No visit to Tenerife would be complete without jumping on a snorkeling boat tour! Costa Adeje has an abundance of marine wildlife to explore on the southern end of the island. Learn all about our Tenerife boat tour, whale watching, and the food & drinks we got aboard on this incredible sailing trip.
Embarking on Our Costa Adeje Boat Tour
One of the best ways to experience Tenerife is to head out and sail the ocean. From Puerto Colon there are dozens of companies to choose from, and they range from larger party tours to more intimate sightseeing and sailing adventures.
Wanting a more relaxed afternoon we were excited to cruise on a beautiful small sailboat with Tenerife Fun. Our boat fit around a dozen people so it felt like our own private tour!
We left from the docks of Puerto Colon in the southern part of the island which is filled with hotels, beaches, and restaurants. After being on the Canary Islands for a week, we were so excited to leave flat land behind and finally get out on the water!
Where To Stay In Southern Tenerife
We recommend staying somewhere nearby on Costa Adeje before your Tenerife boat tour. We’ve listed some highly-rated accommodations for you to check out below.
Also, consider renting a car on your visit to explore Mount Teide National Park, Playa Amarilla, and more of the best beaches on Tenerife!
Ultra Luxury (High End) – Royal Hideaway Corales Beach – This ultra high end hotel is an adults only escape with massive open concept rooms, onsite restaurant, spa, and an infinity pool you’ll never want to leave.
Fun Vacation (Mid Range) – H10 Atlantic Sunset – This new modern hotel and property is perfect for a fun vacation. Rooms are beautiful with large balconies and upscale amenities, with onsite pools, restaurants, spa, and gym.
Hostel Life (Budget) – Hostel chillax costa Adeje – Set in the hills of Costa Adeje, this is one of the few hostels located on Tenerife island. Beautiful views, large balcony, shared kitchen, and washing machine are included. Both private twin rooms and dormitory beds are available.
Tenerife Boat Tour Sailing Adventure
First off, you should know that on any small boat trip the captain makes or breaks the experience. Our driver Marco hailed proudly from Rome, but said he has lived on Tenerife for the majority of his life.
We were impressed with how knowledgable he was about Costa Adeje, Tenerife island, and the ocean life around the Canaries. On our way out to go whale watching in Tenerife, we learned some awesome facts about the area.
There are over five different kinds of dolphins that pass through the Canary Islands, but the most common around Tenerife are bottlenose dolphins.
Several whale species also roam around this part of the Atlantic Ocean. Killer Whales can even be spotted certain times of the year around nearby La Gomera island!
We saw plenty of short finned Pilot Whales on our Tenerife boat tour. You might actually think they’re dolphins at first because they look very similar.
The humongous Teide Volcano can be seen from all over the island, and doubles as Spain’s tallest mountain. It’s an active volcano, but fortunately it hasn’t erupted since 1909.
Tenerife and Gran Canaria have a serious rivalry centered around Carnival festival. This yearly event takes place every February and draws crowds from all over the world.
Dolphins & Whale Watching
It didn’t take long to start searching for whales and dolphins on our boat tour with Tenerife.fun! Within 30 minutes of taking off we saw a group of pilot whales off the coast. We sat there amazed for quite awhile as a mother and baby whale swam circles around our boat.
After that we cruised around the area spotting several other whales playing in the ocean. Even though it’s known as one of the best activities for what to do in Tenerife, you’re not always promised to see as much wildlife as we did. We definitely felt like it was our lucky day!
Snacks on Our Tenerife Boat Tour
Heading over from our whale watching spot we were ready to eat and have fun snorkeling in Tenerife. Then it happened… Dolphins! Just off in the distance under the cliffs we could see bottlenose dolphins jumping in and out of the water. Once we cooled down from another animal sighting it was time for lunch.
Our captain anchored the boat near the beach and brought out a platter of jamon, queso, and chicken sandwiches, plus a giant bowl of fresh shrimp! Beer, wine, and sangria were also included in our Tenerife boat tour, and the driver made sure our glasses were always full.
Snorkeling in Tenerife
When the anchor drops its time to slip into your swimsuit and jump in. The water throughout the Canary Islands are known for being extremely clear and filled with fish.
Our boat docked close to shore in water that was around 20 feet deep. At first we didn’t see any sea creatures, but on our second attempt we found a massive school of small silver fish.
There had to be almost 300 of them swimming in a group all around us! After an hour of eating, drinking, and snorkeling in Tenerife, we made the final cruise back to Puerto Colon in Costa Adeje. Keep your eyes opened… On a clear afternoon you can see the famous Teide volcano peak from the water!
Have any questions about our Tenerife boat tour, snorkeling in Tenerife, or visiting the Canary islands? Let us know in the comments below!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
We partnered with Tenerife.fun for this tour. As always, we only recommend activities that we loved!
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We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
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Hi Dominika!
It was only motor on our tour, but we still had an amazing time. Definitely recommend doing this if you’re back in Tenerife (:
Hi Brigitte, that must be a great adventure! I’ve been to Tenerife in 2018 but unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to take a boat trip. But I definitely must do the next time! Can you tell me, please, were you mostly sailing by using sails or only a motor? Thanks in advance!