When you visit Tenerife for the first time, you want to see everything and do all the possible tours, trips and excursions in just a few days of holidays.
Discover all the beaches, visit the historic centre, explore the Teide National Park, the Teno rural park and descend the Masca cliff… and of course, go on a boat trip to see dolphins.
But don’t fool yourself, this isn’t one of those excursions, it isn’t another activity to spend the morning. Although many might not know, Tenerife is one of the best places in the world for whale and dolphin watching.
Tenerife has a privileged situation between the warm tropical waters to the north and the cold water of the ocean to the south, with an average temperature of 20 degrees. Thanks to that, you can see the different species that inhabit each side and those that cross the area in their migrations.
In addition, the tranquility and depth of its waters make it the perfect place for the coexistence of several species and huge banks of fish in search of the feast of their life. We could say that it is a main street under the sea in which fish, cetaceans and other marine life coexist in harmony.
The largest population in Tenerife is formed by the friendly tropical whales (or pilot whales), between 500 and 600 specimens, and the bottlenose dolphins, around 250. Both have their ‘habitual residence’ here so they are species that can be seen more frequently.
An important fact is that the southern part of the island is one of the largest reproduction areas of the bottlenose dolphin in all Europe.
But in addition to tropical whales and bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales and different species of dolphins are also often seen.
Less commonly and therefore more magical and surprising, precious killer whales sometimes honour us with their presence as do some humpback whales during the summer and even large blue whales in the winter months.
There’s no doubt that it is a unique spectacle,where you can’t help but feel the immensity of the sea and the majesty of nature. You won’t be able to avoid being touched by the beauty of these beings swimming in freedom, so similar to us as mammals, yet at the same time so different.
And if we are moved, this activity done with with children is incredible. Seeing their faces full of amazement and disbelief is the most unforgettable part of this unbelievable family experience.
Now you can understand why I said at the beginning that this is not just another excursion.
So if you are thinking of Tenerife as your next holiday destination, don’t hesitate to immerse yourself in the marine world and let yourself be hypnotized by these beautiful and unique beings.
And if you still don’t know where to stay, I recommend the El Marques Palace hotel in the area of Puerto de Santiago, we hired an apartment there and they really made us feel at home.