Glass bottom boat Madeira: boat trips

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Visitors in Funchal who want to see the coast from the water usually ask for the classic trips, and some for a glass bottom boat Madeira does not seem to offer from its capital: none of the 51 boat trips from Funchal uses one. What the harbour does offer is wide: sunset cruises by catamaran along the cliffs to Cabo Girão, a replica of Columbus's ship, a pirate ship, private yachts, full days to the Desertas Islands, and short rides by jet ski or parasail.

Most trips last 2 to 3 hours, and the most common single length is 3 hours. Sixteen of them are sunset cruises. Twenty-six operators run them, and together they have more than 6,400 reviews.

For looking under the water, the snorkelling trips and the clear Garajau marine reserve, east of the city, do what a glass floor would.

Sunsets, parties and private yachts

The common mistake is to book a daytime trip for the views. The evening trips are the most popular for a reason.

Sixteen of the trips from Funchal are sunset cruises, most of about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours: on a traditional Madeiran boat with drinks, rated 4.86 from 928 reviews; on catamarans to Cabo Girão, where the cliff rises 580 m above the sea; and on all-inclusive luxury catamarans along the south coast.

The boat party Madeira knows best is New Year's Eve, when a fireworks cruise of 1 hour 30 minutes takes guests out into the bay; for 2025-26, 11 cruise ships and a sailing ship also came in for the night.

For a group of your own, a private boat tour Madeira operators offer is the way: private yachts for a sunset or a swim with drinks, a private boat with snorkelling and paddle boards for up to 11 people, and private catamarans with an open bar. Thirteen of the trips are private by name.

Cabo Girão features a cliff that rises 580 m above the sea.

Catamarans

Visitors often assume all catamaran trips are the same. They differ in length, route and what is included.

A Madeira catamaran boat tour from Funchal usually runs west along the coast towards Cabo Girão, and some stop for a swim. Twelve of the trips are on catamarans by name: the sunset tour of VMT Madeira, 3 hours, with 1,310 reviews; the Cabo Girão sunset catamaran, 4.8 from 184; the swimming cruise to Cabo Girão by luxury catamaran; and the all-inclusive trips of Rota dos Cetáceos along the south coast, 2 hours 30 minutes, rated 4.87 and 4.74.

The longest catamaran trips in the category go further: a full day of 9 hours to the Desertas Islands, with lunch, and private catamaran charters to the Desertas, 8 hours, and to Porto Santo, 13 hours.

For catamaran trips Madeira visitors take to see dolphins and whales, the whale watching guide compares the 23 trips from the marina.

Charters and short rides

People often look for a boat to hire and find only tours. The private trips are the nearest thing.

For Madeira boat rental in the sense of a boat of your own for the day, the private trips are the answer: half-day private yachts of 6 hours, a 7-hour private trip along the coast with water activities, and private catamaran charters to the Desertas or Porto Santo.

The shortest Madeira boat trips are the thrill rides in the harbour: a jet ski circuit of 30 minutes, rated 4.52 from 195 reviews, and a parasailing flight along the coast, also 30 minutes, 4.35 from 88.

In between, the snorkelling trips, from the shore or by boat, take about 2 hours, into the water off the eco-park.

The Santa Maria, the pirate ship and the Desertas

The mistake is to see the old ship in the harbour and assume it is only for photographs. It sails.

Among the Madeira boat tours, the most reviewed is the flag-ship tour aboard the Santa Maria de Colombo, a replica of Christopher Columbus's ship, a 3-hour trip rated 4.56 from 2,066 reviews. The Madeira Pirate Ship trip, also 3 hours, has 557 reviews at 4.42.

The longest days go to the Desertas Islands, a nature reserve of 12,586 ha and a refuge of the Mediterranean monk seal. A Madeira catamaran tour there takes a full day of about 9 hours with lunch; a wooden-boat excursion runs 8 hours 30 minutes, also with lunch.

For Porto Santo, the public ferry, the Lobo Marinho, takes about 2 hours 15 minutes from the south quay of the harbour, with a day cruise from €72.02. The Porto Santo guide covers it.

Before you book

The common mistake is to book a sunset trip for the first evening and hope. The weather and the sea decide.

Check the forecast for wind and swell on the day, and book trips that can be moved or cancelled; the Atlantic can be rough on any coast. For the Desertas, a calm day matters most, since the crossing is long.

Bring a jacket for the evening wind, sun cream, water, and a swimsuit on the trips that stop at Cabo Girão. The sea is warmest in September, at about 22.9 °C, and above 20 °C from June to November.

For the snorkelling, the Garajau marine reserve, 376 ha, has water clear enough to see life at more than 20 m. The 2026 Blue Flag list names the bathing areas, and Visit Madeira the operators at the marina.

Common questions

Is there a glass-bottom boat in Funchal?

None of the 51 boat trips from Funchal uses one; the snorkelling trips and the Garajau marine reserve are the way to see under the water.

What is the best boat trip in Funchal?

The most reviewed is the Santa Maria de Colombo, a replica of Columbus's ship, 3 hours; the top-rated sunset trip is on a traditional Madeiran boat.

How long are boat trips from Funchal?

Most last 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours; jet skis and parasailing 30 minutes, and Desertas days 8 to 9 hours.

Can I charter a private boat in Madeira?

Yes: private yachts, boats and catamarans run from 2 hours to a 13-hour charter to Porto Santo.