SEIXAL BEACH MADEIRA – Beautiful black sand beach in Madeira

Seixal Beach is located on the north western coast of Madeira and is one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. Because most of the beaches in Madeira are covered in volcanic stones and pebbles, a sandy beach in Madeira is unique. But Seixal Beach is definitely the most stunning beach in Madeira if you ask us! With the impressive backdrop of green cliffs, a waterfall in the distance pouring into the ocean, and the soft black sand, Seixal Beach provides everything for beachgoers, photographers and surfers! Read in this complete guide everything you need to know about Seixal beach!

How to get to Seixal Beach

Seixal Beach is located on the impressive jungle feel north coast of Madeira island, Portugal. From the main town of Madeira, Funchal, it’s about 45 minutes driving over 40 kilometres. You can easily combine a visit to this incredible beach with the Porto Moniz Natural Pools and the Seixal Natural Pools. You can find Seixal Beach under it’s name on Google Maps, or Praia do Porto do Seixal in Portuguese. There are a few other beaches in the area such as Laje Beach, but the popular and most beautiful beach is known as Seixal Beach with the stunning backdrop of green cliffs. 

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What to expect at Seixal Beach

Seixal Beach has man reasons why it’s so popular with locals and tourists. The impressive green mountain backdrop almost makes you think as if you’re in Hawaii. Maybe that’s also the reason that Madeira has been called ‘Europe’s Hawaii’. On this part of the island you truly feel and understand why! The towering lush green cliffs that end up straight in the ocean isn’t something you can see anywhere else on the island. And in the far distance you can even see a waterfall flowing into the ocean. Almost a surreal sight. More about this waterfall called Véu da Noiva waterfall later in this blog post.

There are some fun things to do and explore on this beach, and also in the close area. Below a summary of all the things to do at Seixal Beach!

The beautiful black sand beach is a place you must have seen in Madeira. While most of the other beaches in Madeira have rocky shores or pebbles, Seixal Beach is one of the few sandy beaches in Madeira. And of course the impressive mountain backdrop is a huge bonus of the whole experience at this beach. Photographers and drone lovers will shoot many pictures here. And because Seixal Beach is facing east along the north coast, it is also a perfect spot for sunrise! 

Entrance fee, parking and facilities at Seixal Beach

Just like many other nature attractions in Madeira, Seixal Beach has no entry fee and also the parking lot is free of charge. There is a parking area next to the beach and a bit uphill along the street. If it’s a busy day you might have to park further up the hill, or wait until a spot comes free. In front of the natural pools which are a little above the beach located, is a restaurant. You can also find toilets and a shower at the beach. 

Sunrise at Seixal Beach 

The first time we went to Seixal Beach was at the end of the morning after watching the sunrise at the Seixal Natural Pools a few kilometres further away. While exploring around we thought it would be a great idea to come back another time to watch and shoot the sunrise at Seixal Beach. And what a great idea was that! Because the beach is facing east along the north coast of Madeira, you can watch a stunning sunrise here. The first light of the day will shine directly on the green mountains, lighting up the black sand and creating an even more magical scene than the beach already is. 

When we arrived a little before sunrise, it was pretty moody with thick grey low hanging clouds. We were in doubt if the sun would come through, but as with everything in life, you gotta stay patient and keep the faith! When the first sunlight peeked through the clouds, it created some of the most magical lightrays we have ever seen! As if a ladder from heaven was send out below the clouds to touch the ocean, we were in awe of this magical morning and couldn’t stop shooting! Below some of our favourite photos.

Seixal Beach caves

If you walk down the beach to the far end, you will find a few small caves facing towards the ocean. If you have some time left and looking for a little exploration, it is fun to check out these Seixal Beach caves! 

Seixal Beach pier 

Another very fun activity to do at Seixal Beach is walking on the man made pier towards the end where you can enjoy the crashing waves up on the lava rocks. But you can also jump off from the pier into the water! The pier is about 3 meters high and with the incredible backdrop of green mountains and blue ocean water it is the perfect setting for a jump or backflip! We saw many locals kids doing this, so it was sure for us that is was safe to do and turned out into a very fun experience!

Natural Pools at Seixal Beach 

At the back side of the beach is a restaurant located looking out over some natural pools. Here you can take a dip to enjoy the salty water which is protected by the lava rock walls. Because there are no waves coming into the pools, it is safer to swim here when the sea is a bit rough. These natural pools are quite similar to the Seixal Natural Pools a few kilometres further up, but without the amazing rock arches. 

Surfing at Seixal Beach 

If you’re in for some activity, there is an option to learn surfing here. Because of the sandy bottom and small waves, Seixal Beach has the perfect circumstances to learn surfing in Madeira. And what a location is it to learn surfing! You probably won’t find another beach like this one in Europe. The waves are suitable for a beginners surf lessons, of course depending on the weather and swell. You can book surf lessons at the surf club next to the beach and they also offer stand up paddle boards. 

Short video about Seixal Beach

Of each beautiful destination in Madeira we have created a short scene for our full Madeira promotional film. Of course we couldn’t miss this amazing beach in it! So at the sunrise morning here we’ve made some shots which will be included in the Madeira travel film. But you can watch the 1 minute short video about Seixal beach below. Feel the vibes of this special place, and if you weren’t convinced yet to go here, this video must give you the last push!

Watch this video from our experience of Seixal Beach Madeira!

Other things to do near Seixal Beach

After exploring and relaxing at the beach, there are more fun things to do in the close area. The things you can’t miss are listed down below. 

Véu da Noiva waterfall (Bridal Veil viewpoint)

From the beach you can see a waterfall pouring down from the mountain straight into the ocean. This waterfall has the name Bridal Veil (Véu da Noiva) and can be seen from closer up at the viewpoint a few kilometres further away from Seixal Beach. You can reach the waterfall from the water with a paddle board or boat if you want to have a look from closer up. If you go to the viewpoint, you will see a platform facing towards the ocean and down towards the east where you can spot the waterfall. Well worth a visit an ideal to combine this activity with a visit to the beach! 

Seixal Natural Swimming Pools

The Seixal Natural swimming pools are well worth a visit and just like Seixal Beach a great place to watch the sunrise. This collection of natural lava rock pools is a great spot to hang out for a few hours. You can explore many things here such as the caves, rock arches and different natural pools. Bring your swimwear and enjoy this beautiful nature phenomenon! On a calm day the water inside the pools is perfectly still creating a beautiful reflection of the clouds, if there are any in the sky. These are the safest circumstances for swimming as there won’t be any waves crashing over the pool. But be aware on windy days with bigger waves as a dangerous situation might occur when the waves crash over the edge of the natural pools.

Read everything about the Seixal Natural Pools in this complete guide

More Madeira travel inspiration

We hope you enjoyed this blog post about Seixal beach Madeira.

For more inspiration about the best things to do in Madeira, head over to our other blog posts.

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