Bali is now a long way away. Especially since there are no longer direct flights. Now you must pass through Jakarta and spend 14 days in quarantine, making the trip difficult. I miss Bali and love it. Even so, I have to admit that a lot has changed in the last 18 months. “Temporarily closed” is probably equivalent to “permanently closed” because how should some of these places survive a year and a half without customers in the pants?
That’s life sometimes. Good news for those of us who miss Bali but cannot leave. Good news, because an alternative is only a 16-hour flight away.
It is an Atlantic Ocean island. Madeira it is. And here I am with Amalie. Europe’s Bali!
It has it all!
… There is no dry and wet season, but that makes the island more interesting. Aww, but what about Bali’s wet season? No way!
Madeira has a year-round warm and pleasant climate, with temperatures ranging from 24-27°C in the summer to 19-24°C in the winter.
The most impressive feature of Madeira’s climate is its year-round warm evenings. So you can eat outside almost every night. Wear a sweater and long pants, but it never gets colder than 15-16 degrees, and then it’s cool! These warm evenings are one of the reasons I love Madeira and call it Europe’s Bali.
Of course, the climate isn’t the only link to Bali. Like Bali, Madeira is awe-inspiring. The island is surrounded by volcanoes that reach up to 1800 meters. The best way to appreciate Madeira’s beauty is to watch one of our many videos. Like this one, which is the closest thing to Heaven on Earth!
Is It crazy?
How is Madeira not one of Europe’s most crowded destinations? It is the ONLY place in Europe with year-round warm temperatures. Lose the Greek Isles and the Canaries. It’s Madeira! We’ve been living in Madeira for over a year, but we’d been there four times before. The most impressive was when we spent two weeks sailing a yacht in January and February. 24°C and hot bath water! It’s quite acidic after only an hour and a half flight from Lisbon, where it was 15 degrees and the sea water was the same.
Although Madeira is not unknown,
… Compared to Tenerife, there are roughly 7 times fewer pilots landing daily. Ok, the island is half the size, but there are hotels, airbnbs, and B&Bs everywhere!
The island also has an impressive variety of scenery. So if you like that sort of thing, Madeira is for you. In fact, Madeira is a lot like Hawaii, but with more culture, good food, and affordable prices.
The main advantage is that you are not surrounded by tourists and ugly tour buses with guides walking around with a pole to keep up with the group. You can always find a beautiful place to yourself in Madeira!
