Madeira provides the ideal conditions for Windsurfing. Calm waters that provide beaches with better access to the sea, reduced waves and constant wind force. With excellent beach access on the southern side of the islands, there are plenty of top spots to ride the waves and the wind.
Funchal, Porto da Cruz, Achadas da Cruz and Porto Santo are just a few of the locations where you can windsurf all year round. With Funchal Bay and Praia Formosa offering superb kiting conditions.
Known as the Hawaii of the Atlantic, you should get some idea of what surfing is like here. Big swells come in from the North Atlantic, producing all kinds of waves. Check out point and reef breaks and the challenging waves at Jardim do Mar, Paul do Mar, Porto da Cruz and Sao Vicente. There are plenty of surf schools where beginners can learn the basics on smaller waves too. And if you’re looking for a calmer experience on the water, then try SUP at a number of spots around the island.
One of the top diving locations in Europe, Madeira is home to warm clear waters and excellent diving opportunities. Feast your eyes on enigmatic black corals and anemones, plus numerous fish species including morays and mantas. If you’re really lucky, you might even spot a monk seal, one of the rarest seal species in the world. Check out the dive spots at Canico, Garajau, Calheta and Santa Cruz. Or simply strap on a snorkel and explore the underwater world all the way along the coast.
Explore more of the rugged coast with paddle power. Conditions for kayaking are frequently perfect, with numerous bays and coves to visit around the islands. Spot seabirds nesting in the cliffs and paddle into marine caves only accessible by boat. Go with a guide to enhance your experience, with top spots like the reserve at Ponta de Sao Lourenco offering incredible natural experiences.
The islands might only be a few small specks on the map in the Atlantic but there’s a huge amount and variety of hiking terrain. Essentially the peak of a vast undersea mountain, the islands rise up to nearly 2,000 metres above sea level. Follow hiking trails, many or which run alongside the islands’ famed levadas - long channels cut into the mountain to carry water to farm land. Some of these levadas seem to defy gravity, clinging to cliff sides, so it’s not surprising there are some stunning views too. You will find full details of all the officially approved walks of the island on www.madeiranow.org.
With plenty of rugged, rocky terrain, mountain biking is very popular in Madeira. Cycle alongside levadas and on forest trails on an all terrain ride. The islands’ quiet paved roads are also great for road biking. Electric bikes are also very popular and are available for hire. Discover charming villages as you explore the islands under your own steam.
Get off the beaten track and explore Madeira in an exhilarating way. There’s no boring coach tours or waiting at bus stops on a 4x4 experience. Climb steep mountain tracks to enjoy incredible views over the archipelago in a rugged off road vehicle. Travel with a guide or in a convoy and visit some of the islands’ most remote and hard to reach places. Enjoy forests, peaks and coastal trails, stopping off for a traditional lunch along the way.
See more of the island on two wheels with a rented motorbike. Whether it’s a scooter or something a little more powerful, this is a great way to get up close and personal with Madeira. There are plenty of rental places in the capital Funchal, so head out and explore. Visit places where steep cliffs plunge down into the ocean, climb high mountains for stunning views and make the most of the islands’ quiet roads
The sky is literally the limit on a paragliding trip high above the islands. Beginners can jump in tandem with instructors, with more experienced fliers going solo. Soar high above beauty spots and viewpoints like Prazeres, Arco da Calheta and Porto da Cruz. It’s an adrenaline-fuelled activity. One of the most experienced pilots in the world is Hartmut Peters from Paragliding Tandem Flights based in Arco da Calheta. He started his flying career in 1992 and has been flying tandem since 1998. Since relocating to Madeira from Germany in 2000 he flies every day the weather permits. He is fluent in German, English and Portuguese.
Madeira has some of the best conditions in Europe for Canyoning. It is an exhilarating sport that uses a set of techniques drawn from mountaineering, climbing and swimming. The object of the sport is that to overcome the obstacles of nature you will have to climb, rappel, slide, jump and swim through some incredible scenery around the magnificent Laurissilva Forerst.
Coasteering combines rappel, climbing and jumping into the sea, in a single activity that allows you to find the cliffs overlooking the bays, the caves and the hidden nooks with translucent water that exist in the island.
Coastering is a new outdoor activity in Madeira, that combines these three activities in a route along the coast line. This is a unique way to enjoy the steep cliffs overlooking the bays, the caves and the hidden nooks with translucent water that exist on the island. We suggest you to check out the Nature Reserve of Ponta de São Lourenço and enjoy your Coasteering journey, allowing you to see the natural beauties of Baía d’Abra.
Madeira has won the Big Game Fishing world championship twice in the last four years, which might tell you something about the quality of the fishing here. Take a fishing tour of the island, trying to land the catch of the day in some top spots around the islands. You might encounter tuna, swordfish, barracuda and more. Combine your fishing with a marine safari boat tour, learning more about some of the fish and sea life that call the archipelago home. Most of the operators have marine biologists on their boats so you are kept well informed on the nature around you.
Go Karting in Madeira, and feel all the adrenaline that the fast and technical track in Faial offers you. The fantastic landscape that surrounds the track completes this unique experience. The Karting Track of Faial has a 1,040-metre track, which provides good doses of adrenaline along its fast and technical circuit.
During your stay in Madeira, you can enjoy horse riding in the equestrian centres of Madeira and Porto Santo, and with experienced professionals. You can also enjoy a horse ride accompanied by an instructor. Some places where you can enjoy this activity are Quinta do Riacho, Quinta de São Jorge and Escapada dos Cavaleiros on Madeira and Centro Hipico in Porto Santo. Enjoy Madeira’s Laurissilva Forest, Levadas and breathtaking views and other nature wonders from horseback.