Madeira
Language: EN
EnglishالعربيةDeutschΕλληνικάEspañolFrançaisעבריתItalianoNederlandsPolskiPortuguêsRomânăРусскийSvenskaTürkçeУкраїнська中文
All places on MadeiraTrailsViewpointsBeachesTowns & villagesPlaces to eat

On the water

Scuba diving

A marine reserve off Garajau, ships sunk as reefs, and 40 m of visibility off Porto Santo

What it is like here

Diving goes on all year here, in water of 18 to 24 °C. The Garajau reserve, just east of Funchal, was the first reserve in Portugal set up for the sea alone, in 1986, at the suggestion of divers. It covers about 7 km of coast from Lazareto to Ponta da Oliveira, with sites reached from the shore and by boat, and barracudas, rays, morays, octopus and seahorses.

Ships have been sunk on purpose as artificial reefs: the corvette Afonso Cerqueira off Cabo Girão in 2018, at about 30 m, and off Porto Santo the old ferry Madeirense, in 2000, and the corvette General Pereira D’Eça, in 2016. Porto Santo has the clearest water, with visibility of about 40 m.

Before you go

  • You need a diving certificate; dive centres on Madeira can train you for one. Source
  • Dives in the marine protected areas (Garajau, Rocha do Navio, Cabo Girão, the Porto Santo network, the Desertas and the Selvagens) need a dive booking on SIMplifica. Source
  • In the Garajau reserve nothing may be taken or harmed, and fishing of any kind, spearfishing, nets and motorboats are banned. Source
  • The Selvagens Islands can be dived only with IFCN authorisation. Source

Where

  1. 3 Marias — 0–22 m, from the shore or by boat; three shallows just east of Machico Bay
  2. Arena — 8–24 m, shore or boat; in the Garajau reserve, a vertical tunnel into a cave with two exits
  3. Baixa D'Abra ou Baixa do Lobo — 14–40 m, by boat; a wide rock platform off Ponta de São Lourenço where monk seals have been seen
  4. Baixa da Cruz — 3–35 m, by boat; a shallow off Machico Bay, 50 m from 3 Marias
  5. Baixa das Bicudas — 15–30 m, by boat; volcanic rock with canyons off the west pier of Porto Santo harbour On Porto Santo, which the 3D island does not show yet.
  6. Baixa das Moreias (Clube Naval do Funchal) — 0–22 m, shore or boat; volcanic rock in front of the Clube Naval do Funchal bathing complex
  7. Baixa de Santa Catarina — 25–40 m, by boat; off Santa Cruz, with frequent currents
  8. Baixa do Carneiro — 4–16 m, shore or boat; a rock formation off the Lido bathing complex in Funchal
  9. Baixa do Cotrim — 1–22 m, by boat; a shallow off Serra de Fora whose top lies 1 m below the surface
  10. Blue Hole — 9–22 m, shore or boat; a cave open to the surface, off Reis Magos beach in Caniço
  11. Galo — 5–32 m, shore or boat; one of the easiest dives in the Garajau reserve, reached by a lift
  12. Mamas — 13–30 m, by boat; two large rounded rocks 15 m apart, west of Garajau beach
  13. Naufrágio Bom Rei / Bow Belle — 24–38 m, by boat; a ship that sank by accident in 1996 off Madalena do Mar, now a reef
  14. Naufrágio Cordeca / Corveta General Pereira D'Eça — 12–31 m, by boat; the corvette General Pereira D’Eça, sunk upright off Porto Santo in 2016 On Porto Santo, which the 3D island does not show yet.
  15. Naufrágio Corveta Afonso Cerqueira — 12–30 m, by boat; an 85 m navy corvette sunk off Cabo Girão in 2018
  16. Naufrágio Madeirense — 22–36 m, by boat; the old Madeira–Porto Santo ferry, sunk in 2000 On Porto Santo, which the 3D island does not show yet.
  17. Naufrágio Newton — 3–45 m, by boat; two 19th-century wrecks at Ponta de São Lourenço
  18. Naufrágio Prompt — 26–32 m, by boat; a cargo ship built in 1895 that sank off the Pontinha in 1929
  19. Parede do Sardinha ou Cais do Sardinha — 0–42 m, by boat; a steep lava wall at Ponta de São Lourenço
  20. Pedro D'Eira — 0–38 m, shore or boat; a wall dive in front of the Whale Museum in Caniçal
  21. Ponta da Santola — 7–24 m, by boat; rock arms with sandy pockets between Santa Cruz and Porto Novo
  22. Reis Magos — 6–16 m, shore or boat; a rock wall along the shore at Reis Magos beach, Caniço
  23. Reserva Marinha do Garajau — 0–30 m, shore or boat; Portugal’s first marine-only reserve, created in 1986

Who runs it

Members of the tourism board’s association, as Visit Madeira lists them. A list, not a recommendation.

Sources: Visit Madeira · Madeira Ocean & Trails · Checked November 3, 2026

More activities

Activities on Madeira →