Tenerife Has it All: Volcanoes, Whale Watching and Beautiful Beaches
My popular guides of what to pack continue, this time covering Tenerife.
Spain’s Canary Islands are located off the coast of Africa. They enjoy sunshine all year around – making Tenerife, Grand Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and smaller islands hugely popular with winter sun seekers.
Tenerife is best experienced outside of the summer season, where crowds can be overwhelming. Families will have a great time on the beaches, pools. and all-inclusive hotels.
This page is for travellers that want to experience the beautiful landscapes, diverse activities, and culture of Tenerife. You’ll find my top five attractions below, alongside honourable mentions for five more. After that, some packing advice, so you don’t get to the island and regret leaving those essentials at home.
My Top 5 Tenerife Attractions
#1 – Whale and Dolphin Watching at Playa Americas
Head to any tour website, and you’ll find a long list of options for whale and dolphin watching. These excursions leave from resorts around Tenerife. It is the warmer waters in the south that attract multiple species of whale and dolphin.
Your options for seeing them range from a kayak tour, to private chartered yachts to larger tour boats. Some include refreshments.
This tour is first on my list as it is both magical, and easy to organise.
You’ll want to take photos of course. Make sure you put your phone / camera down for a while, and enjoy the moment.
#2 – Explore Teide National Park Tenerife
The volcanic landscape of Teide National Park is alien, breath-taking and beautiful.
You’ll find it in the middle of the island. Mount Teide is huge, at more than 12,000 feet – towering over the rest of Tenerife. Pine forests and trails make this World Heritage site perfect for hiking.
Teide is explored on foot, jeep, 4×4, bike or via a popular cable car.
You can drive into the park and explore on your own. I recommend the great value tours, which are available online and in the resorts. Once you see this amazing landscape, you’ll recommend it to every visitor to Tenerife.
#3 – Siam Waterpark (for the Young and Young at Heart)
TripAdvisor users voted Siam Waterpark the best water park in the world for seven years on a row.
Siam is in Playa Adeje, in the south of Tenerife. It covers four acres and costs 40 / 28 Euros for adults and children. Opening hours are 10am to 6pm (5pm in the winter). As the name implies, this park has a Thai theme. There is more than just the giant water slides and themed-rides here. You’ll find restaurants (from fast-food to full menus) and pools to relax by.
Check out the big rides. They include the 28-meter-high Tower of Power, the Naga Racer, the Giant, and the Mekong Rapids.
#4 – Tenerife Highlights: Hiking Around Masca Village
Masca village is must-see.
It is located in the Macizo de Teno mountains in the North of the island. More than the buildings of the traditional Guanche village, the views are worth making the trip for. You can follow trails to amazing viewpoints over the surrounding mountains.
Not only is Masca a change of pace from the other attractions, it is a unique and memorable landscape which is perfect for those social-media pictures.
#5 – Visit Vibrant Street Markets in Tenerife
You can grab a bargain while experiencing the unique culture of Tenerife – at the many street markets.
Fake designer goods are popular, though naturally I can’t recommend that you buy them (wink).
Local farmers sell food ranging from fresh fish to local delicacies in the mercado building at Puerto de la Cruz twice per week on Wednesday and Saturday. On Thursday and Saturday, you can grab bargains at the Costa Adeje street market. Handbags and clothes are sold alongside souvenirs and accessories here.
Other popular markets to check out are the Los Cristianos street market, the farmers market at San Miguel de Abona and the Municipal Market at La Laguna.
Extra Attractions: Packing for Exciting Excursions in Tenerife
Here are some honourable mentions for Tenerife tours which should be on anyone’s list. This page is already long enough, so I created a quick list instead:
- Paragliding: Swoop above Tenerife with experienced instructors on a tandem paraglide experience.
- Surfing: Take a lesson, or simply hit the waves around the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
- Suba Diving: There are beginner lessons, and organised dives for qualified divers.
- Take in a Show: Enjoy local culture with the Malizia show at Piramide de Arona.
- Watch the Stars: Night-time excursions to Teide National park give you amazing views of the stars, both with the naked eye and through telescopes.
What to Pack for Tenerife?
With so many different landscapes and activities, packing for Tenerife involves planning.
Here are my must-take items:
- Warm clothes: Even on the sunniest days, hitting the high points of the mountains gets cool. Especially if you do a star gazing excursion, you’ll need to pack a jumper or jacket.
- Sunscreen: This gets on every list, even on the cooler winter months, sunscreen is a must to stay safe.
- Sturdy Boots: When you take a hike around Macsa or the volcano, you’ll be grateful you bought along some good walking shoes.
- Swimming Gear: Of course, you’ll take your ‘swimmies’ on a beach holiday. I recommend an extra set, so you don’t need to take damp ones to the Siam water park.
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