Doca do Cavacas Natural Pools Funchal: The Best Natural Pool in Madeira!

When it comes to natural pools in Madeira, one of the most ‘famous’ is in Porto Moniz, in the north of the island. Personally, I think it’s a little overrated! Doca do Cavacas natural pools in Funchal, is smaller than Porto Moniz, but I thought it feels more natural. In this post, I share everything you need to know about visiting Doca do Cavacas Funchal.

Natural Pools Funchal

In This Guide

Doca do Cavacas Funchal

💰Paid entry
Facilities:🚾🚿⛱️🍹🛟

Doca do Cavas, also known as Piscinas Naturais da Doca do Cavacas, is located along the Promenade do Lido in São Martinho. This is a natural lido area which I really loved. There are 9 lidos and beaches in Funchal but Doca do Cavacas is the only natural pool.

Doca do Cavacas natural pools funchal — Path leading down to Doca do Cavacas Funchal

The entrance is right next to Túnel das Poças do Gomes. It is reached through the tunnel from Praia Formosa or down a steep set of stairs leading down from the Promenade. Doca do Cavacas is open from 10am until 7pm. Life guards are on duty.

The Pools

As mentioned, the pools are really small in comparison to Porto Moniz, but the water is SO clear. Being natural pools, they do have crabs and fish in…and the crabs are GIANT.

Crab at Funchal natural pools — Crab in the Funchal natural pools

There are lots of little pathways, bridges, and steps into the pools which are fun to climb over. BUT they can get extremely slippery. It really does feel like swimming in a big rock pool! It’s sometimes hard to tell the depth too. The middle is very deep, but by the edges, it is quite shallow. I did end up accidentally kicking the rocks when swimming.

Natural pools in Funchal — Doca do Cavacas Madeira

A narrow ledge divides the pools from the sea. This is a nice place to sit, with your legs in the water, while not being in the way of people trying to access the pools. The top of the large lava rock was off limits, despite having the white paint which looks like a path.

I wouldn’t particularly recommend Doca do Cavacas for those with children, unless they are strong swimmers as the pools are deep.

Swimming in Funchal natural pools — Swimming in the Funchal natural pools at Doca do Cavacas

Sea swimming

Along with the pools, there is an area to jump into the sea with access via steps and a ladder. This area is much deeper than the pools.

Facilities

Four of the Funchal lidos are operated as ‘one’, so entrance to each of them costs the same (€5.50 for an adult – correct at the time of writing July 2023). If you buy a multi-day pass, you can use it at any of the 4.

You can also get packages for entry plus sun lounger and umbrella rentals are available. There are several decks, which are painted blue, which provide a flat surface to lay down a towel. However, there is not a huge amount of shade, and sitting on the hard ground is quite uncomfortable.

Sun deck at Doca do Cavacas Funchal — Sitting on the sun deck at Doca do Cavacas natural pools Funchal

If you plan to stay at the natural pools for a while, I would recommend trying to get a sun bed and parasol. There are only a limited amount available, so it would be best to get to the pools early. This way you can guarantee that you can get one and choose the best position. Also, you have an option to sit out of the sun if required.

People do sit on the ‘white’ parts, but it does block the entryway to the pools.

Doca do Cavacas Funchal — Doca do Cavacas natural pools

You’ll also find toilets, showers, and changing rooms.

Cavacas Beach Bar

The Cavacas Beach Bar is open for mostly drinks. There is a terrace area with tables and chairs, that overlooks the pools as well as Praia Formosa. If you want to take drinks outside of the bar area, you’ll have to request a plastic cup.

They serve a range of soft drinks (water, sodas, milkshake, juice), beers, spirits, and cocktails. The cocktails are quite expensive compared to some locations in Funchal, but the Mojito I had was HUGE.

Mojito at Cavacas Bar in Funchal — Mojito at Cavacas Beach Bar

Our round of drinks also came with a complimentary bowl of Tremoços or Lupini Beans. These are a popular bar snack in Madeira!

Funchal Natural Pools FAQ

Are Madeira natural pools warm?

I visited in the middle of summer, and no the Madeira natural pools are not warm. They are essentially the same as swimming in the ocean. They are filled with ocean water, just a little more protected than open water swimming.

Where can I swim in Funchal?

There are 9 lidos and beaches in Funchal which are good for swimming. You can find a full guide here: A Complete Guide to the 9 Lidos and Beaches in Funchal Madeira!

Are Porto Moniz natural pools free?

There are actually two natural pools in Porto Moniz. The main Porto Moniz Natural Swimming Pools, that are most photographed, or the Piscinas Naturais do Aquário which are an 8 minute walk away.
The main pools have a €1.50 entry fee, whereas the Piscinas Naturals are free.

Which is Better Doca do Cavacas or Porto Moniz

Doca do Cavacas Pros

I personally prefer Doca do Cavacas for a couple of reasons:

Feels more natural, like swimming in a rock pool!
Close to Funchal, possible to walk or get a quick local bus.

Porto Moniz Pros

For the sake of this comparison, I will compare it to the main Porto Moniz swimming pools which are more ‘well known’. The free Piscinas Naturais are the most similar to Doca do Cavacas and are more like rock pools but smaller.

Porto Moniz Natural Pools Madeira — Porto Moniz Pools Madeira

Better for swimming, easier access but they do feel more like open-air swimming pools, rather than natural pools.
More toilet and changing facilities.
Cheaper than Doca do Cavacas.

Unless you visit Porto Moniz independently, most of the tours only give you a short time to swim. During my Madeira jeep tour it was the designated lunch break stop, so I skipped lunch to visit the pools.