FAQs · Destination Guide
Volcanic reefs, year-round Atlantic diving, and Teide-sized topside adventures
Updated Apr 20, 2026 • 29 sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers sourced from research and local operating patterns.
Tenerife is diveable year-round, but May to November is the easiest window for most visitors. Those months usually bring warmer water, drier south-coast weather, and a wider practical site list. Late summer and autumn are especially comfortable for repeat dives because water can approach 25°C. December to April still works well on sheltered south and south-east sites, but north-coast walls, Teno, and exposed lava entries are more likely to be affected by Atlantic swell, cooler water, and site swaps.
First-time Tenerife dive travelers should usually stay in the south or south-west, around Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, Las Galletas, or Los Gigantes. This side has the most reliable ocean conditions, many dive centers, whale-watching departures, restaurants, and non-diver activities. Las Galletas and Los Cristianos are practical for El Condesito, Montana Amarilla, and southern boat sites, while Los Gigantes works for west-coast scenery. Radazul or Tabaiba suit training-focused travelers who want east-side shore logistics near Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
Tenerife offers both, but it is not a pure drive-and-dive island like Bonaire. Many signature sites are boat dives, including El Condesito, La Atlantida, La Catedral, and Los Gigantes routes. Shore diving is still important at places such as Tabaiba, Radazul, Las Eras, Abades, and some south-coast reefs. The best plan is to book with a local operator that can use both styles and change coasts when wind, swell, or currents make one site less attractive.
Yes. Tenerife is excellent for mixed groups because non-divers get full-strength activities, not just resort downtime. They can visit Teide National Park, take a responsible whale-watching trip from Puerto Colon or Los Cristianos, walk La Laguna, explore Anaga's laurel forest, visit Garachico and Icod, join a winery route, or relax at Costa Adeje beaches. The only scheduling caution is altitude: divers should not head up Teide too soon after scuba, so save mountain days for proper no-dive intervals.
For ordinary recreational scuba, snorkeling, and freediving, no destination-wide marine park tag or Bonaire-style diver permit was identified in official materials reviewed. You still pay operator, rental, guide, boat, and course fees, and you must follow conservation rules. The fee most visitors should notice is topside: selected restricted routes in Teide National Park use reservations and public fees for non-residents. Fishing and spearfishing are different activities and require the correct licences and rule knowledge.
Tenerife is very good for freediving, especially for courses and training. Radazul, Adeje, Los Gigantes, and the west coast are known for depth close to shore, schools, mild winter water, and limited thermocline. Official local guidance highlights all-year freediving, with winter attractive for European freedivers because the water remains workable. New freedivers should book a course, not train alone. Certified freedivers still need a trained buddy, float, line, site checks, and strong respect for boat traffic and swell.
The most reliable snorkeling is usually on the south, south-east, and south-west coasts when sea conditions are calm. Montana Amarilla is the island's classic volcanic snorkel site, Abades Bay is useful for sheltered mixed groups, and Los Abrigos natural pools can be beautiful on calm days. Costa Adeje and La Caleta coves may also work. Avoid judging by photos alone: flags, surge, wind, and exit safety matter. Do not feed or touch turtles, rays, or other wildlife.
Tenerife is cooler than tropical dive destinations but warmer and steadier than much of Europe. Expect roughly 18°C to 21°C in late winter and early spring, rising toward about 24°C to 25°C in late summer and autumn. Many divers use a 5mm wetsuit for much of the year. If you get cold, dive repeatedly, or visit in winter, pack or rent a 7mm, hooded vest, or warmer layering option.
Tenerife is famous for resident pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins off the south-west, but the responsible experience is boat-based whale watching, not diving or snorkeling with them. Regulations require distance, limited encounter time, slow approaches, and no swimming, feeding, touching, or disturbing the animals. You may hear boat crews talk about the cetacean corridor around Teno-Rasca and the Tenerife-La Gomera area. Choose authorised operators and treat any accidental wildlife proximity as passive observation.
Treat Teide as an altitude activity, not a casual after-dive drive. The summit reaches 3.7 km, and even cable car or viewpoint days involve substantial elevation compared with sea level. Do not go to altitude after diving until your dive computer and conservative altitude-after-diving guidance allow it. Many travelers schedule Teide on arrival day before diving, after a full no-dive day, or near the end of the trip once diving is finished.
Open Water divers can enjoy many Tenerife sites with a guide, especially sheltered reefs, training bays, and shallower south-coast routes. Advanced Open Water or equivalent experience is strongly recommended for Tabaiba's deeper wreck profile, La Catedral, Las Eras, Teno, La Atlantida, current-prone dives, deep walls, or any overhead-adjacent environment. Wreck penetration, caves, and deep profiles require specific training. Always let the operator match sites to your recent experience, buoyancy, air use, and comfort in surge or current.
No. Tenerife is best classified as a local-only destination for dive planning. The normal model is land-based accommodation plus local dive centers, shore entries, short boat rides, rental cars, and day-by-day site selection. Liveaboards may exist elsewhere in the wider region or pass through Canary Island itineraries, but they are not the core way to experience Tenerife's signature sites. This is good news for mixed groups because non-divers can enjoy the island while divers do morning ocean sessions.