Beaches in South Tenerife
The south of Tenerife is the island’s main holiday area and has the island’s largest concentration of popular beaches. Most visitors stay along the sunny coast between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje, where sandy beaches, seafront promenades, restaurants and water sports are all within easy reach.
However, the southern coast is more varied than its large holiday resorts might suggest. To the east, El Médano and Playa de la Tejita offer open landscapes and excellent conditions for water sports, while the west coast is known for black volcanic sand and the spectacular cliffs of Los Gigantes. There are also several smaller coastal towns for visitors who prefer a quieter setting.
Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos
Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos have grown together to form the largest and liveliest holiday area in Tenerife. A long seafront promenade connects the two resorts and provides easy access to several of the most popular beaches in the south.
Los Cristianos has a sheltered sandy beach next to its harbour, while neighbouring beach Las Vistas is larger and has a wide stretch of pale sand. The beaches in Playa de las Américas are surrounded by hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment. This is the best part of Tenerife for visitors who want a lively resort and plenty of facilities close to the beach.
Costa Adeje and La Caleta
Immediately north of Playa de las Américas is Costa Adeje, another of Tenerife’s most popular holiday areas. The resort has several excellent sandy beaches, connected by a long promenade with restaurants, cafés and hotels.
Playa de Fañabé is the largest and most popular choice, while Playa del Duque has a more exclusive atmosphere. Playa de la Pinta is a smaller, sheltered beach next to Puerto Colón Marina and is particularly suitable for families with young children.
At the northern end of the resort, Costa Adeje gradually gives way to La Caleta. This former fishing village has a much quieter atmosphere and is home to Playa de la Enramada, a natural beach with volcanic sand.
El Médano and Playa de la Tejita
El Médano has two beaches with very different characters. Playa de El Médano is a pleasant town beach in the very centre of the resort, with the promenade, restaurants and cafés immediately behind it. One of our favorite spots in Tenerife.
Just south of El Médano lies Playa de Leocadio Machado, a much larger and natural beach that stretches towards Montaña Roja. This undeveloped beach is particularly popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers.
On the opposite side of Montaña Roja is Playa de la Tejita, one of the largest natural beaches in Tenerife. The beach has golden-brown sand and an almost undeveloped setting, with the red volcanic mountain forming its most recognisable landmark. We always spend a day at Playa de la Tejita when in Tenerife.
Los Gigantes, Playa de la Arena and Puerto de Santiago
On the southwest coast, Los Gigantes, Puerto de Santiago and La Arena have grown together into an almost continuous holiday area. Los Gigantes is best known for the enormous cliffs that rise almost vertically from the sea. Its small black-sand beach enjoys a dramatic position at the foot of the cliffs, and the marina is a popular departure point for boat trips.
Playa de la Arena is the area’s largest beach and has distinctive black volcanic sand. Nearby Puerto de Santiago retains more of its original character and also has a small beach of its own.
Smaller resorts on the southwest coast
North of Costa Adeje are several smaller holiday resorts. Playa Paraíso is a modern resort with hotels, apartments and small beaches set among stretches of rocky coastline. It is considerably quieter than Costa Adeje but still has the facilities needed for a relaxing holiday.
Farther north, Playa San Juan has a more traditional Canarian atmosphere. Its sheltered beach is located beside the fishing harbour and promenade, with cafés and restaurants close by. It is a good choice for visitors looking for a pleasant beach away from the largest tourist resorts.
The quieter southeast coast
The coastline south and south-east of Los Cristianos has fewer large sandy beaches and considerably less tourism. Las Galletas is a traditional fishing town with a small beach of dark sand and pebbles beside its harbour. It feels more local than the neighbouring holiday resorts.
Farther east, Playa de San Blas is a quiet beach of sand, shingle and rocks near Golf del Sur, while Los Abriguitos in the coastal town of Abades is the easternmost beach included in this guide.
