Playa de las Vistas

Tenerife beaches: from black sand to party shores

From showstopping man-made creations and chic, upscale resorts to near-deserted coves, black volcanic sands and windswept stretches with mountain backcloths, holidays in Tenerife offer over 40 miles of beaches to choose from. Here’s our sampler menu showcasing the breadth of coastal courses served up by this crowd-pleasing Canary Island.

El Puertito

Traditional – El Puertito, near Los Gigantes

This simple, secluded, but accessible fishing village beach harks back to a time before the island was discovered by the masses on Tenerife holidays, thanks to a winning combo of lightly golden sand, whitewashed buildings and brightly painted fishing boats.

Black Sand – Roque Bermejo, Eastern Tenerife

This unusual black sand beach on Tenerife’s eastern extremity is for seriously dedicated beach hermits, since it can only be reached by boat or a two hour hike from Charmorga, but it’s well worth the trek.

Playa la Pinta

Family Favourite – Playa la Pinta, Puerto Colon

The safe, shallow waters protected by the nearby Marina provide an oasis of calm here, with plenty of cafes and amenities at close hand. What makes this a reliable hit with wee ones though is the giant inflatable iceberg!

Playa de las Vistas

Golden Classic – Playa de las Vistas, Los Christianos

A broad stretch of golden sands makes this many visitors’ favourite beach on the southern coast and it’s certainly one of the longest. A good selection of well-kept amenities, beach volleyball, pedal boats and a vast sea water fountain completes the picture postcard.

Playa Jardin

Garden Beach – Playa Jardin, Puerto del al Cruz

Another black sand beach, this one backs onto impressive landscaped gardens with mighty Mount Tiede in the background to boot. It’s well used by locals who throw regular fiestas here.

Roger Sanchez Playa Troya

Party Beach – Playa Troya, Playa de Las Américas

Several of the island’s best beach clubs now vie for your hard earned cerveza dollars on Playa Troya, the nerve centre of tourist nightlife. The Monkey Beach Club is a perennially popular haunt with younger revellers and sundowners, while a more upmarket ambience can be found at Papagayo Beach Club, where the chilled-out daytime vibe soon gives way to funky flavoured house party as the sun sets sail.

Natural Beach – Playa Abades, Arico

With an average of 350 days of annual sunshine, a sheltered bay location and waters where you can often spy barracudas, Abades provides a stark contrast to the island’s more developed resort beaches, feeling more like a pleasantly unspoilt cove. A spooky point of interest is the Abrico ghost town nearby, which was built to accommodate lepers after the Spanish Civil War but never used.

Playa La Tejita

Naturist’s Choice – Playa La Tejita, El Medano

With the Red Mountain for a backdrop and plenty of space, La Tejita is one of the island’s most popular spots to don your birthday suit in relative privacy. It’s easily accessed by a rough track, but the tide can sweep in swiftly, so be careful you don’t get cut off without your cut-offs here!

Once you’ve soaked up enough sun on the beach for a lasting winter tan, why not veer off the beaten path and discover some of the lesser spotted charms on your holidays to Tenerife?

Images by Jorge TorresPalestrina 55Andrey KrivashovBrian BradySophia G K and Joachim S Mueller, used under Creative Comms licence.