Porto Moniz sits at the north-western corner of Madeira, where the island runs out of land and meets the Atlantic with a wall of black volcanic rock. The village is small, with just under three thousand inhabitants, and its fame rests on the natural swimming pools, a series of basins formed in solidified lava by ancient eruptions, which fill with clear seawater at high tide and make a sheltered place to swim among the rocks while the swell crashes just beyond. Fishermen still work the coast, and the village has a small fort, a handful of cafes and a lively fish restaurant tradition. The name comes from an early settler family, the Monizes, who received land here in the fifteenth century.
The way to get here is the point. From the south, the road crosses the Paul da Serra, a high, windy plateau at about 1,400 metres, with moorland, wind turbines and sheep, and then plunges down the north-west slope through forest and tunnels to the coast. The classic approach is from the south over Encumeada, a fine mountain pass at about a thousand metres, down to São Vicente and then west along the ER101 on the north coast, where the road dives through tunnels carved into the cliffs and passes waterfalls that fall almost onto the tarmac. Surfaces are generally good, but the bends are tight, rain is common and cloud on the plateau can reduce visibility to a few metres. Ride slowly, particularly in wet weather, when the tarmac turns slick.
The laurel forests of Madeira, known as the laurisilva, are a World Heritage site and the largest surviving area of this ancient type of forest, once widespread across southern Europe. The levadas, narrow irrigation channels cut along the hillsides, offer walks through the trees, and some of them start near the road.
Fuel is the main concern. The village is small, so fill the tank at Calheta or Ribeira Brava on the south side before crossing the plateau, and do not leave it late. Bring a rain jacket, because the weather can change from sunshine to downpour in minutes. The poncha, a local drink of sugarcane spirit, honey and lemon, is a good way to warm up at the end of the ride.