Diving Delights & Nourishing Bites: Azores Diving Adventure
Emily C and Rachel are here to help give you the inside track.
Enjoy five days of diving delights, mountain hikes and nourishing bites is what awaits you on this five-day holiday to the Azores. Enjoy four dives from shore before taking trips further afield to spy sharks. End each day munching on farm-to-table meals, gazing at the lush mountains while stars shine above.
Itinerary at a Glance:
- Enjoy four dives exploring wrecks, spotting marine life and swimming in volcanic craters
- Choose a tour of your choice to either whale watch, dolphin swim or go canyoning in Salto do Cabrito
- Relax for four nights in a luxury bungalow surrounded by lush mountains
Why Book with Original Diving?
When To Travel
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
Day 1: Travel to Furnas
Wake up and grab your (small) bag because your Azores adventure begins today with an early flight to Ponta Delgada. Breeze through security and settle in for your four-and-a-half-hour flight which arrives around lunchtime. When you land, pick up a rental car, which will be yours to enjoy for the whole holiday, and drive from the airport to Furnas. This will take around 45 minutes, passing green fields and verdant rolling hills before you arrive at your forest engulfed hotel in Furnas.
Settle into your minimalist Japanese-style villa and enjoy a cup of tea in the garden, taking in the surrounding views of the mountains. This family-run hotel is on a farm and as a result, almost all of the food you'll enjoy is grown and produced on their land.
Days 2-3: Get into nature
Wake up in the lush landscape and enjoy a morning coffee on your patio before getting stuck into nature. If you want to opt for an afternoon dive today (although you can always get straight in with two dives) we suggest taking a trip to Poca da Dona Beija in the morning. These thermal hot springs are the perfect way to wake up and are only a nine-minute drive away.
Over the next few days, you'll enjoy 4 dives. Meet at the dive
centre, where your kit will be ready and waiting (there is the
option to dive on nitrox if you prefer). Then it's time to submerge
and there's plenty to explore. The Dori dive site, located close to
Ponta Delgada Marina, offers a wreck dive with the chance to see
the shallow stern of a World War II Liberty ship at 9m and a deeper
bow at 20m, both of which are teeming with marine life.
Another popular site is Ilhéu de Vila Franca, near Vila Franca do Campo Marina, where you can dive into a volcanic crater which boasts abundant marine life and is suitable for all levels. For the more experienced divers, check out Cabeços do Ilhéu, near Vila Franca do Campo Islet, which is known for its strong currents and beautiful black coral-covered reefs. Additionally, Baixa do Frade (near Ponta Garca Lighthouse) is an excellent dive site with a reef top at 7m, adorned with black coral and frequented by stingrays and pelagic.
Day 4: Tour of your choice
We've left today free for you to enjoy a tour of your choice. Will you choose a day of whale and dolphin watching with a trip to Vila Franca do Compo Islet? Or perhaps you're itching to swim with dolphins? How about a half-day canyoning in Salto do Cabrito? Or, if you want to see more of the magical land, choose a day of jeep touring Sete Cidades and Lagoa do Fogo with lunch served. If you opt for a half-day tour, we suggest spending the second half of your day on a six-mile hike visiting Fumarolas das Furnas and Estrada de Bamu.
Whichever tour you choose, head back to your hotel in the evening for a final dinner under the stars.
Day 5: Homebound
All too quickly your Azores adventure must come to an end. Your flight home via Lisbon isn't until the evening, so pop back to the thermal springs for a final dip or walk through the dense mountains one last time before heading to the airport. Drop off the car and hop on your two-hour flight to Lisbon. Here, you'll have a short layover before your onward flight home.
All of the holidays we create are completely tailor-made to you
A Rough Idea of Price
This Itinerary
If you would like to book the exact itinerary mentioned above, with economy flights, during mid-season and staying in our preferred room category at our preferred hotels.
From
£2,304pp
Bare Necessities
If you would like to pare back the above itinerary by travelling at non-peak times, staying in a standard room and removing some or all of the guided activities.
From
£2,004pp
Bells & Whistles
If you are looking for something extra special and would like to add business or first class flights, stay in top room categories at some of the most luxurious hotels we work with, and add more activities and guiding.
From
£2,880pp
Emily C and Rachel are our experts for this itinerary and as seasoned travellers they have the inside track on the most memorable adventures.