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Madeira Boat Tours

Tier 1 destination

Desertas Islands Day Trip

The Desertas are a Nature Reserve archipelago 25 km off Madeira's south coast. The full-day boat trip is the closest you'll get to seeing them — landings are restricted and weather-dependent — but the 9-hour crossing is one of Madeira's signature experiences if conditions cooperate.

By Pedro Andrade, licensed skipper · Last updated

What the Desertas are

Three uninhabited islands — Deserta Grande, Bugio, and Ilhéu Chão — collectively a Nature Reserve since 1990, primarily to protect the last Atlantic monk seal colony in European waters. The terrain is dramatic: 400m sea cliffs, deep gorges, sparse vegetation, and a permanent IFCN ranger presence on Deserta Grande.

You can't visit independently. The reserve permits a small number of operator-run day trips, all of which depart from Funchal Marina between roughly April and October.

The trip in numbers

  • Duration: ~9 hours total (depart Funchal ~9am, return ~6pm)
  • Distance: 25 km out, 25 km back, plus inter-island sailing
  • Anchor price: €99 per adult (Bonita da Madeira) including lunch + welcome drink + swim stop
  • Premium operators: Lux Madeira (~€115-130)
  • Season: April through October — closed in winter due to weather
  • Capacity: typically 24-40 passengers per boat

What happens on the day

  1. Welcome + briefing at Funchal Marina (~9am). Operators check sea state and decide on the route.
  2. Crossing — 2-2.5 hours open water to the islands. Expect dolphin sightings on the way (year-round common species). Sea-state-dependent: in calm conditions it's lovely; in chop it's where seasickness hits hardest.
  3. Inter-island sailing past dramatic cliffs. Cetacean spotting is most likely here. Sometimes monk seal sightings near Deserta Grande's eastern coast.
  4. Swim stop in a sheltered bay (typically near Ilhéu Chão). Snorkeling gear provided. Water clear and deep.
  5. Lunch on board — usually a fish + salad + bread + wine setup.
  6. Return crossing — same route, often calmer in the afternoon.
  7. Funchal arrival ~6pm.

Landing — when does it happen?

Landings are not guaranteed. The reserve permits a small number of permitted landings per season, and operators only attempt one if conditions are very calm and the rangers approve. Most trips do the full inter-island sailing without a land step.

If landing is critical to your trip, ask the operator their landing rate — Bonita da Madeira and Lux Madeira will tell you honestly. Most years it's around 30-40% of trips that successfully land.

Conditions to plan around

  • Best months: May, June, September, October. Calmer seas, manageable crowds.
  • July-August: hot + busy. Book 5+ days ahead. Sea can be choppy in trade-wind weeks.
  • Wind: persistent N or NE wind cancels trips. The forecast 2-3 days out is reliable.
  • Cancellation policy: weather cancellations refund or reschedule (operator-dependent).

Seasickness reality

The Desertas crossing is the single most common cause of seasickness on Madeira boat tours. Why: 5+ hours total open-water time, larger boats that roll, no land-orientation cue mid-crossing. If you have any seasickness history, take medication 1 hour before departure (not after — too late). Read the seasickness guide before booking.

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