Paul do Mar, MADEIRA: ‘a nature lover’s paradise’, ‘a walker’s paradise’ & ‘the feel-good factor’

Nature lovers’ paradise and ‘the feel-good factor’
Firstly, it’s a nature lovers’ paradise in that people can sit outside a house at night and still listen to the Atlantic Ocean hitting the rocks without interruption, listen to owls and the strange cry of ‘Cory Shearwater birds (‘cagarras’) returning to feed their chicks. All can swim in the clear, unpolluted sea and snorkel and see many species including small octopuss and rays not far from the shore.

Paul do Mar is a special fishing village on the south-west coast of Madeira. The sunniest and hottest Madeiran coast. The village was only accessible by mountain paths and from the Ocean until the 1960’s when the first roads reached the village. Set between mountains and Ocean its always been an agricultural and fishing village. The farmers cultivate bananas, passion fruit, grapes and vegetables amongst other fruit and vegetables. And the fishermen still operate from the new fishing harbour in traditional boats. Paul do Mar is popular and famous with all tourists including returning Portuguese emigrants for the opportunities such as birdwatching, dolphin & whalewatching and mountain & levada walking.

Dolphin & whalewatching

Several kilometres off Paul do Mar is what can be described as a dolphin and whale highway where other species including young turtles pass daily. The largest creature on the planet a blue whale was spotted off Madeira this year. This was the first sighting for many years. We recommend the local Dolphin & whalewatching operator ‘Lobosonda’ which is featured on the website

Walkers’ paradise

Most visitors to Paul do Mar want deeper and more real travel experiences. Some rise very early to walk mountain and levada (irrigation channel) paths. Paul do Mar is a walkers’ paradise in that not only has it 2 historic, recommended walks starting in the village: the PR19 - Caminho Real do Paul do Mar and ‘the lavadeira walk’ up to Faja da Ovelha but, is close to recommended, famous walks including: the PR 6 - Levada das 25 fontes and the PR 6.1 - Levada do Risco.

Nature conservation projects
Visitors to the village partnering with eco-tourist operators and organisations such as SPEA (the Portuguese Bird Society), Hotel Jardim Atlantico and ‘Lobosonda’ participate in nature conservation projects such as the week long programme in October 2009 which was in conjunction with ‘the European Ecological Label Week’. The activities including the cleaning of one of the Paul do Mar beaches on the 9th October.

Paul do Mar is ‘the feel-good factor’ a special traditional Portuguese fishing village between mountains and the Atlantic Ocean still peaceful and not ruined by human development.

Further information/links:

-The Madeiran Tourism Department walk information on the:
PR 6 - Levada das 25 fontes, PR 6.1 - Levada do Risco:
http://www.madeiraislands.travel/pls/madeira/wsmwdet0.detalhe_conteudo?p_cot_id=412&p_lingua=pt&p_sub=1

and

PR19 - Caminho Real do Paul do Mar:

-Lobosonda whale & dolphin-watching:
www.lobosonda.com

-The hotel perched on cliffs above Paul do Mar which has won many international awards for environmental performance Hotel Jardim Atlantico:
http://www.jardimatlantico.com/eng/