Tenerife, not just for beach lovers

Who said that the Canary Islands are only for beach and sun lovers ? I just came back from a fabulous week in Tenerife and I discovered that this island is much more than a 'sea, sex and sun' destination like most people think. Of course, the weather is almost perfect all year, with lots of sunshine and gentle temperatures from January till December (it was 24°C when I was there during the last week of February). And the beaches of Playa de Las Americas in the southern part of Tenerife have the perfect white sand (imported from the Sahara, in fact) that all beach lovers expect.

But if you leave the coast and head inland, you find incredible landscapes and a truly surprising diversity in the flora. Here are some of the highlights of the trip and some recommendations for those who want to discover the island. By the way, this is only Tenerife. I am told that all other islands in this archipelago are just as beautiful and nature is just as surprising.

For those who like geocaching, there are plenty of geocaches, particularly the earth caches. The canary islands used to be active volcanoes, and the Teide, the highest peak at 3.750 meters, is still blowing fumes at times. In any case, the Teide was snow-capped last week and here is the stunning view it offers from almost anywhere on the island.





If you want to see the hidden beauties of this island, you need to rent a car. Although public transportation is available on the island, the buses are mostly linking the main populated places and do not cover the isolated mountain spots. That's where you want to go, and you get rewarded with stunning views like this one, at the foot of he Pico Viejo, a volcano next to the Teide, which erupted in 1798. The vegetation is starting to come back and offers some unusual views, like this lone tree trying to conquer the barrens landscape around the Pico Viejo...

Renting a car will also allow you to stop wherever you want, like at the Minas the San José, a strange place where the volcanic sand is green (well, yellowish green, but it is not really the kind of sand you want on the beach). It gives a truly eerie feeling

But the greatest reward comes when you put on your walking shoes (preferably strong mountain shoes) and start walking on the perfectly waymarked Senderos or mountain paths that crisscross the interior It is not easy terrain. Paths rise rapidly, and you should expect most walks to get you 1.000 meters up or down on the most interesting stretches. But the rewards are worth the effort. Here is the view from the walk linking Santiago del Teide to Masca, in the Nortwestern part of the island : stunning landscapes with two distinct types of vegetation : the southern slopes are dry, arid, and covered with desert-like vegetation: cactus can be found everywhere

The northern slopes are covered with a lush green vegetation. There is a regular cloud cover all year, and the beautiful Valley of the Orotava seen from the mountains is surprising indeed.

Get a good guidebook for walking, such as the Rother Walking Guide and you will enjoy some of the most rewarding walks nature can offer. Here is the view from the Organ Pipes (Los Organos) which are very aptly named indeed.

Of course, the sea is never far away. And it is a good idea to spend a day on a boat tere There are lots of bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales which stay all year round in the deep waters between Tenerife and La Gomera. They were happy to swim along the boat and give us a display of their jumping skills. See them in action here.

And for those of you who like romantic sunsets, here is a preview of what you can see there on most evenings. It is a true picture (no photoshop here)

So if you want an enchanting holiday, go ahead and book at least a week on Tenerife. Yes, you can spend a day at the beach, but by all means, enjoy the rest. This island has so much more to offer.

Enjoy !