Praia do Larano - Madeira's Most Dangerous Levadas and Mountain Walks Pt2

By popular demand, here is a feature on the infamous Praia do Larano, known by local people as Praia das Areias. Here's the location:


I wasn't so sure about including it in this perverted guide, because I really don't consider it a 'dangerous mountain walk', but then some people have sworn me it's as dangerous as can be, and the popular demand has been so overwhelming that I decided to write about it.

And hey, it is by far the most interesting and most beautiful beach inside Madeira island, so there's one good reason for writing about it.

Surprisingly, you won't find it mentioned in any of Portugal beach guides, like [1]. It's understandable: who's willing to bear 2 (to 4) hours of very tiresome walking just to get to a beach? Might as well go to Lido and perhaps enjoy the views of two or three blonde foreigner girls doing topless. It'll save you plenty in gas and hooker money.

Now to the hardcore wild black sand beach lover I'll be leaving some instructions. Before you go, one important thing you should check (aside from getting a towel, a big bottle of water and sunscreen into your bag) is the sea level times. This is a walk you are advised to take when the tide is low. This is an important safety instruction. You can check the sea level maxima timings by grabbing yourself a copy of the free Jornal da Madeira. Look for the tide information box and then check out the G and I columns:

These columns indicate the precise time in the morning and afternoon when the tide is at its lowest. You should preferably leave Funchal 2 to 3 hours before that time.

Head to Porto Cruz using Via Rápida, oficially known as Via Expresso. Coming from Funchal, you will have to take the first exit in Porto Cruz which is just beside a Galp station. This is a tricky exit, so you must drive slow as soon as you leave the tunnel and start seeing the Galp station in a slight descent.

The exit will take you to a very narrow road and you will find a bifurcation 50 metres ahead. Take the road left, which will lead to an entrancing descent. After taking this merry-go-round in the form of a road through its entirety (i.e. to its bottom), you will see two leads to the right. One is a very steep climb and the other is plain. You take the very steep climbing road, unless you decide you might as well give up, and settle for the already amazing partial black sand beach of Maiata de Baixo.

Some two or three minutes after taking the steep road up, you will find a recent asphalt lead to the left. Take that one, and beware that you only drive for 15 seconds in it, as you will have to start climbing again in the non-asphalt road to your right which is just next. Climb as much as you can with the car and park it wherever you can inside that road.

Now you will follow the little hiking trail which goes up, and this will take you to an iron balcony painted green. That's where the fun starts. Enjoy the vista there:


You will see some inviting ladder going down from that point, so that's your departure.


Afterwards it is really easy: just follow the hiking trail downwards.


It will take you to a recently renewed (and un-vandalized) wine tank. You will proceed further down the trail, and you will soon afterwards get to the stone beach. You have to take the right.

Personally I wouldn't venture to swim on the waters of Larano Stone Beach, but it's up to you:


You will keep walking on this stone beach for about 10-20 minutes, until you enter the tricky part of the path. That's the part where you have to proceed using mostly the inner (or upper) edge of the beach, so you distance yourself a bit from the shore. Soft climbing will be needed at some of the points, but the hardest you will ever find is this little stretch:


After it you will actually find the most demanding part of the whole thing, which is a very steep climb. You might want to take a good breath before going for it:


On surmounting it you catch the very first glimpse of your destination. Then you have to go down in the same steep manner. After that you meet your first tiny bit of black sand of the area:


Don't leave your towel there! You have to keep going, and you'll do again a little bit of climbing. Beware if you decide to walk over the watery stones. They are extremely slippery. Take my word for it.

So finally you will encounter the great black mass of sand:


Amazing! Just look at your left:



Your right:


Look all sides for God sake! There's even a beautiful stone in the middle:


You can go for a dive there. The sea is not very dangerous unless there's a storm going on or unless you swim away from the shore. There the undertow can be quite strong.


Otherwise you're good. It's actually a very strong sensation to be in the water contemplating the massive mountains surrounding you:


There's also a cave you can explore further to the right:


This is actually a nice beach for the nudist in you. Probably one of the very few public ones inside Madeira. The maximum amount of people I have ever encountered there on my way in was zero.


So the only way people can spot you is by boat (extremely unlikely) or by using some binoculars all the way up from Levada do Larano:


Okay, so enjoy it as much as you can but remember you should not stay more than one hour after the sea level minimum is reached (G and I column tide timings of Jornal da Madeira). So take one last good look at the sheer beauty of it, and then prepare yourself for the way back.







You should not come after dark unless it is full moon night.

REFERENCE

[1] Lobo, C. e P. Chitas (eds.) (2002) Guia de Praias Visão. Lisbon: ACJ.

DISCLAIMER

You are advised not to take these walks. Don't be stupid, these walks present real life threat, and have resulted in past deaths. You may fall down or you may get lost. Experience them at your own risk. The author assumes no responsibility whatsoever for any injury or loss if you decide to go for one of these.

For policy issues, you're referred you to the interview granted by Rocha da Silva on these matters.

For safety instructions, including some commercially convenient advice like «always be in company of a qualified guide» (oh boy, would I rather take one of these in company of a nice female guide, he he!), you're referred to Blog Thoughts Madeira Safety Precautions list.