Tenerife Boat trips & whale watching

The channel between Tenerife and La Gomera is deep, sheltered and warm, and it holds a resident population of short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins that does not migrate. That combination is unusual enough that the area was named a Whale Heritage Site, the first in Europe, and it means sightings on a given trip are close to routine rather than a matter of luck.

Boats leave from Los Cristianos, Puerto Colon and Los Gigantes, from two-hour sailings to full days with lunch and swimming stops. Look for operators carrying the blue Barco Azul flag, which is the regional accreditation for approaching the animals responsibly.