Praia do Garajau — Attraction in Santa Cruz

This beach is well located with a 20 min drive from funchal or a couple of buses and short hike. (20-30 mins)

There is a restaurant and toilets and beautiful clear water.

However, for tourists it is hard to walk on the rocks, especially if it’s a hot day. Consider buying the swimming shoes or wearing shoes with good grip to be more comfortable moving around the beach as there is no sand.

The waves are pretty tough and currents are strong in the morning/ afternoon in August. I stayed for the day and did see some tourists having a bit of difficulty getting out of the water but the lifeguard was there to help. I am a medium strength swimmer so chose not to brave the water after attempting first time and leaving with some scratches after being knocked by the waves.

Lastly, there is a nice free cable car to get you up and down the beach, very convenient and nice views.

Overall a good beach but come well equipped and watch the locals enter and exit the water before you try to avoid injuries...

A beautiful public beach lies beneath a towering mountain cliff, offering plenty of shade whenever you need it. The walk down takes about 15 minutes—it’s steep but fully paved. Alternatively, you can take the chairlift from the upper road, which drops you directly at the beach station.

There’s a bar on-site, though it’s a bit pricey; luckily, you’re free to bring your own food and drinks. Divers are also present, offering scuba diving tours and keeping an eye on the beach for safety.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t a sandy beach. That’s what makes the water so clear, but it also means you should be cautious of the small stones that wash up...

Amazing beach, lovely to swim far out safely, lifeguards on duty. Not many little ones running around, unlike most of the man made sandy beaches. So if you prefer a beach with mostly adults, this is one of em.

The day was cool in Caniço but down at this beach it was really hot. The cable car ride down is totally worth the price, one of the cheapest in madeira and well maintained.

Make sure you bring proper beach shoes if you're not adept walking over slippery rocks, that's the only way into the water. Plus, the rocks on the shore were blisteringly hot. Great little Cafe for a cold one and a little restaurant as well to...