I almost didn’t like my Tenerife vacation – I came for snorkeling and hiking, but left concerned about Tenerife’s future
*Disclaimer: I don’t mean this post to be disrespectful toward Tenerife or its people. I know many of the issues I mention are complex and not the fault of the local population.
I also don’t support all-inclusive party tourism or visitors who disrespect the island. We stayed in a small hotel, spent most of our time hiking, and tried to experience Tenerife’s nature responsibly.*
I almost ended up not liking my vacation in Tenerife, which surprised me because I had been looking forward to it for a long time.
What really shocked me was the amount of litter, especially away from the tourist areas. Many beaches were covered in trash, and the water often didn’t look clean enough to enjoy snorkeling. One of the things I was most excited about was seeing sea turtles, but after learning about the island’s sewage problem during our trip, I honestly started worrying about the impact on marine life. I couldn’t believe that untreated wastewater can end up being discharged into the sea, even near protected natural areas. It made me wonder how this is still allowed.
It was also the first time I truly noticed the effects of overtourism. We stayed in a small hotel near Los Gigantes, which was nice, but the environmental pressure on the island was impossible to ignore. We had originally considered spending more time in the north because it’s greener and more beautiful, but beach closures and concerns about water quality made us change our plans.
Our goal was a hiking and snorkeling holiday, but because of the dirty beaches and questionable water quality, we often didn’t want to get into the ocean. Abades and Montaña Amarilla were among the few places where we actually enjoyed snorkeling.
That said, Tenerife is still an incredible island. Barranco del Infierno, Roque de los Brezos, climbing Teide, the magical Anaga cloud forest, and hiking through the Canary pine forests to Paisaje Lunar were all absolutely amazing.
Then came the highlight of the entire trip: a four-hour whale watching tour. We saw dolphins, whales, and even a hammerhead shark. In that moment, it suddenly felt like everything wasn’t quite so bad after all. There is still so much life in these waters, and it was one of the most beautiful wildlife experiences I’ve ever had.
It also reminded me why protecting this ecosystem is so important. Tenerife is an extraordinary place, but I really hope more is done to tackle pollution before the damage becomes irreversible.