Los Gigantes belongs to the municipality of Santiago del Teide and runs on without a break into Puerto de Santiago and Playa de la Arena, its neighbours to the south. What defines it is the rock face: the Acantilados de Los Gigantes drop into the sea from a height of up to about 600 metres, according to Tenerife's tourist board, onto a seabed barely 30 metres deep. Some sources say 800 metres; the official figure is the first one.
It suits you if you want boats, scenery and a west-coast base for getting to Teno and Teide. It doesn't suit you if you're after long light-sand beaches, water parks or everything on your doorstep: Siam Park and Puerto Colón are 27 km away.
The good
- The boats leave from the foot of the cliffs: 2 hours here gets you more cliff than 2 hours from the south.
- Playa de la Arena, 2 km away, has assisted bathing all year round.
- A good base for Teno, Masca (via Santiago del Teide), Chinyero and Teide, all less than an hour away.
The not so good
- Small black-sand beaches; Los Guíos is in shade for part of the day.
- Parking at the harbour is difficult.
- It's 44 km from the south airport and there's no direct bus.
Our picks
1
The classic with a swim
Flipper Uno, 2 hours with a drink and a swim in one of the coves below the cliffs. More than 5,800 reviews.
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin & Whale Watching Cruise with Swim Stop
4.7 (5,807 reviews)
from €28Check availability
2
With a swim at Masca
Marítima Acantilados, 2 hours, with the swim planned for Masca cove if the sea allows.
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Whale or dolphin-watching tour and swim in Masca
4.7 (3,893 reviews)
from €28Check availability
3
Sailing boat for 10
Third Element: 3 hours, 10 people maximum, food, cava and snorkelling gear. The best-rated boat here.
GetYourGuide3 hours
Tenerife: Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sailboat
4.9 (2,275 reviews)
from €75Check availability
4
For children
The Flipper Uno "pirate" sailing ship, with a trapeze for jumping into the water; the 3-hour option includes paella.
GetYourGuide2 - 3 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin & Whale Watching Tour on a Pirate Boat
4.6 (2,399 reviews)
from €33Check availability
How to see the cliffs: from the sea and from above
From the town you only see the rock face side-on. There are two ways to grasp how big it is.
From the sea. This is the good view. The trips run along the cliffs and stop for a swim in the coves of Masca, Barranco Seco or Juan López, depending on the sea that day. As the harbour is at the foot of the cliffs, you don't waste time sailing to get there: from Puerto Colón or Los Cristianos the boats first have to work their way up the coast, and the ones that make it this far are the 4.5-hour trips.
From the viewpoints. There's a main viewpoint on the road towards Tamaimo, another above the sports club and a third on the coastal path. The Mirador de Archipenque is also on Tenerife's tourist board's official list of viewpoints.
Boat trips from the marina: who goes and how much
There are 22 registered whale-watching boats in Los Gigantes marina. On the booking platforms you'll mostly find three companies, with these prices on their own websites:
| Boat | Company | Length and what's included | Adult / child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flipper Uno, "pirate" sailing ship for up to 91 | Flipper Uno | 2 h with drinks | €33 / €23 |
| Flipper Uno | Flipper Uno | 3 h with paella and drinks | €40 / €25 |
| Masca Express, speedboat | Flipper Uno | 2 h | €28 / €18 |
| Gladiator U, 36-seat RIB | Marítima Acantilados | 2 h with a drink | €28 |
| Mugen, sailing boat for 10 maximum | Third Element | 3 h with food and drinks | €75 / €60 |
Marítima Acantilados also runs the Nashira Uno catamaran, with underwater viewing, on 2- and 3-hour trips (the long one at 11:00 and the short one at 14:00). Third Element warns that the wind in the south of Tenerife is light and proper sailing is rare: expect to be under engine for a good part of the time. Its sunset trip (€75 / €60) isn't really a whale-watching trip; it's on our sunset cruises page.
Each company is reviewed in our Flipper Uno and Los Gigantes boats reviews, and boats are compared one by one in whale watching from Los Gigantes.
Masca is close, but not here
There are three ways to combine it from here:
- By sea: the boat trip with a swim in Masca cove, if the sea allows.
- Hiking down the gorge: the Barranco de Masca route has to be booked in advance and you must also book the boat that takes hikers from Masca beach to Los Gigantes (Discover Teno, Marítima Acantilados and Masca Express take turns). Check the status of the jetty and the trail at https://www.caminobarrancodemasca.com/en/masca-today/.
- By road: by bus, you can't reach Masca from Los Gigantes, only from Santiago del Teide, on line 355 (€1.45). You get to Santiago del Teide on the 462 or the 325.
Everything about the hamlet and the trail on our Masca page.
Beaches and natural pools
Los Guíos (also called Argel) is next to the harbour, below the cliffs: 180 × 20 m of black sand and calm water, with no parking. The cliffs put it in shade for part of the day. The official tourism listing says it isn't accessible, although Sinpromi's table of accessible beaches credits it with a ramp, boardwalks, showers, toilets and reserved spaces for people with reduced mobility, but no amphibious chair.
Playa de la Arena, in Puerto de Santiago, 2 km away, is the one with facilities: 140 × 40 m of black sand, toilets, showers, sunbeds, a diving area and assisted bathing all year round from 10:00 to 17:00 (922 86 31 27). It held a Blue Flag for 27 years, but as things stand it isn't on the list, even though the tourism website still says it is.
For natural pools, the official list includes the Charcos de la Plaza, in Puerto de Santiago, and the Charco de Isla Cangrejo. The official listing for the latter doesn't make clear exactly where it is or whether it's open: ask at the tourist office before you go. If you'd rather be taken, there are excursions combining Masca, Los Gigantes and natural pools with a picnic. Sand and facilities compared across the island in Tenerife beaches.
Inland: a volcano, almond blossom and pottery
Inland, the municipality of Santiago del Teide is worth half a day by car:
- Chinyero volcano, which last erupted in 1909, inside a Special Nature Reserve. The municipality also has the SL-TF 60 and PR-TF 65 trails.
- Almond blossom from late January into February, around Santiago del Teide, Arguayo and Tamaimo.
- Cha Domitila pottery centre, in Arguayo.
- Teide: the cable car is 50 km away, about 57 minutes by car.
Getting to Los Gigantes and getting around
From the airports
Tenerife South is 44 km away (about 38 minutes by car). By taxi it's about €63 by day and about €72 at night or on a Sunday. By bus there's no direct line: take the 40 to Costa Adeje bus station (€3.70) and change to the 477, which takes 50 minutes on the motorway, or the 473, which goes the long way round via Adeje and Playa San Juan in 1 h 20. Both cost €4.20.
Tenerife North is 82 km away (about 79 minutes). By taxi, about €115 by day. By bus, the 343 to Costa Adeje and then the 477, or the 30 to Puerto de la Cruz (€4.75) and from there the 325, which reaches Los Gigantes in 1 h 45 for €7.10, with five departures on weekdays. More options in our airport transfers guide.
Around the area
| Destination | Line | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Adeje (bus station) | 477 / 473 | €4.20 |
| Los Cristianos | 473 | €4.65 |
| Playa de la Arena, Alcalá, Playa San Juan | 493 (three a day on weekdays) | depends on the journey |
| Puerto de la Cruz | 325 | €7.10 |
| Santiago del Teide (for Masca) | 462 / 325 | depends on the journey |
Cicar has an office in Los Gigantes. If you need an adapted taxi with a ramp, Santiago del Teide has its own number: 922 86 08 40.
Excursions from Los Gigantes
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin & Whale Watching Cruise with Swim Stop
4.7 (5,807 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Whale or dolphin-watching tour and swim in Masca
4.7 (3,893 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide3 hours
Tenerife: Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sailboat
4.9 (2,275 reviews)
from €75Check availability
GetYourGuide2 - 3 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin & Whale Watching Tour on a Pirate Boat
4.6 (2,399 reviews)
from €33Check availability
GetYourGuide2 hours
Los Gigantes: Dolphin and Whale Watching Cruise by Speedboat
4.7 (1,441 reviews)
from €28Check availability
GetYourGuide3 hours
Whale and Dolphin-Watching Sailing Tour – Los Gigantes (3H)
4.5 (888 reviews)
from €65Check availability
GetYourGuide6.5 hours
Tenerife: Masca, Mount Teide and Los Gigantes Cliffs Tour
5.0 (451 reviews)
from €60.39Check availability
GetYourGuide3 hours
Los Gigantes: Sailing Excursion with Swimming, Drink & Tapas
4.8 (542 reviews)
from €70Check availability
See all options on GetYourGuide →
How high are the Los Gigantes cliffs?
Up to about 600 metres, according to Tenerife's tourist board. Some sources say 800, but the official figure is 600.
What is there to do in Los Gigantes?
A boat trip below the cliffs with whale and dolphin spotting and a swim in a cove, the viewpoints above the town, the black-sand beaches of Los Guíos and La Arena, the natural pools in Puerto de Santiago and, inland, Chinyero volcano and Arguayo.
Is Masca in Los Gigantes?
No. Masca belongs to Buenavista del Norte, inside Teno Rural Park. The boats that stop for a swim in Masca cove, and the one that picks up hikers from the gorge, leave from Los Gigantes harbour.
How do I get from Tenerife South airport to Los Gigantes by bus?
On the 40 to Costa Adeje bus station (€3.70) and then the 477, the fast one, or the slower 473; both cost €4.20. By taxi it's about €63 by day.
How much is a boat trip in Los Gigantes?
Two-hour trips cost from €28 per adult on the companies' websites and on the platforms. With food and 3 hours, between €40 on the Flipper Uno sailing ship and €75 on Third Element's 10-person sailing boat.
Can you park at Los Gigantes harbour?
It's tricky: the boat companies themselves warn that there's little parking in and around the harbour and ask you to allow an hour. If you can, go by bus or taxi.
