I love to travel when i can and visit new places whether its a day out somewhere or a trip abroad. As much as i like to go somewhere i haven't been before, one of my favourite places that i repeatedly go back to is Tenerife, a tiny Spanish owned volcanic island off the coast of West Africa with a big personality!
This year marked my 4th visit to Tenerife and i don't know what it is about the place that makes it feel like a home away from home. We like a bit of balance when we go, we want the option to go down to the bars without being right on their door step whilst having a sea front hotel surrounded by restaurants.
We stay in Playa de las Americas which is on the south coast of the island, this is the more touristy part of the island but if you like varied activities and a variety of night life it will probably appeal to you.
As well as being a beautiful island full of life another appealing factor is that it is relatively affordable. There are of course expensive areas if you want to indulge a little but if you are a Brit like myself you will notice the money goes a bit further than back home.
One of our favourite places to visit while on the island is Siam Park which is a water park on the south of the island. It was actually voted the best water park in the world by Trip Adviser in 2015. If you like white knuckle you will absolutely love the variety of water rides they have to offer, the most terrifying in my opinion being the "Tower of Power" i have been on it twice and surprise myself with my bravery each time. In the summer months up until mid September they also host "Siam by Night" in which a live DJ plays on the beach and you can go on all the rides in the dark and swim down the lazy river with light up rings.
This year we also decided to go on a Catamaran to go Whale and Dolphin watching, while its not a guarantee that you will spot them the chances are high. The weather was hot and the sea was pretty calm but i must say the ride out of the bay with the waves getting a little higher was a bit terrifying and i stupidly put my bag on the netting with me which got absolutely soaked and water damaged my phone so i trip to the repair shop back home was in order. It took a little while but we eventually came across some Atlantic Spotted Dolphins, the guide said that we were very lucky as they will just be passing through, they started to swim with the boat which the guide said he had only witnessed them once before. The experience brought a tear to my eye, Dolphins have been my favourite animal since i was a child and to see them in the Ocean racing along with us was just one of the best things I've ever seen. We also came across some Pilot whales who seemed to be relaxing on the surface.
The most noticeable attraction on the island is Teide, this is an active volcano and is the highest point in Spain and the third highest volcano in the world which actually makes Tenerife itself the tenth highest island in the world. The last volcanic eruption was 1909 and despite reports after small earthquakes on the island last year, it is not due to erupt. You can get to the top of Teide by cable car, coach/private tour or hiking. If you want to trek to the summit, you need to hike a bit further up from where the busses/cable cars drop you. Me and my partner were actually due to go on a Teide by night excursion with the rest of our party but unfortunately my partner injured his foot so our trip ended up being to the hospital. The brilliant @amavi will be doing a post in the future about this particular trip and she has some beautiful pictures of their evening on the volcano so keep your eyes peeled.
The island has a consistent warm climate being approximately 186 miles off the coast of western Africa and on the same longitude as the Sahara Desert. Teide resides in the middle of the island and so separates North and South with their climates slightly differing, The north is generally a bit cooler and wetter, but if you plan to visit Loro Parque as we did a few years ago you will venture up to this area, it is generally quieter and attracts fewer tourists just to the more frequent cloud coverage, i actually found the north quite humid as a result of this.
The south is warmer with fewer clouds and wind, our visit this year saw temperatures of around 40 degrees most days. Temperatures tend to peak between July and September.
The island has something for all ages and with a varied and fascinating landscape i'm sure it will continue to grow in popularity and i know for definite that i will be back!
Thanks for reading, upvotes and comments are much appreciated :)
TENERIFE!!
2018 2018 2018 2018!!!
Yes yes yes