Under Cabo Girão, the cliff swim on Funchal boat trips
Several whale trips from Funchal end with a stop below Cabo Girão, a sea cliff about 580 m high west of the city. Some boats let you swim and snorkel at its foot, one stops only for photos. On the way back you pass a fishing village and a famous hotel before the whole Funchal waterfront comes into view.
A wall of rock west of Funchal
Cabo Girão is a sea cliff on Madeira's south coast, a short run west of Funchal along the shore. It rises about 580 m (1,900 ft) out of the Atlantic, and the boat listings give figures between 580 and 586 m.
It is usually counted among the highest sea cliffs in Europe. From the top you look down at the sea, but from a boat at its foot you look up at a dark wall that fills half the sky.
Small terraced fields, known locally as fajãs, sit on ledges at the base. From the water you can often make out the little plots and paths, which look almost impossible to reach.
For photos, the scale is hard to capture from close in. A wide-angle lens or the wide setting on a phone helps fit the whole face into one frame. A boat or a swimmer in the shot gives a sense of size.
Which trips stop at the cliff
Four of the five trips we compare include Cabo Girão on the way back from the animals, but they use it differently. Three stop for a swim and one for photos, while Blue Safari's listing mentions no stop there.
| Trip | At Cabo Girão | Snorkel gear | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| VipDolphins | 30-minute swim and snorkel stop | Included | ~$88 |
| Gaviao | Swim and snorkel stop from the yacht | Provided | ~$45 |
| Magic Dolphin | Swim break on 3-hour trips, weather allowing | Bring your own | ~$39 |
| Xpoint | Photo stop, no swim | Not needed | ~$67 |
| Blue Safari | No stop in the listing | None | ~$67 |
Magic Dolphin's swim has one exception. In July and August its 9 am departure skips the swim, so choose another departure if the cliff is the part you care about.
Swimming under the cliff
The boat stops in clear water close to the rock, and guests who want to swim go in while the others stay on deck. On VipDolphins the stop lasts about 30 minutes, long enough for a proper swim and a look around with a mask.
The sea is roughly 18–24 °C (64–75 °F) depending on the season. Our guide to the months explains when the water is at its warmest.
Reviews are frank about the snorkeling. Some days the spot shows few fish, and nobody should expect a coral reef. What you get is a swim in deep blue water with the cliff above you.
This is not a dolphin swim. The stop is about the sea and the cliff, and Xpoint's add-on is the only swim on this site planned around the animals.
Gaviao's sailing trip
Gaviao Madeira's yacht trip, from ~$45, takes up to 20 people for three hours and goes up to 3 miles offshore. On the way back it stops at Cabo Girão for a snorkel with gear provided. Reviewers mention wine and soft drinks on board.
On days without enough wind the yacht motors the whole way rather than sailing. It is also slower than a motorboat, which means less ground covered while the crew searches for whales.
Shoes stay off on deck, and the yacht does not suit travelers with mobility impairments. Sightings are not guaranteed, and if bad weather cancels the trip you get another day or a full refund.
Under sail to the foot of the cliff
If a quiet yacht and a snorkel below Cabo Girão appeal more than speed, Gaviao is the trip to look at. It is sold on GetYourGuide only, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
The coast on the way back
Between the cliff and the marina, the boats run along a stretch of coast you would otherwise see only from the road. The first landmark is Câmara de Lobos, a fishing village around a small harbor.
Closer to town you pass Reid's, the cliff-top hotel where Winston Churchill once stayed. Then the Funchal waterfront opens up, with the city climbing the hills behind it.
Heading east toward the marina, the land is on your left. On Magic Dolphin the 360° upper deck gives the widest view, and on the smaller boats it pays to grab a seat on that side early.
The skywalk, by land
Cabo Girão also has a viewing platform at the top with a glass floor over the drop, reached by road from Funchal. From up there, the boats you rode in look like toys.
Seeing the cliff from both sides makes a good pair of outings, and the platform fits into any drive west of the city. Opening hours and entry details can change, so check them locally before you go.
Getting the most out of the stop
- Wear swimwear under your clothes and pack a towel
- Bring your own mask and snorkel for Magic Dolphin, which does not provide them
- Keep a dry layer for the ride back to the marina
- Expect the swim to be dropped when the sea is rough
The swim also changes how a three-hour trip divides up. On VipDolphins it takes about 30 minutes, the same as the time spent with the animals, which our price comparison weighs against the shorter fast boats.
Blue Safari and Xpoint put more of the trip into the search, which suits you if the cliff is only a bonus. Read about the four boat types and what happens on an empty day before you choose.