This Island Feels Just Like Kauai 40 Years Ago But That’s Changing

This remote island in the North Atlantic wasn’t even on our list. That changed when we heard it described in ways that once defined Kauai. Words like slow, lush, and overlooked kept coming up. But it wasn’t just about the visuals. What caught our attention was the feeling. Travelers were talking about this the way they used to talk about Hawaii, back before the crowds and branding redefined the experience.

When we booked a week on the Portuguese island of Madeira, located 320 miles from the coast of Morocco, we didn’t expect a Hawaii replica. Madeira isn’t trying to be one, despite the brilliant marketing labeling it the Hawaii of Europe. On the other hand, from the first drive to the last sunset, the place continually reminded us of Kauai. Not modern-day Kauai, but something quieter, simpler, and far more rare. Something BOH editors still remember from childhood.

Driving on Madeira didn’t feel like a vacation.

Madeira rises abruptly from the ocean, not entirely like Kauai, but more so. Once you leave the main highway, the terrain becomes a test of patience, caution, and curiosity.

Roads narrow quickly and often lack signage or shoulders. Drivers familiar with the terrain take corners fast, while visitors usually creep forward, unsure of what’s coming around the next bend. The elevation changes are constant, and the drop-offs are generally close enough to keep your hands firmly on the wheel.

As the driver, editor Jeff often felt he missed a lot of the beauty because the roads were too dangerous to take eyes off for long, and there was rarely a place to pull off.

The winding drive to Pico do Arieiro, one of Madeira’s highest peaks, brought back memories of heading into Kokee’s misty forests on Kauai or Kalapana’s lava-strewn coastline on the Big Island, where roads once ended without warning and no one had bothered to add anything resembling a viewpoint.

At the summit, stone paths lead hikers across ridgelines above the clouds, with views toward the ocean in nearly every direction.

Unlike Hawaii’s more managed but not well-maintained lookouts, this one had no platform, no information, and no staff. People walked, stopped, and looked. That open rhythm was once normal in Hawaii, and it still persists here.

Madeira’s Kauai feeling comes with fewer crowds in the right places.

At one overlook, we pulled over to watch the cliffs fall away into the ocean. There were no cars, no tour vans, no wedding shoots. It looked like Kalalau, minus the infrastructure. It stayed that way for almost an hour.

Madeira is popular among European travelers, and this is evident in the walkability of its towns and the well-marked trails. But it hasn’t yet been reengineered for high-volume tourism. Hotels felt easy and not expensive. The countryside was still mostly green space, terraced farms, and small towns that didn’t seem performative. At least not yet.

Carla N., a BOH reader who also just returned, described it as “quiet moments on the north coast that felt almost untouched,” but said the other side of the island was swamped with cruise ships and attractions that felt more like Disneyland. Her reaction aligned perfectly with what we observed in Funchal’s market and port areas.

Madeira’s weather is different, but it still shapes the experience.

Visitors expecting a traditional Kauai beach vacation will need to reset expectations. Madeira’s beaches are either stone-covered or built by design. That couldn’t be more different from Kauai’s mix of wide, golden-sand crescents, protected reef lagoons, surf breaks, and tucked-away coves that offer both beauty and swimmability.

On Madeira, the ocean is present, dramatic, and often inaccessible. The best beaches are engineered rather than natural.

The weather changes quickly, and patterns can shift in a matter of minutes, depending on elevation. We drove through fog, light rain, and sun within an hour. The coast was muggy. Ten minutes uphill, it was jacket weather.

That unpredictability comes with a reward: lush, vibrant greenery, although not on the same scale or intensity as Kauai. The vegetation felt more like that of the north shore rainforests than the dry zones of West and South Kauai. Banana groves climbed hillsides. Vines spilled over terraces. We were reminded of Kauai’s north shore even as late as the 1990s, before timed reservations and shuttle codes became the norm.

Chris, a reader who has visited both Madeira and the Big Island, described it as “a mix of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island—but without the resorts or sandy beaches. Then add small European towns and tunnels everywhere.”

What Madeira gets right (and where it stumbles).

We had a car reserved, but for others, the rental car process seemed daunting. Back in the main city of Funchal, we noticed that some things were inconsistent. Some shops were closed in the middle of the day for siesta, while others had signs posted that didn’t match their online listings, and still others stayed open throughout.

The restaurant scene was also inconsistent. We had several meals that felt like being invited into someone’s backyard and a few that felt like we weren’t really glad we’d gone there.

Andy, another reader, said they “left feeling like all in all it wasn’t quite what we were expecting,” and called out the market in Funchal as a low point. That matched our experience of the old central market turned tourist trap, exactly.

Others noted the convenience and modern feel of the island, starting with its sophisticated airport, which is especially impressive compared to Kauai’s far older and largely unmaintained infrastructure. One reader said it felt “developed in ways Hawaii isn’t.” Depending on what you’re looking for, that may be either a benefit or a drawback.

Before you go: Practical notes.

Madeira still rewards spontaneity in general, but a few things are better handled in advance or with some prep.

• Reserve a car ahead of time. Don’t count on walk-up availability. Costs are comparable to Hawaii but accommodations were a fraction of the cost. We spent around $100 a night in Funchal in a one bedroom apartment with full kitchen.
• Bring layers of clothing, including rain gear. You’ll likely use them, even in summer.
• If possible, consider staying in both the Funchal area and on the north coast. They’re very different and not that close together. Think Poipu vs. the North Shore.
• English is widely spoken in large communities, but less so in smaller towns that receive fewer visitors. With that said, you may want to learn a few words of Portuguese.
• Study a map of Madeira and join a Madeira Facebook group to help plan your itinerary.

Would you trade a Hawaii trip for Madeira?

It depends on what you’re really after. If you’re chasing golden sand beaches, shave ice, or the aloha spirit, this isn’t your backup. But if the idea of tourist lines, parking drama, and tightly managed trails has started to wear thin, that’s a whole different conversation.

Madeira doesn’t replace Hawaii. It doesn’t have the same beach culture, Hawaiian food scene, or aloha energy. Instead, it offers something else: a route north of Funchal with no ropes, forest tracks that still feel wild, and villages that seem less sculpted for cameras and more for daily life.

Many of the same questions you ask about Hawaii’s overtourism here feel familial. But for now at least, they’re all still quieter. That doesn’t mean it will stay that way for long, but for now, it’s still possible to arrive, wander, and end up somewhere unplanned.

If you’ve discovered a place that felt like your old Hawaii before everything changed, you probably know what kind of travel memories we are talking about. Let us know if you’ve found that somewhere beyond Hawaii.