10 Best Beaches in Tenerife - White sand beaches & Black volcanic sand

Published on May 30, 2022
TenerifeBeach guide for Tenerife
best beaches in tenerife
Tenerife is home to many amazing beaches. Pictured here is Las Teresitas Beach, near Santa Cruz

Tenerife is a great destination for a sunny holiday, but the island is of volcanic origin, which means that there are many beaches with black volcanic sand.

Best beaches in Tenerife South

The south is where most of the tourists visiting Tenerife are staying, so the beaches here are among the top beaches in Tenerife in terms of facilities, access to shops, bars and restaurants and also activities for children.

Best white sand beaches in Tenerife

Tenerife is known for its black sand beaches since it's a volcanic island, but you'll also be able to find some nice beaches with golden sand, usually in the south part of the island.

1. Las Vistas Beach - Best beach in Los Cristianos

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Playa Las Vistas in January - it was in the morning, when it was still a bit cloudy

Playa Las Vistas is probably the most popular one in Los Cristianos and it's a white sand beach, man made, with all the facilities you need. 

There are lots of shops nearby, Vista Sur shopping center is just a few steps away, so it's a really great beach to spend your days since you have everything you may need in close proximity.

The water is shallow near the shoreline, so it's great for kids; there aren't many waves and there are some inflatables in the water (but we are not sure if they are there all year long or how much it costs to use them).

2. Playa Torviscas

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We really love the beach umbrellas on Torviscas beach 

Playa Torviscas is another great beach in Costa Adeje, with calm and clean water, ideal for swimming. It is a great spot to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather and it's situated in a more upmarket area. You have many other beaches nearby, like Playa Fanabe, Playa del Duque and Puerto Colon beach.

3. Puerto Colon Beach

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Playa Puerto Colon, one of the best beaches in Tenerife for families with kids

We really like this beach, with its clear and calm water, sometimes with a turquoise shade close to the shoreline. It is one of the top beaches in Tenerife for families with small children (in our opinion). You also have inflatables in the water, which will keep the kids busy for a few hours and give them something to do, while you can enjoy a beer or a cocktail. We fell like this beach has a more relaxed vibe compared to other nearby beaches, but you still have plenty of restaurants and shops in the proximity.

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4. Playa del Duque

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Playa del Duque, one of the best beaches in Tenerife south

Playa del Duque is one of the most popular beaches in the south of Tenerife in the Costa Adeje resort.

It offers safe access to the ocean and you'll find all the usual amenities like sunbeds, umbrellas, showers, toilets and also a beach bar. 

Playa del Duque is a fairly large beach and you can also stroll on the promenade along the beach, where there are lots of benches to rest and admire the view from different viewpoints.

The surrounding area close to Playa del Duque is home to some of the best luxury hotels in Tenerife like Gran Hotel Bahía del Duque Resort, Hotel Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur and Iberostar Grand El Mirador.

5. El Medano Beach

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A busy day on the beach in El Medano during a hot winter day

The coast in the area of El Medano is much windier compared to the south, but you do get some spectacular views and long natural beaches to walk and even practice water sports, such as kite surfing or surfing.

The town beach is usually busy and full of tourists, but you only have to walk for a few minutes to find a more quiet and remote spot if you want to escape the crowds.

6. Playa de las Teresitas

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Playa de las Teresitas, close to Santa Cruz, is one of the best golden sand beaches in Tenerife

This beach is not in the south of the island, but it's definitely one of the best white sand beaches in Tenerife (the sand is actually more of a golden color).

As we said in the beginning, Tenerife doesn't get many natural beaches with light-colored sand, so Las Teresitas is a man-made beach, with sand imported here from Africa, beautiful palm trees, luxurious sand beds and all the facilities that you can think of.

Playa Las Teresitas is popular and gets full with locals, especially during the summer months, although we've spent warm and sunny days here even in winter and we've even gone swimming in January, February or March and the water has been quite pleasant. 

Playa Las Teresitas gets quite busy during the warm weekend and during holidays and it even happens that the Police cut off access to the beach by car because the car park gets full, so if you plan to come here during a summer weekend or any other holiday like Easter, our advice is to arrive early in the morning, before the crowds. 

7. Playa de los Cristianos

playa los cristianos tenerife south best white sand beaches
Playa de los Cristianos is one of the popular white sand beaches in Tenerife south

Playa de los Cristianos is actually one of our favorite beaches in Tenerife for swimming and sunbathing as well, especially during the winter months.

On our last visit to Tenerife, we stayed right next to this beach and we enjoyed our holiday so much, since the beach is very safe for swimming, with all the facilities available and many restaurants and bars close by. 

We feel like it has a more relaxed vibe than Playa Las Vistas and Playa del Duque for example, although if you'd like a more vibrant nightlife, we suggest staying closer to one of those beaches instead. 

Black sand beaches in Tenerife

We know than many people don't like the black sand beaches that are specific to Tenerife, but there are a few beautiful ones, that should not be missed.

We actually love these beaches that are so typical to Tenerife, as they usually have a wild vibe and come with dramatic scenery, very different from the beaches situated in the resorts.

8. Playa La Arena

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Playa la Arena, our favourite black sand beach in Tenerife

Playa La Arena is probably the most beautiful and popular black sand beach in the south of Tenerife.

Although swimming at this beach is considered dangerous (and it's often forbidden by the red flag put up by the lifeguards), the dark black sand, the palm trees and the view of La Gomera, all make this a wonderful place to spend the day. 

9. Playa Jardin

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Playa Jardin in Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz is the best place to stay in Tenerife if you don't want to be in the south and Playa Jardin is one of the many reasons why you should at least visit this place during your holiday.

The layout of the beach was designed by Cesar Manrique and there are lots of elements that make this place so special: a waterfall, a bridge, flowers, and palm trees.

Best things to do in Puerto de la Cruz

10. Playa de Benijo

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Playa de Benijo - black volcanic sand in the north of Tenerife

This is one of Tenerife's best beaches, wild and remote and it's situated in the North, inside Anaga Rural Park.

Playa de Benijo is super popular among photographers and it's one of those picture-perfect places that you see in magazines. The currents and waves are usually strong at this beach, so swimming is dangerous and not really recommended.

During the summer it gets a fair share of visitors, but it's quiet and empty for the rest of the year. You have to walk for around 15 minutes to get to this beach (by going down some stairs), so it's not a beach with easy access since there's no parking either and you have to leave your car on the side of the road.

Want to discover more amazing am beautiful beaches in Tenerife?

Read more about the island's natural treasures in our article about 101 Beaches in Tenerife.

FAQ about the best beaches in Tenerife

What is the nicest beach in Tenerife?

The all-time prettiest and nicest beach in Tenerife is in our opinion Playa Las Teresitas, close to the capital Santa Cruz, but there are many beautiful beaches in the south as well.

Are there any white sand beaches in Tenerife?

There aren't proper white sand beaches in Tenerife like there are in the Caribbean, but Tenerife does have beautiful golden sand beaches like Playa Las Vistas, Playa del Duque, Playa Las Teresitas.

Are there nice beaches in Tenerife?

Yes, there are some lovely beaches in Tenerife, from the busy ones in the resorts that have all the facilities, to remote and wild beaches like the ones in Anaga, where you can simply admire the beauty of this island.

Are there any sandy beaches in Tenerife?

The beaches in Tenerife's resorts are actually sandy ones, so if you want to go on holiday to Playa de Las Americas, Costa Adeje, or Los Cristianos you will find sandy beaches, perfect for sunbathing.

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