The Top 5 Beaches in Tenerife

Tenerife, possibly the most popular of the Canary Islands, sits serenely off the coast of exotic Morocco and boasts year round sunshine with warm temperatures. Known for their picturesque beauty, Tenerife’s beaches come in all sorts of variations from pebbles and black sand to the fine golden stuff. The island serves as a haven for holidaymakers to revel in both relaxation and recreation, so those looking for fun in the sun should have towels and beach brollies at the ready as Nadine Hallak outlines the Top 5 Beaches in Tenerife.

For vacationers who dream of privacy and tranquillity, the pale golden sands of El Puertito, set along the bay of a sleepy fishing village, are perfect. This bucolic stretch of beach, located on the western side of the island, surprisingly lies just a stone’s throw away from popular resorts like Playa de Las Américas and Costa Adeje. Nevertheless, if you’re worried these tourist meccas may interrupt your serenity at El Puertito, rest assured that they won’t. This beach remains a sanctuary where you can enjoy nature at its purest, and relaxing days spent sunbathing transition into cool, languid evenings.

Regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in Tenerife, Playa de las Teresitas lives up to the hype. Originally created as a means of recreation for the people of Santa Cruz, the beach is a year-long destination for swimming and water activities. Its 1.5 kilometres of golden sands come straight from the Sahara desert, but the source of its sand is not the beach’s only alluring aspect. Its magnificent landscape includes the impressive Anaga Mountains as well as the whitewashed houses in San Andrés, one of the oldest villages in the Canary Islands.

With easy access to and from Tenerife airport, Los Cristianos is a fantastic family beach and provides countless fun-in-the-sun activities for both children and adults. You can revel in sunbathing, fishing, water sports, and sailing in glass bottom boats. There are more family-friendly attractions nearby including the Octopus Aquapark featuring water slides, water rides, swimming pools and aquatic performance shows starring some very talented dolphins. Monkey Park, a nearby zoo, is also popular with children and features lemurs, iguanas, different varieties of birds and chimpanzees, among other animals.

This beach in northern Tenerife is a secluded haven beside a fishing hamlet, set inside a protected bay. It’s usually calm location is well suited for families, who can stay in one of the many apartments and rental condominiums nearby. Lined with black, volcanic sand, Playa San Marcos offers beachgoers a great location for swimming and enjoying water activities as well as other amenities including showers and changing rooms. This beach’s laidback charm and wonderful conditions make for a great day out – something of a hidden gem despite cheap flights to Tenerife available from around the UK.

Aside from azure waters and stunning volcanic black sand beaches, Playa Jardin features many gardens for which it is so aptly named. Trees such as palm, fig and laurel as well as hibiscus and frangipani flowers make up this lush oasis, admired for its overwhelming natural beauty. Apart from offering great sunbathing, this northern Tenerife beach is an excellent starting point for enjoying recreational activities at Puerto de la Cruz resort and Loro Park, a wildlife sanctuary and zoo. This post was written by Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert at leading airline ticket deals website Cheapflights.co.uk.