The best outdoor activities in Madeira Island

The Portuguese archipelago of Madeira is a hugely popular destination for holidaymakers from around the globe. And it’s easy to see why!

The island is exposed to a pleasant mild climate all year round that ranges between 17 degrees in the winter to 25 degrees in the summer. Not only that, but it also has long stretches of powder sand beaches, making it ideal for people looking to practice outdoor and maritime activities like surfing.

The island’s large variety of exclusive fauna and flora has attracted ramblers, hikers and naturalists from high and low. Madeira offers about 600 miles (966 kilometres) of walks, many alongside the levadas, some of the island's greatest attractions.

Recent years have also seen canyoning become a more and more popular activity to be practiced by both tourists and locals.

Scuba divers will find Madeira to be a jewel of the ocean. Its plethora of sea creatures as well several coveted diving spots such as Ponta de São Lourenço have turned it into one of the top scuba diving destinations.

Visitors can even go whale watching and see a range of species such as the spotted dolphin, striped dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, short-finned pilot whale, Bryde's whale, Sei whale, fin whale, sperm whale, beaked whales – the list is never-ending!