Tenerife Water Activities: Kayaking, Snorkeling, and Diving Beyond Whale Watching

I Tried Every Tenerife Tour in Tenerife, Here's What Happened

After 10 years leading hikes up Teide and through the Anaga laurel forests, I started looking for a way to recover without losing the adventure. Tenerife has 342 km of coastline, and most visitors never get past the resort beach. I spent three weeks testing every water activity I could find, from glass-bottom kayaks to deep-sea freediving spots. Here’s what I learned.

Abades Bay offers shore-entry snorkeling, while a separate boat trip on Tenerife’s south coast visits turtle habitat. The guided turtle-habitat snorkeling boat tour includes snorkeling gear and a short boat ride; turtles are wild, so sightings are never guaranteed. The Abades tour below is a different, beach-entry option.

For kayaking, the Viator safari below meets in Los Cristianos and explores Tenerife’s southern coast, including Palm-Mar Cave. It combines guided paddling with a snorkel stop; dolphins and turtles may be seen, but wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. This is not a Los Gigantes cliffs tour.

Kayak & Snorkel Safari near Palm-Mar Cave

Check the sea forecast before booking any kayak tour. The linked operator says its itinerary and start time can change with weather and logistics, and rough seas can cancel the trip. If that happens, it offers another date or a refund.

Guided Snorkeling at Abades Bay

For Abades Bay, the small-group guided snorkeling tour is a shore-entry option near the dive center. It includes snorkeling equipment, drinking water, insurance and a licensed guide. Pickup is offered for participating guests in the operator’s stated service area; confirm your exact location before booking. This is not the kayak safari or turtle-habitat boat trip above.

For a do-it-yourself water stop, the natural pools at Garachico are another option. Check local access notices and sea conditions before entering: strong swell can make the pools dangerous even when the water looks calm. The pools are not part of any Viator tour linked here.

I also recommend the snorkeling guide on this site for a full breakdown of the best spots. For a budget day, bring your own mask and fins to Abades, the entry is free and the fish don’t care if you’re on a tour.

Private Scuba Diving: Check the Site and Requirements

A private scuba session offers more instructor attention than a group dive. The Viator product below is a three-hour private dive with a certified PADI instructor; it does not specify a Las Palomas seamount expedition, manta sightings or a two-tank route. Ask the operator about the dive site and your experience level before booking.

This listing includes scuba equipment, underwater photos and videos, and round-trip hotel transport within 20 km of its meeting point; farther-away guests arrange their own transport. Certified divers must arrange the required dive insurance and a dive computer (rental may be available). The listing does not clearly state beginner eligibility; confirm that with the operator instead of assuming a certification rule. The operator requires at least 24 hours between diving and flying: do not book a dive on your flight day.

If diving is not for you, compare a private boat tour along the Los Gigantes cliffs instead. Swimming stops, routes and prices depend on the specific operator and sea conditions; do not assume every boat trip offers a private cove stop.

What I Wish I'd Known Before I Went

I made mistakes so you don’t have to. Here’s the shortlist:

• Check conditions, not just the clock. Wind and swell can change a kayak or snorkel itinerary. The linked kayak operator will offer a new date or a refund if rough seas force cancellation; confirm your booking terms before paying.
• Don’t book the cheapest whale watching tour. They pack 50 people onto a boat that spends 20 minutes near a pod and then heads back. I recommend the whale watching guide on this site for vetted operators.
• Check the Teide webcam before driving up. I once drove to the cable car in a cloud, wasted 2 hours. Same logic applies to water activities: check wind and swell forecasts. Use Windy or the official AEMET marine forecast.
• Plan for cooler water than you expect. Sea temperature and wind vary by month and location. Ask your operator whether a wetsuit is supplied, and check the local marine forecast before a long snorkeling session.
• Check Garachico access before swimming. Natural pools can be affected by swell and local closures; a tide table alone does not establish safe conditions. Follow posted warnings and skip the pools if the sea is rough.

One more thing: if you’re a hiker like me, plan rest days around water activities. After a 6-hour Teide hike, your knees will thank you for a float in Abades Bay. The saltwater buoyancy takes the load off, and the marine life is a bonus. I now schedule every hiking trip with a snorkel recovery day after.

Who is this guide NOT for? If you want jet skis, parasailing or party boats, this is not your article. Open-water snorkeling and diving require the right skills and conditions. If you are not comfortable in the water, ask an operator about supervised beginner options; do not assume natural pools or kayak trips are safe for weak swimmers in every swell.