Sailing Tenerife and La Gomera: boat trips and a 7-day route
Tenerife is Atlantic sailing with a volcano as your backdrop. From the marinas in the south you reach the Los Gigantes cliffs in a day, pilot whales are often seen off the south-west coast, and La Gomera is one crossing away. A typical week runs from the south of Tenerife to Los Gigantes, across to La Gomera and back. The legs between the islands are 15 to 27 nautical miles, and the trade wind and swell set the pace.
Where to charter a yacht for Tenerife?
Most sailing weeks start in the south. Marina San Miguel lies at Amarilla Golf in San Miguel de Abona. A few miles west is Marina del Sur in Las Galletas, which is covered by the Tenerife page. On the east coast, yachts leave from Radazul and from the marinas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. You can book charter yachts from these bases on Ship O'Hoi, bareboat or with a skipper. Charter weeks usually run Saturday to Saturday. To sail bareboat, you need a licence that the charter company accepts: read our guides to the boat licence in Spain and the ICC certificate. If nobody in your crew has one, hire a skipper or book a crewed yacht.
A 7-day sailing itinerary from the south of Tenerife
This loop starts and ends in the south, at Marina San Miguel or Marina del Sur. The two are approx. 3 nm apart. Distances are rough estimates from the chart. Plan every leg with charts, a pilot book and the AEMET coastal forecast.
Day 1: Check-in and a short trip to Punta de Rasca
Approx. 0–8 nm. After Saturday check-in, take a short trip west towards Punta de Rasca, the island's southern tip, to get to know the boat and the swell. Overnight in your base marina. Both marinas listen on VHF channel 9. Tip: practise reefing today. From here on, the wind can rise quickly off every headland.
Day 2: The south-west coast to Los Gigantes
Approx. 19–20 nm. Round Punta de Rasca and head north-west past Los Cristianos and along the Costa Adeje. This whole coast is the Teno-Rasca marine protected area, and the Canary government says pilot whales are often seen about two miles off Los Cristianos. Keep 500 m away (see the rules below). By afternoon the Los Gigantes cliffs rise straight out of the sea beside the marina. Overnight at Puerto Deportivo de Los Gigantes, with about 360 berths for boats up to 20 m. Book ahead. Tip: the Los Cristianos marina, run by Puertos de Tenerife, is a fallback if the wind picks up.
Day 3: Los Gigantes to San Sebastián de La Gomera
Approx. 17 nm. Cross the channel to La Gomera's capital. AEMET's research shows the wind around the high islands is usually weakest at night and early morning and strongest from midday, so cast off early. Overnight at Marina La Gomera, inside the port of San Sebastián close to the town centre: 335 berths, 100 for visitors, boats up to 20 m. Tip: it has fuel and a supermarket, so stock up here.
Day 4: San Sebastián to Valle Gran Rey
Approx. 15 nm. Sail along La Gomera's south coast, past the harbour of Playa Santiago, and round the south-west corner to Valle Gran Rey. Overnight in the Puerto de Vueltas, a small Puertos Canarios port with water, electricity, fuel and a bar. Request a berth in advance through Puertos Canarios. Tip: if Vueltas is full, head back to Marina La Gomera in good time rather than counting on an anchorage on this exposed coast.
Day 5: Valle Gran Rey back to San Sebastián
Approx. 15 nm. A slow morning in the valley, then back east along the south coast. Overnight at Marina La Gomera. Tip: ferries run between San Sebastián and Los Cristianos, so keep a lookout at the harbour entrance.
Day 6: Back across to the south of Tenerife
Approx. 25–27 nm. The longest leg: across the channel to Punta de Rasca and on to your base. Leave at first light to finish before the afternoon wind builds. Overnight in your base marina. Tip: reef before the Rasca headland, not off it.
Day 7: Whale and dolphin morning, then return
Approx. 10–15 nm. A last morning off the south-west coast, where you may spot pilot whales or dolphins from a distance. Be back in your base in the afternoon for Saturday check-out; ask your charter company for the exact return time. Tip: to see cetaceans up close, join an authorised whale-watching trip instead.
| Leg | Distance | Overnight | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1: Base – Punta de Rasca – base | approx. 0–8 nm | Marina San Miguel or Marina del Sur | Getting used to the swell |
| Day 2: Base – Los Gigantes | approx. 19–20 nm | Puerto Deportivo de Los Gigantes | Costa Adeje and the Los Gigantes cliffs |
| Day 3: Los Gigantes – San Sebastián de La Gomera | approx. 17 nm | Marina La Gomera | Crossing the channel |
| Day 4: San Sebastián – Valle Gran Rey | approx. 15 nm | Puerto de Vueltas (request a berth) | La Gomera's south coast |
| Day 5: Valle Gran Rey – San Sebastián | approx. 15 nm | Marina La Gomera | Calm morning sail east |
| Day 6: San Sebastián – south of Tenerife | approx. 25–27 nm | Base marina | The long crossing back |
| Day 7: Whale and dolphin morning | approx. 10–15 nm | Return to base | Teno-Rasca from a distance |
Boat trips from Radazul and Santa Cruz
The east coast suits day trips. Radazul is a sheltered marina in El Rosario, approx. 6 nm south of Santa Cruz. From Santa Cruz it is approx. 9 nm to the north-east tip of the island and the Anaga Rural Park, a Biosphere Reserve, where steep green ridges run down to the Roques de Anaga and the coastal hamlets of Taganana, Benijo and Roque de las Bodegas. The Marina de Santa Cruz lies beside the commercial port, so watch for ships at the entrance.
For a week from the east, the south is approx. 30 nm down the south-east coast, where AEMET describes coastal wind jets: the trade wind is usually behind you going south, but it can be a hard beat back. Gran Canaria is possible too: Las Palmas is approx. 48 nm from Santa Cruz across the Anaga–Agaete channel, a long passage rather than a day trip. Our guide to sailing the Canary Islands in winter covers it.
Rules and safety in Tenerife and La Gomera
- Whales and dolphins: Spain protects cetaceans under Royal Decree 1727/2007. MITECO's notice for boats without a whale-watching authorisation says you must not approach closer than 500 m, with any kind of boat. If dolphins come to you, you may keep course and speed; for other cetaceans, steer away without reversing or sudden turns, and go to neutral or stop if they surface very close. Touching, feeding, cutting through a group, coming between a mother and calf, loud noises and drones lower than 500 m are banned. Fines run from 100 euros to 2 million euros. Report injured or dead animals on 112. See Royal Decree 1727/2007.
- Canary whale-watching rules: the Canary government's Decreto 178/2000 also bans swimming or diving within 500 m of cetaceans. Within 500 m, boats must go no faster than 4 knots or the speed of the slowest animal. The Canary police patrol the Teno-Rasca area.
- Teno-Rasca: the Franja marina Teno-Rasca has been a Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation since 2011. It covers about 69,500 ha off Buenavista del Norte, Santiago del Teide, Guía de Isora, Adeje and Arona. MITECO has stopped issuing new whale-watching permits there and publishes a leaflet on anchoring in the zone's seagrass meadows: anchor on sand, not on seagrass.
- Trade winds and acceleration zones: AEMET forecasters describe low-level coastal jets on Tenerife's south-east coast. Sustained winds can exceed 40 knots and gusts 50 knots, in any season but especially in summer. The jets are strongest around midday and in the afternoon, and weakest at night. The north-easterly trade wind is also funnelled through the channel between Anaga and Agaete. Read the AEMET coastal forecast for "Aguas costeras de Tenerife y La Gomera" and "Canal Anaga – Agaete". It gives wind, sea and swell. Atlantic swell can run even on a calm day.
- Ferries: Los Cristianos has ferries to La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma. Stay clear of their route and of the harbour entrances.
- Emergencies: call Salvamento Marítimo on 900 202 202 or 112, make a distress call on VHF channel 16, or send a DSC alert on channel 70.
- Licence: from 1 October 2026, anyone who drives a rented boat in Spain needs a licence. The old licence-free rental of small boats ends. To sail a yacht bareboat, you need a licence that covers its size and area and that Spain recognises. The ICC is the safe choice. With a skipper or crew, you need no licence. See our boat licence in Spain guide.
Best time to sail Tenerife and La Gomera
Tenerife can be sailed all year, and the marinas in the south promote year-round sailing. According to AEMET, the trade-wind pattern that drives the coastal jets dominates in summer, so summer afternoons between the islands are often the windiest, while the jets can occur in any season. Plan early starts all year, and check the AEMET forecast for swell as well as wind. See sailing the Canary Islands in winter for a month-by-month guide.
FAQ
How long is the boat trip from Tenerife to La Gomera?
Approx. 17 nm from Los Gigantes, approx. 21 nm from Los Cristianos and approx. 25–27 nm from the marinas in the south. Leave early, before the afternoon wind.
Can I watch whales from my own charter yacht?
Only from a distance. MITECO's rules forbid boats without a whale-watching authorisation from approaching cetaceans closer than 500 m. If you want to get closer, book a trip with an authorised operator.
Where do I spend the night at Los Gigantes?
At Puerto Deportivo de Los Gigantes, next to the cliffs, with about 360 berths for boats up to 20 m. Book ahead.
Is Tenerife suitable for a first bareboat charter?
Only with open-sea experience. The acceleration zones, the swell and legs of 15 to 27 nm make it harder than most Mediterranean areas. Otherwise, hire a skipper.
Can I sail from Tenerife to Gran Canaria?
Yes, but plan a full day. Las Palmas is approx. 48 nm from Santa Cruz, across the Anaga–Agaete channel, where the trade wind is funnelled.
More sailing guides
For a Mediterranean contrast, read about a sailing week from Palma to Cabrera. Before you fly, check what to bring on a yacht charter.
