Madeira's north coast is full of pleasant surprises. This time we were in the water, in the Aquário Natural Pools - also known as the Cachalote Pools, - swimming and jumping off the rocks, right next to the Madeira Aquarium, where we got to see some of the local marine life up close.
After a lively journey full of twists and turns, we made it to Porto Moniz and sat down for a 'fishy' lunch at the Sea View restaurant, located at the Aqua Natura Hotel, with an absolutely epic view of the sea (as we're used to seeing in Madeira), overlooking the Natural Pools of Porto Moniz, just below. After lunch, we made our way down to the rocks and, before heading to the Madeira Aquarium next door, we found the perfect spot to lay out our towels and dive into the calm waters of the pools, all while listening to the waves crashing against the rocks behind us.
- Mum, Dad, can we jump off the rocks? Francisco immediately asks after seeing a boy dive from the rocks into the Aquário Natural Pools.
We persuaded him to enter slowly using the ramp that makes it easy for everyone to get in, and then we swam around the pools – some bigger, some smaller, with a few little mazes to explore in between.
- Let's climb this rock! Francisco kept insisting, and of course I had to go along with it. We climbed up the rock all the way to the top, and then, we jumped.
- One, two, three! - the kids counted out loud for me to jump in with them. This time, I made a 'bomb dive,' just to splash them on purpose!
We swam peacefully for a good hour. The calm water of the Aquário Natural Pools makes it super easy to relax with kids, letting them gain confidence, swim away from us, practice their first breath holds, and try out different strokes. It was almost like a genuine swimming lesson! We were all pleased with the visible improvement in their swimming skills. The tiredness was noticeable on the kids' faces, but their happiness was even more obvious.
We actually had to 'drag' them out of the water because they didn't want to leave the pools. Once outside, we lay down on the towels spread out on the stone ground - which, by the way, acts like a natural heater. It felt really good, especially since we’d come out of the water feeling a bit chilly. Those minutes of comfort, lying on the warm towels, pressed against the ground, were the small luxuries that Madeira gave us.
Once we had dried off, changed and slipped on our flip-flops, it was time to visit the Madeira Aquarium, which we had already passed on our way to the pools. With Vera getting a piggy back and Francisco on my shoulders, we made our way through the rocks until we reached the aquarium.
Another pleasant surprise! I'll admit that, from the outside looking in, we weren't expecting to see such a big tank with so many different marine species. We checked out all the species at the Madeira Aquarium, set in a very natural environment, with water literally dripping from the ceiling - the aquarium is built into the rocks, constantly wetted by the sea. It’s such a special feeling visiting places that are well integrated into nature; it really gives you the sense that you're seeing the animals in their natural habitat.
The kids were, as always, fascinated by the sharks, and quickly asked for photos to show their cousins and grandparents. But they were also super curious about the smaller species - some even quite quirky - in the smaller tanks. They were so curious that they just wanted to stick their hands in and grab a few! Of course, we had to control these urges, sticking to the rules, but that didn't stop them from loving the visit.
It was another family activity in Madeira, with lots of smiles, quality moments both in and out of the water, learning about marine life, and plenty of photos that we’ll definitely want to look back on later. With so many experiences in Madeira, it's easy to forget a few if we don’t capture them... but it’s also a great excuse to come back and do it all again!
