The waters off the southwest coast of Tenerife are a hotspot for watching whales in the wild. More people see wild cetaceans here than anywhere else in Europe and 21 different species have been sighted, including blue whales and killer whales. Resident populations of pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are spotted on 80% days throughout the year.
South coast
Gran Canaria
Small cetaceans like dolphins are common in the waters around Puerto Rico harbour in south Gran Canaria. They thrive in the clear waters and cool breezes and are active from the crack of dawn. Spotting dolphins is the highlight of many visitors and locals’ day and several boats arrange trips with the correct expert staff and safety standards.
One of the top spots for watching large- and medium-sized cetaceans in the Canary Islands is around Tazacorte harbour in western La Palma. Boats know the local cetaceans’ routines well and they spot them on 90% of trips. The sea off La Palma is an excellent place to see sperm whales.
Valle Gran Rey coast
La Gomera
The waters around Valle Gran Rey in south La Gomera are a superb location for watching whales and dolphins in the wild. It’s a busy cetacean highway with spotted, common and bottlenose dolphins, whales, sperm whales and rorquals visiting regularly. Whale watching trips here, all with a qualified expert guide, are also a great opportunity to spot sea turtles.