The decision that shapes a Tenerife holiday most isn't which excursion to take but where you sleep. The south (Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos) has the reliable sunshine, the whale-watching boats and Siam Park. The north (Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, La Laguna) has Loro Parque, the old towns and more cloud. Teide sits in the middle, an hour from almost everything.
This guide sells nothing of its own. It sorts out what there is to do on the island, tells you what's worth it and what isn't, and compares the price of each ticket on the official website and on the booking platforms. If you're short of time, start with the search tool or with our guide to things to do in Tenerife.
Tenerife in two minutes: south, north and the airports
South versus north is a story about cloud, not sea temperature. The southern airport records about 15 days of rain a year; the La Laguna plateau, 64. A grey morning in Puerto de la Cruz usually means sunshine in Los Cristianos, an hour's drive away. The water, on the other hand, is almost equally warm on both coasts.
There are two airports, and it pays to know which one you're landing at. Tenerife South (TFS), which many people still call Reina Sofía, handles most international flights and is about 19 km from Costa Adeje, a quarter of an hour along the TF-1 motorway. Tenerife North–Ciudad de La Laguna (TFN), the old Los Rodeos, mostly handles inter-island flights and flights from mainland Spain. Land in the north with a hotel in the south and you're looking at about 83 km and an hour in the car. A taxi from TFS to the southern resorts costs around €30 on the per-kilometre interurban fare, and buses (guaguas, as locals call them) 10, 40, 343, 415 and 711 stop at the terminal; all the details are in airport transfers.
The island is bigger than it looks. It covers 2,034 km² with 342 km of coastline. Costa Adeje to Santa Cruz is about 79 km (55 minutes with no traffic), and the base of the Teide cable car is about 52 km away along mountain roads. On the northern motorway at rush hour, add 10 to 20 minutes to any estimate.
The clocks run on Canary Islands time: the same as the UK and Portugal, an hour behind mainland Spain, with the change to summer time. At the moment there's no tourist tax on accommodation in the Canary Islands, but you do pay to walk up to the summit of Teide.
Boats and parks don't depend on official quotas, so you can decide on those once you're there, depending on the wind and the sea.
Search by activity, area or budget
The search tool filters everything you can book on the island by type, departure area and price. If you're travelling with children, set the minimum age (and see Tenerife with kids): the submarine doesn't take under-2s, the cable car doesn't take under-3s, and almost all of the night-time Teide activities don't take under-8s.
Find your plan
Filter by zone, type and budget. Prices are the starting point per person.
Altitude
Budget
Type
From sea to sky: the island by altitude
Tenerife rises from sea level to 3,715 m, and almost everything you can do here fits into five levels. That's why this site is organised by altitude rather than by municipality: it tells you what to wear, what time to set off and what you can't combine in a single day.
- Sea. Whale-watching boats from Los Cristianos, Puerto Colón and Los Gigantes, kayaking, snorkelling, jet skis and the island's only tourist submarine, which dives to 25–30 m off Amarilla Marina (formerly Marina San Miguel). Short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live here all year round. Start with whale watching and boat trips; the ferry to La Gomera leaves from Los Cristianos.
- Coast. The parks (Siam Park, Loro Parque, Aqualand), the beaches, the shows and the resort towns.
- Hillsides. Between the coast and the peaks: the hamlet and gorge of Masca, the laurel forest of Anaga, La Orotava, the wineries of El Sauzal (food and wine), the walking trails, the buggy and quad routes and the paragliding launch sites.
- Summit. The cable car base station is at 2,356 m and La Rambleta station at 3,555 m; the last 0.66 km of trail to the summit (about 183 m of climb) requires a permit. It's all in our Teide guide.
- Sky. The national park is a Starlight Tourist Destination and the Teide Observatory, at Izaña, stands at 2,390 m. Sunsets above the clouds and telescopes in stargazing.
3.715+ m
Sky
What happens over the island: flights and stars
2.000–3.715 m
Summit
Teide National Park, above the clouds
300–2.000 m
Midlands
Ravines, laurel forest and villages between 300 and 1,500 m
1,400 m · MidlandsQuads and buggiesfrom €40
1,000 m · MidlandsHikingfrom €55
1,000 m · MidlandsParaglidingfrom €100
920 m · MidlandsAnagafrom €24
650 m · MidlandsMascafrom €56
600 m · MidlandsHorse ridingfrom €45
500 m · MidlandsIsland toursfrom €20
400 m · MidlandsFood and winefrom €5
350 m · MidlandsJungle Parkfrom €360–300 m
Coast
From the beach to the first 100 metres
100 m · CoastGo kartingfrom €35
60 m · CoastSiam Parkfrom €44
60 m · CoastAqualandfrom €37
60 m · CoastAirport transfersfrom €58
50 m · CoastTuk-tuks and scootersfrom €24
30 m · CoastLoro Parquefrom €44
20 m · CoastMuseums and Palmetumfrom €5
20 m · CoastSpas and wellnessfrom €40
10 m · CoastHard Rock Cafefrom €34
10 m · CoastShowsfrom €30
10 m · CoastSightseeing busfrom €20
0 m · CoastMonkey Beach Clubfrom €30
0 m · CoastLago Martiánezfrom €30−30–0 m
Sea
From the seabed to the surface of the Atlantic
100 m · SeaParasailingfrom €54
0 m · SeaWhales and dolphinsfrom €27.81
0 m · SeaWhales from Los Gigantesfrom €28
0 m · SeaWhales from Los Cristianosfrom €27.81
0 m · SeaWhales from Costa Adejefrom €27.81
0 m · SeaBoat tripsfrom €27.81
0 m · SeaSunset cruisesfrom €29.90
0 m · SeaPrivate boat hirefrom €46.20
0 m · SeaJet skisfrom €32.49
0 m · SeaKayakingfrom €20.80
0 m · SeaSurf and kitesurffrom €18
0 m · SeaFishingfrom €69.75
0 m · SeaLa Gomerafrom €75
−5 m · SeaSnorkelling and turtlesfrom €22.50
−18 m · SeaDivingfrom €45
−30 m · SeaSubmarinefrom €33You feel the change of level in your body. In January the average high on the south coast is around 22 °C, while at Izaña the high is 7.5 °C and the low 1 °C. Anyone who goes up Teide in shorts straight from the beach gets cold; always take a warm layer and closed shoes, which are compulsory on the cable car anyway.
What people book most
If you're only going to book five things, make it these. We chose them by number of reviews and by how much you see for what you pay, not by commission.
Our picks
1
The whale trip with the most reviews
Travelin' Lady's yacht from Los Cristianos, 1.5 hours with a swim stop; no other product in this guide has as many reviews, and the pilot whales live here all year. Drinks not included.
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim
4.7 (19,421 reviews)
from €29.90Check availability
2
Teide with the cable car, without driving
Run by Volcano Teide, the cable car company itself, and the same price on its website as on any platform; the cable car and pick-up are included, so you skip the mountain road and the 220-space car park. The summit isn't included: it needs a separate permit.
GetYourGuide7 hours
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
4.3 (6,095 reviews)
from €92Check availability
3
Siam Park without paying over the odds
The same €44 as on the official website, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before and pay later; the park itself doesn't give refunds.
4
Loro Parque in the north
Ticket at the official price (€44) that never expires; there's a free train from Puerto de la Cruz to the gate, and here you can take your own food in.
5
Sunset and stars on Teide
Sunset in the national park, then telescopes. Check the moon before you book: at full moon the Milky Way all but disappears.
GetYourGuide3 - 5 hours
Tenerife: Sunset and Stargazing at Teide National Park
4.7 (3,665 reviews)
from €35Check availability
These and other options with live prices:
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim
4.7 (19,421 reviews)
from €29.90Check availability
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Tenerife: Eco No-Chase Respectful Whale & Dolphin Encounter
4.6 (15,400 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide7 hours
Tenerife: Mount Teide Tour with Cable Car Ticket & Transfer
4.3 (6,095 reviews)
from €92Check availability
GetYourGuide3 - 4 hours
Tenerife: Teide Quad Trip (daytime/sunset) with optional jet ski
4.7 (1,601 reviews)
from €40Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →
A word of warning that applies to every boat trip: "no chasing" isn't a quality label, it's what the law requires of every licensed boat. What really varies is the size of the boat, the time on the water and how far the port is from the animals. And swimming with wild dolphins is banned: the law doesn't allow swimming within 500 m of them, so swim stops take place well away from the animals.
Where to stay and where the excursions leave from
- Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos. The practical base for a first visit: a quarter of an hour from the southern airport, with Puerto Colón (the port with the most whale-watching boats) and Los Cristianos harbour, Siam Park and Aqualand close by, and bus 342 to Teide once a day.
- Los Gigantes. Quieter, at the foot of cliffs up to 600 m high. The boats leave from the marina itself, but parking is scarce: operators ask you to arrive an hour early.
- Puerto de la Cruz. The northern base: Loro Parque, Lago Martiánez, La Orotava 7 km away and bus 348 to Teide at 09:30. Greener and cloudier than the south.
- Santa Cruz and La Laguna. The capital and the World Heritage city (1999), 10 km apart. The gateway to Anaga, museums and the carnival. The island's only hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus runs here.
For the other towns (El Médano, Garachico, Icod de los Vinos, La Orotava) see other towns in Tenerife.
When to go to Tenerife
Any month works on the south coast: the average high goes from about 22 °C in January to 28 °C in August, and it hardly rains between May and September. AEMET's annual average at the southern airport is 21.4 °C, not the 23 °C repeated on many websites. The sea is coldest in March (about 19 °C) and warmest from September to October (about 23.5 °C), so October is a better month for swimming than August, with fewer families too.
Winter brings two caveats. Calima, Saharan dust carried on an easterly wind, is most common between December and March and leaves the sky hazy and the air hotter for days at a time. And on Teide it snows two or three days a month during that period, which can close roads and high trails. If you're coming for the Santa Cruz carnival, check the dates carefully: it usually falls between February and early March, but the next one has been pushed back two weeks from the usual calendar and the Coso, the big parade, is on Tuesday 23 February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South coast | ||||||||||||
| Air max °C | 21.7 | 22 | 23.1 | 23.1 | 23.9 | 25.4 | 27.7 | 28.4 | 27.9 | 26.8 | 24.8 | 22.8 |
| Sea °C | 20.2 | 19.4 | 19.3 | 19.6 | 20.2 | 21.2 | 22.1 | 22.9 | 23.7 | 23.6 | 22.3 | 20.9 |
| Rainy days | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.5 |
| North coast | ||||||||||||
| Air max °C | 21 | 21.2 | 22.1 | 22.7 | 24.1 | 26.2 | 28.7 | 29 | 28.1 | 26.3 | 24.1 | 22.1 |
| Rainy days | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.7 | 5.4 |
| Teide (2,400 m) | ||||||||||||
| Air max °C | 7.5 | 8 | 10.2 | 11.8 | 14.5 | 18.9 | 23 | 22.6 | 18.6 | 14.3 | 11.1 | 8.8 |
| Rainy days | 4.5 | 4 | 4.1 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.6 |
Source: AEMET, valores climatológicos normales 1981–2010 (Tenerife Sur Aeropuerto, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Izaña); mar: seatemperature.org
Month by month, with festivals and meteor showers, in when to go to Tenerife.
How we make money and why we compare prices
This site earns a commission when you book through our GetYourGuide, Tiqets or Headout links. You pay the same as if you went straight to the platform. We earn nothing from Viator, Civitatis or Klook, and we still recommend them when they offer something better. It's all explained in the affiliate disclosure.
We compare because the differences are real, though not always where people look for them. At the big parks the price is the same everywhere: Siam Park and Loro Parque cost €44 on the official website and on every platform. What changes is cancellation: on Tiqets those two tickets are non-refundable, on GetYourGuide you can cancel up to 24 hours before and on Headout up to 48 hours before. In other cases the official website wins: Aqualand and Jungle Park are €2 cheaper on their own site, their official combined ticket costs €51 online (€53 at the gate) against €69–73 for the platforms' combos, and the stand-alone cable car ticket is only sold on volcanoteide.com.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.5 (18,886) | €44 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Siam Park: Entry Ticket | 4.5 (3,687) | €44 | See on Tiqets |
| Headout | Siam Park Entry Tickets | 4.7 (1,183) | €44 | See on Headout |
| Official site | Siam Park official online shop | — | €44 | Official website ↗ |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
All the tables are in compare prices. Bear in mind, too, that GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Viator and Klook acknowledge that what they earn on each product affects the order of their results; sort by rating before you choose. Our reviews of each platform, boat company and park are in operators and reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Which airport should I fly into if I'm staying in the south?
Tenerife South (TFS), about 19 km from Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos. From Tenerife North it's about 83 km and an hour on the motorway to the southern resorts.
Do I need a car to get around Tenerife?
Not for the basics: Teide trips, island tours and La Gomera usually include hotel pick-up, Siam Park has a free bus from the south and Loro Parque a free train around Puerto de la Cruz. A car helps in the north and in Anaga, although bookable parking quotas have been announced for Teide.
Can I climb to the summit of Teide without a permit?
No. The cable car reaches 3,555 m and the last stretch of trail requires a Tenerife ON permit, which costs €15 if you don't live in the Canary Islands. Without a permit you can walk to one of the viewpoints, La Fortaleza or Pico Viejo, because you have an hour at most up top.
Is it cheaper to book on the official website?
It depends on the ticket. Siam Park, Loro Parque and the Volcano Teide trips cost the same everywhere; Aqualand, Jungle Park and the submarine are slightly cheaper on their official websites, and the stand-alone cable car ticket is only sold there.
What's the best month to go to Tenerife?
For swimming, September and October, with the sea at about 23.5 °C. For Teide without snow and the south without calima, April to June. The south has good weather all year round.
Is there a tourist tax in Tenerife?
At the moment there's no tourist tax on hotels in the Canary Islands. You do pay to walk up to the summit of Teide (€15) and for the upper section of the Montaña Blanca trail.