Porto Santo is known for its rich history, golden beaches, rugged volcanic coastline, and crystal-clear waters. After living on Madeira Island for a few months, we became curious about the neighboring island. So, we took the ferry and planned to explore this small island.
Surrounded by crystal clear water and volcanic cliffs, Porto Santo is fascinating to explore both by land and sea. The best way to do this is by renting a kayak and we couldn’t wait to explore the stunning volcanic cliffs from the water.
On a sunny and warm morning in October, our guide Matias picked us up from the hotel and drove us to the starting point for the tour. The departure spot is at Ponta da Calheta, where Matias has a small shed with his kayak and snorkel gear. Here, we fitted our lifejackets, got our kayaks and listened to the safety briefing before departing in our kayaks, with Matias upfront leading the way.
Although we both had kayaked before on lakes, sea kayaking in Porto Santo is different. The swell is something to be very aware of, and our kayak often went in a direction we didn’t want to! So, besides enjoying the stunning coastline, it was also a kind of upper-body workout.
While we paddled along the coast, we enjoyed beautiful views of the volcanic cliffs in a wide range of colors. The contrast between the orange, brown and red cliffs and the crystal-clear blue ocean water was just phenomenal! It’s a completely different perspective seeing Porto Santo from the sea. We felt so small in comparison to the towering cliffs! And besides that, the power of the swell made us feel very humble.
After paddling for about 20 minutes along the coast, our guide told us that we would be entering the first of several different caves. We had to ‘read the waves’ to enter the cave safely, as a big wave could eventually capsize the kayak. This was quite thrilling as the waves got bigger while we tried to enter the narrow cave system. But with the right timing and moral support of our guide, we made it safely inside the first cave. This was a medium sized cave with sharp, volcanic rock ceilings, formed million years ago. It was truly impressive seeing the textures of the cliffs up close. We paddled for a few minutes inside the cave before making our way back to the open sea again.
Our guide told us we would now go to a secluded cove and ashore with our kayaks to explore a hidden beach. This was a welcoming break from paddling, as it is quite tiring for the arms and shoulders, especially on the wavy day we had! Upon entering Zimbralinho Beach, we were in awe of the towering volcanic cliffs surrounding this cove. And because this beach is very remote and not easy to reach, there were no other people around.
We docked the kayaks and enjoyed a snack during this break on the stunning beach. We had some time to explore the shore, and although this secluded cove is a great place for snorkeling, we didn’t do it this time. We were already a bit tired, and even in this cove, the sea was a little too choppy for our liking to go snorkelling. A good reason to do that next time!
After a 20-minute break, it was time to continue our kayak adventure. We launched our kayaks into the sea again and paddled out of the cove onto the open sea to find the biggest cave we would enter that day at Ilhéu da Cal. This small island is situated about 500 meters from Porto Santo and can be seen from several viewpoints, with Flores Viewpoint giving the best views of Ilhéu da Cal.
Our guide navigated us inside the cave, which had a high but narrow entrance. Luckily, the waves were a little less here, so we could safely enter the cave. At first sight, it didn’t look like such a big cave, but once we paddled deeper, a huge ceiling opened up to us. It felt like a natural cave tunnel system and was a spectacular sight. This was the perfect ending to our Porto Santo kayaking experience!
From Ilhéu da Cal, it was only a few minutes of paddling back to Ponta da Calheta, where we docked the kayaks at the shed. Thanks to Matias, we had a very fun kayaking experience and saw Porto Santo from a completely different perspective. Overall, kayaking along the rugged coastline and exploring the hidden volcanic caves of Porto Santo offers an unforgettable adventure, providing a unique and breathtaking perspective of the island that can only be experienced from the sea. We highly recommend kayaking in Porto Santo and can’t wait to return.
