Things to do in Garajau

Garajau sits on the east coast beyond Camara de Lobos, and it has been a protected marine reserve since 1986, which is why its brown groupers no longer scatter when a diver approaches.

The 1927 Cristo Rei statue on the headland predates Rio's by four years and is the reason most visitors stop here in the first place, but the reserve itself is the real draw for anyone diving or snorkelling between here and Canico de Baixo.

Water runs 18 to 24 degrees depending on season, cold enough that a wetsuit is not optional even in August. Access into the reserve is regulated, not open swimming, and a proper dive centre booking is the way in rather than a walk down the cliff path.