Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands in Spain, is a popular holiday destination for families and couples looking for great weather, a laid-back atmosphere and amazing beaches. The volcanic nature of the island means Tenerife boasts a number of natural beaches with characteristic black sand. There are also many quality manmade bays with golden sands, which are always a favourite with visitors.
Many of the beaches in Tenerife are easily accessible and meet the European standards when it comes to cleanliness. Most also feature a number of facilities, ranging from sun beds, parasols and changing rooms to beachside bars, water sports and children's play areas. Even though the island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the average sea temperature is pleasantly mild all-year-round, meaning you can enjoy a dip whichever month you visit.
Black Sand Beaches
Situated in Puerto de la Cruz in the north of the island, Playa Jardín features a small number of facilities limited to sun beds and parasols. The calm waters make the beach popular with swimmers and snorkelers, as well as families with young children. You won't find much in the way of water sports, although the variety of the surrounding plant life and mountain views more than makes up for it.
The natural beach in Playa de La Arena is made up of black volcanic sand. This bay has been awarded with the Blue Flag for many consecutive years for its cleanliness and facilities, which include sun beds, shades, showers, toilets and access for disabled people. Due to its south western location, the weather here is almost always sunny, meaning the shallow waters are warm year-round.
Playa de San Juan in San Juan has been transformed from a rocky coastline occupied by fishermen to a soft black sand beach popular with holidaymakers. Although it's small, this beach offers all the amenities you could want, including sun loungers, parasols, showers, beach bar and plenty of parking nearby.
Golden Sand Beaches
Playa del Duque in Costa Adeje is one of the most popular and beautiful beaches in the south of the island. Here you'll find a large range of facilities, such as sun loungers, parasols, changing rooms, showers, toilets and even a massage service. This Blue Flag beach is lined by a promenade, where you'll find a great selection of cafes, bars and restaurants, although due to the upmarket nature of the area, they can be pricey. There are many parking spaces nearby, but they're almost always full. If you can't find a space, you can use the affordable underground car park in the area.
Santa Cruz is home to one of the best golden sand beaches on the island Las Teresitas. Immensely popular with the locals, this beach gets very busy on a weekend, so it's recommended that you visit during the week. The calm waters created by the breakwaters make ideal conditions for swimming and facilities come in the form of sun beds, parasols, showers and a small beach bar which offers snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Lively beaches
Playa de Troya in Costa Adeje is centrally-located, lined by a huge number of hotels, shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, where you can wander if the sun gets too much for you. There is a wealth of facilities available here, including life guards, lockers, sun beds, parasols, showers, changing rooms and toilets. The temperate waters here are also very calm, making it a popular destination for families with young children.
Situated in Los Cristianos, Playa de los Cristianos is the main beach in the resort, sheltered by a small harbour. This bay is popular with the locals who visit on an evening to play volleyball or just soak up the last of the rays. Here you'll find a large number of sun beds and parasols, as well as a few changing rooms, showers, toilets and lifeguards. Playa de los Cristianos is set in a busy part of town, meaning there are plenty of nearby shops, ice cream parlours, cafes, bars and restaurants to keep the whole family entertained.
Family-friendly beaches
Playa La Pinta in Puerto Colon, Playa de Las Americas offers everything a family could need to enjoy a day in the sun. Lined by a great array of bars, restaurants and shops, this beach boasts many facilities, including sun beds, shades, showers, life guards and toilets. The highlight of the bay is the large inflatable children's play area found bobbing in the sea a few metres from the shore. Waves are practically non-existent here, making it a popular place for swimmers.
Found in the south of the island,Playa Fañabe in Costa Adeje is another beach popular with families. Also close to a great choice of shops and places to grab a bite to eat, this long golden sandy beach has fantastic wheelchair access, so everyone can enjoy it. Children will have the time of their lives playing in one of the shaded kids' areas or on the nearby crazy golf course. Facilities are numerous and include sun loungers, four-poster day beds, parasols, beach bar, showers, toilets and life guards.
Playa Ajabo in Callao Salvaje is made up of a mixture of shingle and sand and is ideal for families with young children. The waters at this bay are very calm, so you can leave the little ones to play without worrying. Due to the small size of the resort, this beach is usually very quiet, meaning you won't have a problem finding the perfect spot. Although there are no sun beds or parasols, the large cliffs either side offer some shade and there is also a shower.
Secluded and Naturist beaches
Tucked behind Reina Sofia airport, La Tejita in El Médano is the longest natural beach on the island, stretching 1.5km along the coast. This area is usually very windy, making for some fantastic waves that surfers of all types take advantage of. The section of the beach closest to Montaña Roja is regarded as a naturist section, but being nude isn't obligatory. Although they are limited at this Blue Flag beach, facilities include sun loungers, shades and life guards during peak seasons.
Playa Las Gaviotas is about 10km further on from Las Teresitas in Santa Cruz and is one of the most popular naturist beaches during summer, despite its off the beaten track location. This black sand beach doesn't offer any facilities, but there is a small handful of parking spaces nearby.
Playa Bollullo is one of the most beautiful secluded beaches in Puerto de la Cruz, accessible only on foot. The trek to this black sand beach will take you through banana plantations and over cliffs, making proper footwear necessary. There are no facilities here, except a small beach bar offering meals and drinks throughout the day.
Water sports/activities beaches
Playa Las Vistas is a long stretch of golden sand linking Playa de Las Americas and Los Cristianos. This beach is popular with both locals and visitors due to the quality and number of facilities. Here you'll find sun loungers, parasols, showers, changing rooms, toilets, wheelchair access and amphibian chairs so disabled people can enjoy a dip in the sea, too. There is also a superb number of water sports available, such as pedalos, jet skis, parasailing and banana boats. Lining the beach you'll find a great selection of shops, as well as a number of bars and restaurants offering cheap food and drink throughout the day.
Another beach popular with water sport enthusiasts, Playa Torviscas in Costa Adeje offers a wealth of activities to keep the whole family entertained. Here you'll find pedalos, jet skis, banana boats, parasailing and water skiing. There is also a small selection of facilities, including sun loungers, shades, showers and toilets, with a fantastic choice of bars and restaurants nearby.
Diving beaches
The pebble beach of Las Galletas is a popular location for diving. The Dive Tenerife centre is based here because it's ideally located, close to a high number of fascinating dive sites including ones populated by stingrays and some with sunken ships.
La Caleta is home to another great diving spot El Puertito. This area is popular with locals who travel to the beach on weekends with their diving gear for the chance to catch a glimpse of the turtles. Several diving centres offer trips here, including Wannadive.
Surf beaches
Situated on the coastline of Playa de Las Americas, Playa Conquistador is a rocky beach with huge waves that attract a large number of surfers. Although not suitable for sunbathing, this beach is a great spot to take it easy and watch the surfers ride the waves.
Located in the very north eastern tip of the island, Playa de Benijo in Santa Cruz is a dark sandy beach that can only be accessed by driving along narrow winding mountain roads. Although facilities are limited to one beach shack which serves food and drink, the large waves here make it a popular location for surfers.
Blue Flag Beaches
El Médano beach offers the best of both worlds, with something to suit both water sport enthusiasts and bathers. This beach has been awarded the Blue Flag year after year due to its superb facilities, which include sun loungers, parasols, showers, changing rooms, toilets and wheelchair access. The windiest section of the beach is used by surfers, windsurfers and kite surfers whereas those wanting to swim occupy the other, more calm end. There is a promenade which runs parallel to the beach, offering a wealth of bars, shops and restaurants.
Playa El Camison in Playa de Las Americas is a small Blue Flag bay with soft golden sand and shallow calm waters, making it a popular choice for families with small children. Here you'll find the usual facilities sun loungers, parasols, showers and toilets, as well as a small beachside restaurant at one end, the only eatery in the immediate area.