Historic Wrecks, Breathtaking Vista, Fantastic Culture, and Amazing Cuisine: a FAM Trip Report
by Amber Wagenknecht, Executive Editor and Chief Reporter, TX
Underwater Photos by Andrew Patterson of Deep Blue Adventures
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FOR DIVE RETAILERS, instructors and travel planners, the search for new group travel destinations is constant. Customers want something fresh, safe, beautiful and memorable, while dive professionals need reliable logistics, compelling underwater experiences, strong topside activities and partners who understand hosted group travel.
That combination is exactly what I found during my recent trip to Madeira and Porto Santo, Portugal, with support from Portugal Dive, Visit Madeira and the Madeira Promotion Bureau. I experienced the destination not only as a diver, but through the lens of a dive professional asking a specific question: Could this work for dive groups?
The answer is yes.
After arriving at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport from Lisbon, our group was welcomed by Rubina Vieira and transferred by Lux Madeira to Hotel Porto Mare, our base on Madeira. From the start, the itinerary demonstrated how the islands can support both divers and non-diving companions through a mix of ocean access, culture, food, scenery and well-organized transportation.
One of the early highlights was a full topside day in Funchal, Madeira’s capital. Our group included our guide Arlindo Serrão, Linda Ferwerda, Stefanie Hartdegen and Andrew Patterson, and the day gave us an immediate sense of how much there is to do beyond the water. After breakfast at Hotel Porto Mare, we traveled into Funchal for a guided walking tour through the Flower Festival displays, gardens, churches and Old Town.
Lunch at Jaket gave us time to enjoy the local atmosphere before continuing to the Madeira Cable Car. The ride delivered sweeping views over Funchal and the Atlantic, followed by a visit to Monte Palace Madeira, a lush garden and cultural site that could easily become a favorite stop on a group itinerary.
From there, we experienced the traditional Monte sled ride with Carreiros do Monte, a uniquely Madeiran adventure that is both historic and fun. The day ended with dinner at Nini Design Centre with our host, Francisco from the Madeira Promotion Bureau. Located in an old pirate fort overlooking the harbor, the setting became part of the story.
The diving began with Manta Diving Madeira, where I joined Stefan, Cityka and dive guide Nuno Jesus for a shore dive on the house reef. The site is located just offshore in a protected nature reserve, making it convenient and accessible without sacrificing marine life or underwater scenery.
The dive reached about 63 feet and featured boulders, sand channels and a formation known as The Fingers. We encountered cuttlefish, an octopus with eggs, Esmeralda the eel and two rays playing together. The experience showed the importance of a knowledgeable local operator. Shore diving may be simple in concept, but site knowledge, timing, briefings and good guiding determine whether visiting divers understand what makes a reef special.
The next chapter took us from Porto do Funchal to Porto do Porto Santo aboard the Lobo Marinho with Porto Santo Line. The ferry was more than transportation. We toured the bridge with the captain, rang the bell and enjoyed the crossing as part of the adventure.
Once on Porto Santo, we checked into Hotel Torre Praia and joined Dunas Travel for a three-hour jeep tour. Porto Santo has a different personality from Madeira: open, scenic, volcanic and coastal, with long beaches and a quieter rhythm. The tour included original sand dunes, dramatic coastal views, volcanic landscapes, a restored homestead with wine tasting and a bird sanctuary.
Porto Santo is easy to imagine as an extension to a Madeira itinerary. It feels distinct and relaxed, while giving repeat travelers the sense that they are discovering somewhere new.
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Diving in Porto Santo brought us to Cipreia Dive Club near Ilhéu de Cima. The water was clear and blue, with rocky terrain, schools of fish and jellyfish adding to the character of the dives. One dive included a deeper wreck, providing variety and another level of interest for more experienced divers.
After diving, we enjoyed a long lunch at Teodorico Restaurante, including a special rum that became part of the day’s memory. These details may seem small, but they are often what travelers remember most: the meal afterward, the local host, the view from the table and the stories shared between dives.
The following day included a final Porto Santo dive with Cipreia Dive Club before we returned to Madeira aboard Porto Santo Line. Dinner at Algas e Corais Restaurant aboard the ferry made the return trip comfortable and enjoyable rather than simply a logistical step.
Our final morning added another topside option with a four-hour North Coast jeep tour operated by Green Devil Safari. It was one more example of how Madeira can give trip leaders flexible activities for non-divers, weather days or travelers who want to see more of the island beyond Funchal.
Madeira and Porto Santo are not simply dive sites connected by transportation. They are complementary destinations. Madeira brings dramatic scenery, gardens, history, shore diving and urban energy. Porto Santo offers clear water, beaches, wreck diving and a slower island pace. Together, they can appeal to divers, spouses, friends and mixed groups.
The trip also demonstrated the value of coordinated local partners. Portugal Dive, Visit Madeira, the Madeira Promotion Bureau, Hotel Porto Mare, Manta Diving Madeira, Porto Santo Line, Hotel Torre Praia, Dunas Travel, Cipreia Dive Club, Green Devil Safari and the restaurants and local hosts each contributed to a seamless experience.
For North American dive businesses looking beyond traditional Caribbean and Pacific programs, Madeira and Porto Santo deserve attention. They offer European culture, Atlantic diving, strong topside options and a sense of discovery without feeling difficult to navigate.
After several days of diving, touring, dining and traveling through the islands, my conclusion is simple: this is a destination dive professionals should consider booking.
Portugal is not just a place to visit. For the dive industry, it may be a new opportunity to build memorable, profitable and highly shareable group travel experiences.
| MADEIRA & PORTO SANTO WHERE WE STAYED, DIVED, TOURED & DINED A quick-reference guide to the places & partners featured in our Portugal trip. |
| PLAN YOUR TRIP |
| Portugal Dive — trip planning portugaldive.com Visit Madeira — destination information visitmadeira.com |
| WHERE WE STAYED |
| Hotel Porto Mare — Funchal, Madeira portobay.com Hotel Torre Praia — Porto Santo portosantohotels.com |
| WHERE WE DIVED |
| Manta Diving Madeira — Caniço, Madeira mantadiving.com Cipreia Dive Club — Porto Santo cipreiadiveclub.com |
| WHERE WE TOURED |
| Lux Madeira — airport transfers and touring luxmadeira.com Funchal Old Town & Flower Festival — Madeira visitmadeira.com Madeira Cable Car — Funchal to Monte madeiracablecar.com Monte Palace Madeira — tropical garden and museum montepalacemadeira.com Carreiros do Monte — traditional basket sled ride carreirosdomonte.com Porto Santo Line / Lobo Marinho — inter-island ferry portosantoline.pt Dunas Travel — Porto Santo jeep tour dunastravel.com Green Devil Safari — Madeira North Coast tour greendevilsafari.com |
| WHERE WE DINED |
| Jaket Restaurante — Funchal jaket.pt Nini Design Centre — Funchal ninidesigncentre.com Teodorico Restaurante — Porto Santo meetportosanto.pt Algas e Corais Restaurant — aboard the Lobo Marinho portosantoline.pt |
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