Snorkeling in Madeira, from the shore
We drive you to the south coast's best shore entries, around the Garajau marine reserve, with masks, snorkels and fins in the boot. Your driver stays with you on the shore.
Planned price €210 per car for 1 to 4 people, €330 for 5 or 6, about 4.5 hours with 1 or 2 swims. Not bookable yet: join the waitlist below.
- Up to 6 swimmers in one car
- 18–24 °C sea, winter to summer
- Gear masks, snorkels, fins
Your driver speaks EnglishPortuguêsРусский
The planned snorkeling price, per car
| Route | Time | Price per car, 1–4 people | Price per car, 5–6 people | Status | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snorkeling on the south coast | 4.5 h | €210 | €330 | Waitlist | Join the waitlist: Snorkeling on the south coast |
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Private tour
Snorkeling on the south coast
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Lido entry at Galomar or Porto Moniz, if we swim there, is paid at the gate. Pickup is included in Funchal, Caniço, Santa Cruz, Machico, Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava. Wetsuits for October to May can come too: say so in the waitlist note.
Prices checked on 25 September 2026. Every price is per car, in euro, for the whole group.
Where we swim
We choose the spot that morning, from the sea forecast and the harbour warnings. The south coast is the default, because it is sheltered from the north swell for most of the year.
Garajau Partial Nature Reserve. A protected stretch of sea below the Cristo Rei statue, a reserve since 1986: no fishing of any kind, so groupers, sea bream and, some days, mantas and devil rays come close to the rocks. The pebble beach is below the cable car.
Caniço de Baixo: Reis Magos and Galomar. Reis Magos is a free public beach with a pier. Galomar, at the reserve's eastern edge, is a lido with a lift into the water and an entry fee.
Funchal Lido. The town's bathing complexes open all year, with a rocky house reef along the shore.
Porto Moniz and Seixal, on calm summer days. The volcanic pools on the north coast, about 2 m deep, fit into a west island day when the sea is flat.
How the morning runs
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Morning
Pickup at your hotel
At a hotel your driver waits at the main entrance, and for a holiday rental in a narrow street we send a map pin the evening before for the nearest point where the car can stop. We ask your shoe and mask sizes before the day.
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+15 to 25 min
The first entry
Usually Garajau or Caniço de Baixo. Your driver shows you the way in and waits on the shore with the bags.
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60 to 90 min in the water
One or two swims
Stay in pairs, near the shore, and back on land when you feel cold.
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Midday
Coffee by the sea Optional
A café stop on the way back, at your pace.
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About 4.5 hours after pickup
Back at your hotel
Towels and fresh water are in the car.
The rules for a swim
- Your driver is not a lifeguard. Your driver keeps you company on the shore. Swimmers only, and children with an adult in the water.
- Insurance. Check that your travel insurance covers snorkelling.
- The reserve's rules. In Garajau nothing is fished, taken or fed. Look, don't touch.
- The sea decides. On a rough-sea warning we switch to a sheltered spot or move the day.
- The water. Around 18 °C from January to April, 20 °C in May, 22 to 24 °C from June to October, 21 °C in November and 19 °C in December.
Snorkeling questions
Where is the best snorkeling in Madeira?
Around the Garajau reserve on the sheltered south coast, where the fish come close to the rocks. Where we swim, above, lists the other entries and when they work.
Do we need to bring anything?
Swimwear, a towel and reef-safe sun cream. We bring masks, snorkels and fins in several sizes, fresh water and dry bags.
Is it good for children?
Yes, for children who swim, with an adult in the water. Child seats in the car are free.
What if the sea is rough?
We look at the harbour warnings the evening before. If the south coast is rough too, we move the day or you choose another tour.
Waitlist
Snorkeling opens when enough of you ask.
Tell us when you are in Madeira and how many of you swim, and we write to you when the snorkeling days start.
Planned price €210 per car for 1 to 4 people, €330 for 5 or 6