Scuba Diving Experience in Madeira

Recommended by 96% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Funchal, Portugal

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Try some scuba diving in the blue waters of Madeira when you’re on a visit to the area. This package includes all your equipment, your instructor’s guidance, safety briefings and instruction, practice in the pool or shallow water, and then one dive of up to 40ft (12 m) and with the entire activity taking around 2.5 hours.

You’ll have one real dive in the big water
All your equipment is included
Your instructor will be with you the entire time
Come away with a certificate of recognition

What's Included

Professional instructor
Use of Scuba equipment

Use of SCUBA equipment
All Fees and Taxes

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Azul Diving Madeira | PADI 5 star dive center in Funchal
Hotel Penha França Mar, R. Carvalho Araújo, São Martinho, 9000-022 Funchal, Portugal
Please watch this video to find easily our location:

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Azul Diving Center

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions

Most travelers can participate
Do not fly on the 12 hours after the experience
If you have any medical condition you will need a medical certificate
You need to know how to swim
E-learning training materials and forms: https://learning.padi.com/dsd?store_number=28400
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 4 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Saks_H

I booked this diving experience with my daughter of 12. Another couple already there so 4 person's in total After a very friendly welcome we got into the wetsuits. Then a very clear and thorough explanation of what to expect and how the equipment works. After practicing (clear, calm and friendly) in the nearby pool we jumped in the sea (20 meter walk). Again calm, friendly and thorough guidance to the sea floor. I felt totally safe and saw that the instructor paid extra attention to my daughter to make sure she felt safe too! We swam around, saw lot's of fish, did some games and the instructor took underwater pictures and videos (for a little extra fee). Highly recommended!

Reviews

4.8

based on 269 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Excellent diving experience!

Saks_H, Feb 2026

Very interesting and good...

Rafa_S, Dec 2025

Very interesting and good for the beginners. It was my first time and I had really good time. You should try it if you never try it before

My first time diving....

Susan_O, Oct 2025

My first time diving. Instructor was great and very patient. I never felt unsafe. Plenty of time in ocean.

Excellent

Benjamin_B, May 2025

Rafa tended to our every need and did all he could to help or family have an enjoyable experience. Highly recommended!

one of best experiences!

joe_w, Feb 2025

one of the best experiences i’ve ever done definitely recommend when travelling to madeira our dive instructor esme was great taught us everything we needed to know no messing around and straight into the sea 35 minutes diving time amazing highly recommend

I had a great time, it...

Johnny_B, Dec 2024

I had a great time, it was my first time scuba diving so I wasn’t sure what to expect but the instructor was very patient and very helpful with learning what we needed before heading to sea. I had an amazing experience and thoroughly recommend to anyone thinking about trying!

Colorfull and fun dive

Alyssa_G, Oct 2024

It was our first time diving and we had a great time! Theo took the time to help us with the equipment and told us everything we needed to know before the dive. In the water he showed us different fish and sealife. We would definitely recommend this!

Great but hidden costs for footage

Chloe_G, Oct 2024

Really loved this experience! The female instructor was amazing with my daughter who was panicking. I did not think she would enter the sea but she did! Take Note that cameras/go pros are not allowed (for beginners due to safety) and footage is taken by them…. This will cost you 20 euros each to get so a hidden additional expense for an already expensive excursion. My son was unable to dive as having issues with his ears. I think more time could have been spent helping him but it was simply no! The male instructor was not as patient as the female one. Given he was unable to dive and we had payed for him, I thought some discount would be offered etc but no. But overall the experience was very good. We were a single family group so we had a short time in the pool practicing and then a good time in the sea. The instructor was pointing out hidden creatures that was good to see. Would recommend in a small group!

Excellent diving in Funchal

India_G, Aug 2024

Esme, Guadalupe, Anthony and the team were excellent. We had our course split over two days as the water was too rough, but they were hugely accommodating and booked the open water session as soon as possible. Very calm, professional and charismatic - they all made the experience excellent and have given us the bug to go diving again! I would recommend to anyone visiting Funchal, as a great place to try Scuba or dive recreationally if more experienced. Many thanks to everyone at the Diving School!

AUG 24

Niall_M, Aug 2024

The instructor was very calm, collected and knew a lot about the fauna. Was a tremendous experience.

Great experience!

Razvan_S, Aug 2024

Did the first experiece with Scotch who was very professional and took very good care of us. He was patient and made sure all of us had the best experience posible. Thanks!

First scuba

Adam_H, Jun 2024

Couldn’t have had a better instructor for my first scuba experience. Rafa was professional, full and energy, and made us feel very safe. Ocean conditions were decent and we got a full 45 minutes of diving done in open water.

A whole new experience

Kamil_K, Dec 2023

Definitely a must-have if you visiting Madeira. Awesome instructor, that teaches about everything, then helps you practice and aids in the sea if needed. Breathing with mask & stuff is a completely new experience. Have seen some fish, octopus and other stuff, amazing experience!

Mind blowing experience!

Bartlomiej_G, Sep 2023

Absolutely amazing experience! Never done anything like this before but Rafael (instructor) made it so relaxed . Would definitely do it agai. Highly recommended

First dive

Paulo_F, Jul 2023

Amazing experience, nice and friendly staff and very easy to understand. First time diving and couldn't fault anything. Managed to stay 40 minutes underwater, so cool.

Wonderful patient and experienced instructor… we felt very safe with him

Catherine_A, Jul 2023

The feeling of freedom when you relax and enjoy the experience. Wonderful taster to exploring the world of diving

It was unpleasant for us....

Cindy_Y, Jul 2023

It was unpleasant for us. We're beginners and would've appreciated being alone with the instructor, not in a group.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Hello Cindy, thanks for your feedback. Indeed this activity is made in a group o 4 maximum; I am sorry if you thought it was a private activity.

Dive much shorter than advertised

Christine_A, Jul 2023

Only spent 25 minutes in the ocean (listing says it should be 45/50 minutes). This is because half our air was already gone by the time we entered the sea. Way too much time was wasted in the pool (doing nothing, just using up oxygen and lying on the bottom while an instructor was busy) as there were too many customers and not enough instructors. Our tanks were half empty before we got in the sea, which meant it dive was much shorter than it should have been. Therefore the value for money was poor.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Hello Christine, thanks for your feedback. I am happy to explain the reason why the dive was shorter than expected. The dive was shorter than expected because you breathed all your air quickly. As a matter, we always surface with a safety margin. We can assure you that time at the pool is essential to learn the basic skills needed for the ocean part. At the depth of 1.2 meters (our pool depth), you didn't breathe half of your air :) but anyways; thankfully thousands of beginners like you appreciate our program. We wish you a lovely holiday in Madeira.

a glimpse of magic

gareth_J, Jul 2022

For someone with no prior Scuba experience this was absolutely amazing! Getting taught the basic principles and mechanics in the pool before getting out and along the quay and down the steps into the sea and actual deep water it's amazing how easy it is (if you pay attention!) to get a real undersea experience. Such wonder and beauty hiding just below the surface. 10 metres is more than deep enough to get the sense of wonder and of moving through space in ways that are just impossible on land. And the beauty of the colours of the fish which are just incomparable to anything above the surface! We saw fish, crabs, eels and others all relatively close to the shore within the mouth of the bay. Great instructors and a truly wonderful experience. Just wish i had an underwater camera to share some pics from below the surface! :D

Belle expérience sous l’océan

aurore_t, Aug 2024

Super avec la monitrice Guadelupe . Une belle expérience en famille très bien encadré . Un souvenir magnifique

Un bapteme

Medhy_L, Aug 2023

Exellence expérience avec mon fils - A recommander pour une première expérience de plongée & bapteme

Batismo de mergulho

Carlos_M, Jul 2022

Minha primeira experiência em mergulho, a experiência correu muito bem, os instrutores nos ensinam tudo com paciência...experiência que irei repetir...

Génial

Kadina_S, Jun 2022

Super belle expérience! Raphaël nous a tout bien expliqué et nous a mis en confiance. L’entraînement dans la piscine m’a Permis d’être beaucoup plus à l’aise. Puis nous avons été dans la mer et vu des poissons c’était génial!