Azul Diving Center Madeira

Azul Diving Center Madeira is an SSI and PADI dive center based at the Penha França Mar Hotel in the heart of Funchal, on Madeira Island. The focus here is on custom-tailored dive and snorkel trips, individual training and small, fun groups — the sort of set-up that suits divers who would rather not be lost in a crowd.

Courses and dive sites

As a PADI 5 Star Dive Center with 5 PADI instructors, Azul runs PADI Discover Scuba Diving, Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver, alongside a 2 Dives Trip to the Garajau marine reserve. An onsite training pool and classroom keep the teaching side straightforward.

The house reef is reached straight from the jetty, and daily boat trips run at 9h and 14h00 to Garajau National Park and Cabo Girão Marine Park. Average depth is 15-20 m, with tunas, mackerels, large groupers, barracudas, stingrays and morays among the regulars, plus occasional frogfish, sea horses and turtles. Wreck divers can visit the Corveta Afonso Cerqueira F488 or the Pronto Wreck at 30mt, right in front of the shop.