The island of Madeira has it all

Oct 24 2008 By Adam Courtney, Surrey Herald

Okay, I admit it - I've been to Benidorm for the past three years on my summer holidays. And, no, I'm not ashamed to say I rather enjoyed the sound of thumping Eurotrance and the sight of half-naked Brits disgracing themselves amid a sea of kebab wrappers - home from home, after all.

So when I was assigned to visit the Atlantic isle of Madeira, courtesy of the Holiday Property Bond, you'll forgive me for feeling somewhat like I was exiting my comfort zone.

You see, this island, about 200 miles to the west of Portugal, has a reputation for acting as a retirement home for ex-pats, the walking sticks far outnumbering the glow sticks.

How silly of me to fret. Three days there convinced me to leave behind my life of cheap thrills and appreciate a better world, a place that can surely offer some of the most stunning scenery anywhere on earth.

Madeira is an island of incredible natural beauty, from its World Heritage Site forests on the north side, to its deep ravines on the south.

It's a walkers' paradise trekking the levadas - courses built by settlers to help them transport water to inaccessible farmland - is a must.

Madeira is also known as the Island of Flowers, and these rambles are a great way of appreciating its multitude of flora. Fear not if you don't have a clue what you're looking at - the helpful and, at times, extremely amusing, guides, will fill you in.

Don't think this assault on the senses ceases when you get back to your apartment at the Holiday Property Bond's complex.

Perched atop the second highest cliff top in the world, Cabo Girao, the view of the sea, and the capital city, Funchal, from your balcony as you relax with a good book is predictably perfect.

But if you can take no more of this arduous itinerary then you can always watch the BBC in high definition, playpool, have a dip in the sauna or swimming pool, drink some complimentary wine or eat fresh fish from the bay in the on-site restaurant.

Funchal's also worth a visit, if not for the famous road toboggan, then certainly for the restaurants and markets. And, also, the bars. I wasn't entirely honest at the beginning when I said I'd totally left behind my life of aimless kicks. After a night on the famous Madeira wine back at the complex, me and a couple of fellow hacks decided to hit the city's nightspots and, I must confess, didn't return until 5am. But I promise you, there wasn't a badly behaved Brit in sight. Not even us.

How Holiday Property Bond works

The minimum investment is £4,000. Your investment is converted into holiday points (£1 is one point) which you are entitled to claim back annually, although this is adjusted in line with any change to the points chart.

The chart enables investors to see how many points they need to take a holiday, and the total depends on which of the companies worldwide complexes you decide on.

If a holiday is booked at short notice (21 days for a UK complex or 42 for one abroad) then bondholders can claim free points and only pay the non-profit user charge, which varies depending when, where and how long they stay.

For more information, or to join HPB, contact 01638 660 066 or visit www.hpb.co.uk.