Complexo Balnear da Doca do Cavacas

• Outdoors
• From 8
• No price published
• Just turn up

Volcanic rock pools with a supervised complex bolted onto them - the interesting swim on the Funchal seafront, and the one only confident swimmers should take.

This is the complex on this stretch with no children's pool, and that decides everything: the water is of adult depth, the bottom is rock, and the Atlantic comes over the sill. Families with children who swim rate it above the Lido because the pools are natural and the snorkelling is real; families with toddlers walk back to Ponta Gorda. The complaint that recurs is cut feet, so swim shoes are close to compulsory.

Worth knowing: Check the south-coast swell before walking down. When any surf is running the pools wash out and the staff close them, and there is nothing else to do here.

Opening hours

Mon

10:00-20:00

Tue

10:00-20:00

Wed

10:00-20:00

Thu

10:00-20:00

Fri

10:00-20:00

Sat

10:00-20:00

Sun

10:00-20:00

Prices

A Frente MarFunchal day pass, valid across its complexes; parasols and loungers extra. No walk-up tariff table is published at source.

Season

The 10:00 to 20:00 day is the peak season, 1 June to 30 September. Outside it the hours are shorter and the lifeguard cover thins.

Getting there

Prices and opening times change without notice, and on this island they change often. Everything here carries the date it was checked in our research notes; if a place has moved or closed, tell us and we will fix it.