Hidden along the rugged coastline of Southern Madeira lies the hidden, ancient oasis Doca do Cavacas. These natural volcanic pools rest between dark rocks with snow white tips. Over centuries, millions of waves carved these shallow basins. The purified water reflects a blue that envies the clearest Caribbean sky. As we descended the cliffside, toward the pool, I could not help but pause and marvel at the unbelievable view. A couple of paragliders laughed as their colorful parachutes fluttered in the cloudless sky.
The water was much colder than I expected, but it did not take long before diving beneath the water where bright fish danced between sharp coral. There’s a healing nature to the water collecting in the deep mazes of Madeira’s ancient volcanic rock, hard to explain unless you have experienced it. After a few hours in the pool, my body felt completely recovered from days of walking the steep cobbled streets of Funchal. The white, hand painted rocks maintained the perfect temperature to lay and close your eyes, despite the direct sun overhead.
