drug dealers . That could be because we only ventured down to the marine during the day for lunch there are plenty of lovely restaurants away from the marina half the price serving traditional cuisine . It’s still one of the cleanest resorts with beautiful beaches I’ve been to.

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