Most subtropical holiday destinations come with some nasty insects, animals or reptiles, that most people don't like. Luckily, Madeira is not the case. There are no venomous or dangerous animals on the island.
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Even though Madeira is a subtropical island, where all kinds of nasty critters would thrive because of the climate, there are no poisonous or otherwise dangerous animals in Madeira. For us, children of the cool north, poisonous animals are perhaps more scary than to people who are native to warmer climates.
Some species are very rare to spot, such as orcas, they only pass Madeira during their transit to other waters. So the chance of seeing them is very small.
Calheta Beach is one of the island of Madeira's few yellow sandy beaches. A peaceful swimming experience is guaranteed by two piers, so you can exercise in the sea all year round. Ribeira do Natal Beach enjoys properties that make it one of the best places for swimming. The transparency of its waters is remarkable.
Violent crime involving tourists is extremely rare in Madeira and so you have little to worry about with regard to personal safety. But as with any travel destination, it's important to take basic travel safety precautions such as keeping your valuables close by and/or hidden, especially at night.
“Madeira Safe to Discover”As we mentioned above, among the main reasons Madeira was included in the European Best Destination's list of the safest 2021 travel destinations in Europe is the impressive effectiveness of the strict sanitary measures the islands has adopted.
Is it safe? Despite the occasionally hairy-looking landings, Funchal Airport is actually a very safe place to fly. The last major weather-related incident there was the crash of TAP flight 425 in 1977. The 727 overran the runway, killing 131 out of 164 people onboard.
Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in the Madeira Islands. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.
Lying over 500 kilometers from the African coast, Madeira – about half the size of Hertfordshire – was simply too far over rough seas for land animals to make the crossing, even haphazardly. The total absence of land mammals allowed the Trocaz pigeon to become the royalty of Madeira.
Away from the Hotels, there are countless stray dogs wandering the streets barking night and day. Some of these dogs are just kicked out of their homes and left to their own devices. They walk in front of cars randomly and should not be approached.
Dolphins, Whales and Sea LionsThe coastal waters of Madeira Island, are host to at least nine species of dolphins and ten species of migrating cetaceans. These are protected in the 430,000 km2 Madeiran Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The most commun wildlife are dolphins, whales and sea lions.
Portugal is a safe destination for solo travel—and so is Madeira. Solo travelers should take the same precautions they would anywhere else. These include: Watching your drinks made.
The average standard of living tends to be a bit lower than in mainland Portugal, and the local autonomous government gives generous subsidies coming from the tourist industry revenues and from the Portuguese national budget. Go where the locals go and everything will be cheap.
There is plenty of water in Madeira and it is all drinkable and of excellent quality. Porto Santo uses desalinated water, which is perfectly safe to drink.
On March 4th, 1930, a sector of the Cape Girão cliff, located in the southern shore of Madeira Island, collapsed into the sea and generated an 8 m tsunami wave height.
The water temperature remains very pleasant all year round, ranging between 19°C/66°F (winter) and 24°C/75°F (summer). The best month to swim in the sea is in September, when the average sea temperature is 24°C (75°F).
The most affected regions are Azores, Madeira and North. The hurricane season usually lasts from early June to late November. Portugal has certainly been affected by the foothills of several hurricanes, but during the past 12 months no hurricane reached the inhabited areas on land.
The best time to go, however, is between May and September, when whales and dolphins are most plentiful. Several species, including bottlenose dolphins, pilot whales, and sperm whales, can be seen throughout the year. From April to October, Bryde's whales are common, as are Atlantic spotted dolphins.
Just 5km (3 mi) off the coast of the island, the ocean depths can reach more than 3,000m (9,850ft) making Madeira's surrounding waters ideal for whales, dolphins, and a multitude of other marine species to swim through.