The short answer: if you're short on time or get seasick, take a 1.5-hour trip from Los Cristianos, which is a few minutes from the pilot whale grounds. If you want cliffs and a swim in a cove, Los Gigantes gives you that in 2 hours. If you're after a day on the water with lunch, a bar and a pick-up, the big catamarans of Puerto Colón are for you.
What isn't worth paying extra for is an "eco" or "no-chase" label: chasing whales and dolphins is forbidden for every boat. What really varies from one trip to the next is the size of the boat (from a 6-seat RIB to a 91-passenger schooner), how long you're at sea and how far the port is from the animals.
Our picks
1
The best-selling short trip
Travelin' Lady, from Los Cristianos: 1.5 h with a swim by Montaña de Guaza. Ideal with young children or if you get seasick.
GetYourGuide1.5 hours
Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim
4.7 (19,421 reviews)
from €29.90Check availability
2
Cliffs and a swim in 2 hours
Flipper Uno from Los Gigantes: whales and dolphins, rock walls up to 600 m high and a swim at Masca, Barranco Seco or Juan López, depending on the sea.
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin & Whale Watching Cruise with Swim Stop
4.7 (5,807 reviews)
from €28Check availability
3
Catamaran with drinks in Costa Adeje
Eden, in Puerto Colón: 2 or 3 h, 50 people at most, water, soft drinks and beer included; the 3-hour trip adds a snorkelling stop.
GetYourGuide2 - 3 hours
Costa Adeje: Whale-Watching Catamaran Tour with Drinks
4.7 (4,210 reviews)
from €31.50Check availability
4
A small group under sail
Third Element, Los Gigantes: 10 people at most, with food and cava on board. With little wind in the south, expect to motor for much of the time.
GetYourGuide3 hours
Tenerife: Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sailboat
4.9 (2,275 reviews)
from €75Check availability
5
The most fun for children
The Viking-themed Ragnarok: 2 h from Los Cristianos with a sword show, costumes and a photo on the throne.
GetYourGuide2 hours
Tenerife: Whale and Dolphin Watching Cruise with Swim Stop
4.7 (3,717 reviews)
from €28Check availability
Which type of boat to choose
Before you look at prices, decide what kind of boat you fancy. It changes the atmosphere, the chances of seasickness and what you eat on board.
| Type | Examples | Capacity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large catamaran | Freebird One (28 m), Eden, Monte Cristo | up to 50 on Eden | families, groups, anyone who wants food and sunloungers |
| Catamaran with underwater windows | Royal Delfin, Nashira Uno | large groups | seeing the seabed without getting wet |
| Sailing yacht | Third Element's "Mugen", Pecazul | 10–11 | couples, small groups |
| "Pirate" schooner | Flipper Uno, Peter Pan | 60–91 | children, a lively atmosphere |
| Viking ship | Ragnarok | nearly 100 | children, birthdays |
| Speedboat or RIB | Masca Express, Los Rápidos, Gladiator U, Bonadea | 6–36 | speed, small groups |
| Submarine | Submarine Safaris | 44 | seeing the seabed at 25–30 m |
Catamarans
They're the most stable option and come with the most facilities: toilets, a bar, sunloungers and room to move about. The Freebird One measures 28 by 20 metres and the operator itself bills it as the largest excursion catamaran in the Canary Islands; its sister boats, the F13 and F24, are 22 m long. On Freebird the double sunloungers cost extra (€10, €15 or €25 depending on the trip) and can't be reserved: they go on a first-come, first-served basis. White Tenerife has an adults-only catamaran for 12 people, with a glass floor and a hydrophone.
Sailing yachts
Groups of 10 or 11, a relaxed atmosphere and decent food. Tenerife Sailing Charters sails from Puerto Colón on the Pecazul (40 feet, 11 people at most) on a 3-hour trip with hotel pick-up, snorkelling and an open bar for €65 (€55 for under-10s). Its own listing warns that it isn't for anyone who gets seasick easily: a monohull moves more than a catamaran.
Pirate and Viking ships
The Flipper Uno is a wooden schooner from Los Gigantes with 91 places and a trapeze for jumping into the water; the 3-hour trip comes with paella. The Peter Pan, in Los Cristianos, takes 60 people and stops for a 15- to 20-minute swim at the end. According to its operator, the Ragnarok is the only Viking-themed boat in the Canary Islands, with room for nearly 100 people and adapted for disabled passengers. On the 2-hour trip drinks cost €3 each; on the 3-hour trip they're included.
| Platform | Product | Rating | Price | Where to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | Tenerife: Whale and Dolphin Watching Cruise with Swim Stop | 4.7 (3,717) | €28 | See on GetYourGuide |
| Tiqets | Los Cristianos: Viking Tenerife Ragnarok Cruise | 4.5 (23) | €28 | See on Tiqets |
Adult prices checked on 2 October 2026. They can change with the date; each platform confirms the final price.
The Ragnarok costs the same on GetYourGuide and Tiqets, €28; resellers list the 2-hour trip at €28 per adult and €20 per child (ages 4–11). GetYourGuide lets you cancel free of charge up to 24 h before; on Tiqets, read the cancellation section of the listing, as it varies by provider. One detail: the boat is registered at Amarilla Marina (formerly Marina San Miguel) even though it's sold as leaving from Los Cristianos, so check the boarding point on your voucher.
Speedboats
They reach the whale and dolphin grounds sooner and carry few passengers. In Los Gigantes, Masca Express costs €28 (€18 for children) and Los Rápidos €28 per person; the speedboat version sold by Flipper Uno isn't suitable for children under 2. In Puerto Colón, Bonadea takes 6 people at most in a 7 m RIB with a hydrophone, but there's no toilet on board.
Glass-bottom boats and "underwater vision"
This is where people most often get confused. The Royal Delfin (Puerto Colón), the Nashira Uno (Los Gigantes) and the "Vision Submarine" catamaran in Los Cristianos are surface boats with windows or panels below the waterline. None of them dives. The one that really goes down is Submarine Safaris, which we explain on our submarine page.
Party boats
The Freebird One has a bar and a disco area, but it's still a daytime excursion with families on board. Party boats proper, with a DJ and an open bar (Tenerife's booze cruises), leave from Costa Adeje and last about 4.5 hours. If you're going as a stag or hen group, see our guide to stag and hen dos in Tenerife.
Which port suits you
There are three big ports, plus Amarilla Marina for the submarine and a few boats in Las Galletas. Choose the port nearest to you first and then the boat, not the other way round: crossing half the coast for a 2-hour trip isn't worth it.
Los Cristianos. The ferry port for La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. Excursions board at the Excursion Zone (Zona de Excursiones, Zone A): follow the blue line painted on the ground to a green fence, where the numbered kiosks are. The paid car park is right next to it and fills up in high season. Its advantage is how close it is to the pilot whales: one independent estimate puts it at about 12 minutes to deep water, against about 36 from Costa Adeje. More details in whale watching from Los Cristianos.
Puerto Colón (Costa Adeje). The island's biggest fleet: 64 boats licensed for whale watching. Each operator uses its own pontoon (4, 6, 10 or 15, 12), so read your voucher before you go. This is where you'll find the big catamarans and the long trips to Masca. See trips from Costa Adeje.
Los Gigantes. A marina at the foot of cliffs up to 600 m high. It's the only place where whales, cliffs and a swim in a cove fit into 2 hours; from Puerto Colón the same takes a 4.5-hour trip. The problem is parking: the operators ask you to arrive an hour early. By bus, lines 473 (from Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje), 477 (direct from Costa Adeje) and 325 (from Puerto de la Cruz); timetables on titsa.com. Everything in whale watching from Los Gigantes.
Amarilla Marina (San Miguel de Abona). About 10 minutes from Tenerife South airport. It's the submarine's home base.
Length, food and transfers: what you get for the price
These are the operators' direct prices, per adult and child. On the booking platforms they're usually the same or a couple of euros different.
| Trip | Port | Duration | Includes | Adult / child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar de Ons "No-Chase" | Los Cristianos | 1.5–2 h | no swim | €25 / €12 (online) |
| Travelin' Lady | Los Cristianos | 1.5 h | swim; drinks not included | from €27.90 |
| Peter Pan | Los Cristianos | 2 h | water and a swim | €27 / €15 (reseller) |
| Freebird 2 h | Puerto Colón | 2 h | beer and soft drinks; no transfer | €30 / €15 |
| Royal Delfin | Puerto Colón | 2 h | transport from hotels in the south | €33 / €20 |
| Freebird 3 h | Puerto Colón | 3 h | sandwich, drinks, transfer | €47 / €23.50 |
| Freebird Masca | Puerto Colón | 4.5 h | lunch, sangria, transfer | €62 / €31 |
| Flipper Uno 2 h | Los Gigantes | 2 h | drinks | €33 / €23 |
| Flipper Uno 3 h | Los Gigantes | 3 h | paella, wine, beer | €40 / €25 |
| Tenerife Sailing Charters | Puerto Colón | 3 h | sailing yacht, pick-up, food, open bar | €65 / €55 |
| Third Element | Los Gigantes | 3 h | sailing yacht, food, cava, snorkelling | €75 / €60 |
Watch the ages, because each operator sets its own: at Freebird children pay from 4 to 11 and under-4s go free; at Flipper Uno, from 2 to 11; at Mar de Ons, from 1 to 10.
A tip on price: don't be swayed by the crossed-out prices on the platforms (€38 → €30, €50 → €28); Mar de Ons, for example, advertises €50 on its own website and sells online at €25. On the two best-selling trips, booking direct saves €2 to €3; the platform gives you comparable reviews and all your bookings in one place, with free cancellation up to 24 h before.
See the 1.5-hour trip from Los Cristianosfrom €29.90Affiliate link: it costs you nothing extra.
Whales and dolphins: what changes from one boat to another
Almost every trip in the south passes through the grounds of the short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins that live here all year. The rules are the same for everyone: no closer than 60 m, 30 minutes at most within 100 m, and no swimming within 500 m of the animals. That's why swim stops are always made well away from them, close to the shore.
To check whether a boat is licensed, look for the yellow "Barco Azul" (Blue Boat) flag with the authorisation period printed in blue: a faded flag with an old year on it is a bad sign. You can also search for the boat's name in the Canary Islands Government's public register; it takes a minute. Species, months and tips for seeing them are in our whale and dolphin watching guide.
Seasickness, swimming and what to bring
If you get seasick, the type of boat matters more than the brand. The "No-Chase" catamaran in Los Cristianos is sold precisely as a big, stable boat; Travelin' Lady makes a point of its low centre of gravity; the sailing yacht in Puerto Colón warns that it isn't for people prone to seasickness, and the Peter Pan cautions that the sea "can be choppy" at times. The submarine doesn't roll, because it travels beneath the waves.
The good
- 1.5-hour trips from Los Cristianos: little time spent getting there, good for children
- Los Gigantes combines whales, cliffs and a swim in 2 h
- The big catamarans include food, a bar and sometimes a pick-up
The not so good
- Parking in Los Gigantes and Los Cristianos fills up in high season
- On some boats' 2-hour trips you pay for drinks
- No operator guarantees sightings in writing
What to bring: sun cream, sunglasses, a seasickness remedy and a warm layer, because it feels cooler out at sea. If there's a swim, wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring a towel. On Travelin' Lady drinks aren't included, so take water.
Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early. If you're late, there's no refund: Flipper Uno asks you to be there 30 minutes before, and Third Element waits 5 minutes at most.
Hiring a boat without a skipper: no longer without a licence
If you're searching for "rent a boat in Tenerife with no licence", any offer that promises it is out of date. The real alternatives are a shared trip or a private boat with a skipper. Puerto Colón has published the Harbour Master's notice. To get to La Gomera under your own steam, what you need is the ferry from Los Cristianos, not an excursion.
More boat trips
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See all options on GetYourGuide →
If what you want is to watch the sun go down from the water, you'll find options and times under sunset cruises.
What's the cheapest boat trip in Tenerife?
The 1.5- to 2-hour trips from Los Cristianos: Mar de Ons costs €25 per adult when you book online on its website, and Travelin' Lady from €27.90. In Los Gigantes, the Masca Express and Los Rápidos speedboats cost €28.
Which port is best for a boat trip?
Whichever is nearest to you. Los Cristianos is a few minutes from the pilot whales, Puerto Colón has the biggest fleet and the catamarans with lunch, and Los Gigantes adds cliffs and a swim in a cove in just 2 hours.
Which boat trip is best if I get seasick?
A short trip on a big, stable boat, such as a catamaran. Avoid the Tenerife Sailing Charters yacht in Puerto Colón, whose listing warns that it isn't for people prone to seasickness, and take your remedy before you board.
Can you hire a boat without a licence in Tenerife?
No. Since 1 October you can no longer hire any recreational boat in Spain without a boating qualification. You can book a shared trip or a private boat with a skipper.
Is the boat with underwater vision a submarine?
No. The Royal Delfin, the Nashira Uno and the "Vision Submarine" catamaran in Los Cristianos are surface boats with windows below the waterline. The real submarine is Submarine Safaris at Amarilla Marina, which dives to 25–30 m.
Do boat trips include a hotel pick-up?
Only some. The Royal Delfin and Freebird's 3- and 4.5-hour trips include it (Freebird only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays in the south); so does the Tenerife Sailing Charters yacht. Freebird's 2-hour trip and Travelin' Lady don't: you make your own way to the port.
