LOS GIGANTES, TENERIFE: A COMPLETE GUIDE & MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO

If you’re visiting Tenerife and thinking about visiting Los Gigantes, let me help you plan your trip!

Los Gigantes is one of the most popular attractions in Tenerife. We really enjoyed visiting, and there’s so much more to do here than simply come to see the cliffs. In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know to plan the perfect visit, based on our own experience exploring Los Gigantes. Keep reading to find out where Los Gigantes is, how to get there, and what to do once you arrive!

WHERE IS LOS GIGANTES IN TENERIFE

The Los Gigantes Cliffs are located on the western coast of Tenerife, near the coastal town of Puerto de Santiago. These enormous cliffs reach up to around 600 metres (1,970 feet) high and rise dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean. So obviously, they’re one of the most impressive natural attractions in Tenerife!

The cliffs are the main reason people visit Los Gigantes, but there’s much more to see and do in the area. We initially came just to see the cliffs and ended up being totally surprised by how much else there was to do. You can enjoy beautiful views from several viewpoints, relax at Playa de los Guíos, explore the marina, or take a boat trip to see the cliffs from the water. Los Gigantes is also a popular starting point for whale and dolphin watching tours along Tenerife’s west coast, which is unforgettable.

The name Los Gigantes means “The Giants” in Spanish, and it’s pretty self-explanatory once you stand beneath these enormous cliffs and see them for yourself!

IS LOS GIGANTES WORTH VISITING?

If you’re wondering whether the Los Gigantes Cliffs are worth adding to your Tenerife itinerary, the answer is YES. Los Gigantes is definitely worth visiting, especially if you love stunning natural landscapes, outdoor activities, and incredible ocean views.

The cliffs are absolutely breathtaking, so if you enjoy gorgeous scenery, seeing these enormous cliffs rise dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean will definitely blow you away. There are also a few excellent viewpoints around Los Gigantes where you can admire the cliffs from completely different perspectives.

And if you enjoy marine life, Los Gigantes might end up being one of your favourite places in Tenerife. The waters around the cliffs are home to resident whales and dolphins, so the whale and dolphin watching boat tours are one of the most popular things to do here. Honestly, I think it’s worth visiting Los Gigantes just for the boat trip alone!

HOW TO GET TO LOS GIGANTES

Reaching Los Gigantes is easy, whether you’re driving or taking public transport. The cliffs are located on the west coast of Tenerife, and Los Gigantes is an easy day trip from many of the island’s most popular destinations.

Los Gigantes by car

If you have a car, this is definitely the easiest way to reach Los Gigantes. From South Tenerife, you can reach Los Gigantes in around 30–40 minutes, depending on where you’re staying. If you’re coming from North Tenerife, the drive takes around an hour and a half. We stayed in Puerto de la Cruz and combined our visit to Los Gigantes with a trip to Masca, which worked really well if you want to explore more of western Tenerife in one day.

Los Gigantes by bus

If you don’t have a car, you can also reach Los Gigantes by bus. The main route from the south is bus 477, which runs directly from Costa Adeje to Los Gigantes and takes around 50 minutes. If you’re staying in Los Cristianos, you can take bus 473, which also stops in Costa Adeje, Playa San Juan and Puerto Santiago before continuing to Los Gigantes. The journey from Los Cristianos takes around 1 hour 20 minutes. 

If you’re staying in Puerto de la Cruz, you can take bus 325, which connects Puerto de la Cruz with Los Gigantes via Icod de los Vinos. There are also local routes such as 462 and 494 connecting Los Gigantes with nearby towns including Guía de Isora and Alcalá.  I’d recommend checking the current TITSA timetable before your trip, as schedules can vary between weekdays, weekends and holidays. 

WHERE TO PARK IN LOS GIGANTES

When it comes to parking, you can find free parking in Puerto de Santiago and walk around 10–20 minutes to reach the cliffs and marina. You can also park at the marina, which is much closer to the main attractions. Parking there is paid, but when we visited (December), it was less than €1 per hour, so I thought it was well worth it for the convenience.

If you’re planning to spend only a few hours in Los Gigantes, I’d recommend parking closer to the marina rather than leaving your car in Puerto de Santiago. It saves you quite a bit of walking, especially if you also want to visit Playa de los Guíos or take a boat trip.

BEST THINGS TO DO AT AND NEAR LOS GIGANTES + MY FAVOURITE ONES

Swim at Playa de los Guíos

If you’ve ever wanted to swim beneath magnificent cliffs, Playa de los Guíos is the perfect place to do it. This is the main beach in Los Gigantes, and it’s honestly stunning. It’s a small black-sand beach located right at the foot of the famous Los Gigantes cliffs, and it gives you incredible views while you swim.

The beach itself is beautiful, with black volcanic sand, clear waters, and an incredible backdrop of the cliffs. There aren’t many amenities directly on the beach apart from showers, but you’ll find plenty of cafes, bars, and restaurants at the nearby marina, just a few steps away.

Keep in mind that Playa de los Guíos can get quite crowded, especially during the middle of the day, because plenty of visitors want to enjoy the unique experience of swimming with the Los Gigantes cliffs towering above them. If you want a quieter experience, I’d recommend coming in the morning, when you can enjoy the beach before most of the crowds arrive. We visited in December when the beaches aren’t that crowded, yet it was still full as you can see on the photo!

There are also no umbrellas or sunbeds on the beach, so make sure you bring everything you need for a few hours in the sun.

Go Kayaking

Kayaking at Los Gigantes is one of the best ways to experience the towering cliffs up close. The incredible views and clear Atlantic waters make it a great outdoor activity to add to your Tenerife itinerary.

People love kayaking here because paddling right beneath the enormous Los Gigantes cliffs gives you a completely different perspective of them. From the water, you can really appreciate just how massive they are. The clear waters also give you a chance to spot marine life, including fish, sea turtles, and sometimes even dolphins.

There are several kayak tours you can book from Los Gigantes Marina. Most tours start from the marina and last around 2–3 hours, and they often combine kayaking with snorkelling and swimming stops at secluded beaches or caves along the coast.

If you don’t want to join a group tour, you can also rent a kayak and explore the coastline independently. However, I’d recommend checking the sea conditions before heading out on your own, because conditions around the cliffs can change.

Explore the Marina

Los Gigantes Marina is worth exploring even if you’re not taking a boat trip. Since we parked in the Marina we had a stroll and we were quite pleasantly surprised. It’s a lovely place to walk around, admire the boats, and enjoy the great views of the Los Gigantes cliffs from the water.

You’ll also find plenty of cafes, bars, and restaurants around the marina, so you can stop for a coffee, lunch, or a drink while taking in the scenery. If you’re planning to go whale watching or kayaking, this is also where many of the Los Gigantes boat and kayak tours depart from, so it’s the perfect starting point for exploring the cliffs!

Go on a Dolphin/Whale Watching Boat Tour

Los Gigantes is one of the best places in Tenerife for whale and dolphin watching. The waters between Tenerife and La Gomera are home to resident species such as pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, which means you have the chance to see marine life here throughout the year.

There are plenty of whale and dolphin watching tours departing from Los Gigantes Marina, with different types of boats and experiences to choose from. You can join a catamaran, yacht, speedboat, or even a more intimate sailing trip. Some tours also combine wildlife watching with swimming, snorkelling, or a stop along the coast, so you can make a whole experience out of it rather than just looking for whales and dolphins.

I’d recommend going in the morning if seeing wildlife is your main priority, but a late-afternoon or sunset tour is a great option if you want beautiful views and a more relaxed atmosphere. Of course, wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, but the resident species make Los Gigantes a particularly popular place for these excursions.

If you plan on taking a boat tour, I recommend booking in advance, especially if you’re visiting Tenerife during the busy summer months. And don’t forget to bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and plenty of water. If you’re prone to seasickness, make sure you take your usual motion-sickness medication before getting on the boat!

Visit the Masca Gorge (favourite!)

If you want to experience the Los Gigantes cliffs in a completely different way, you can combine your visit with a trip to Masca. This spectacular mountain village is located in the Teno Mountains and is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Tenerife. We absolutely LOVED Masca and it was one of the most incredible places we ever visited.

Masca is actually best known for its hiking route through the gorge towards Masca Beach. If you complete the hike, you can actually catch a boat from Masca Beach towards Los Gigantes, so you get an incredible view of the coastline and the cliffs as you approach them from the water.

We combined Masca and Los Gigantes, and I think it’s a great option if you’re already planning to explore this part of Tenerife. Just keep in mind that the Masca Gorge hike requires a permit and has specific access requirements.

Explore Puerto de Santiago

Just a short walk or drive from the Los Gigantes cliffs, you’ll find Puerto de Santiago, which is a charming coastal town on the west coast of Tenerife. This town is quite a relaxing holiday destination with beautiful ocean views, local restaurants, and easy access to several beaches. It’s also a great place to escape some of the crowds you’ll find in Costa Adeje and Playa de las Américas. You can easily spend an hour or two exploring the town.

Puerto de Santiago is also close to Playa de la Arena, which is a beautiful black-sand beach where you can relax and spend a few hours by the ocean. Just keep in mind that the sea here can have strong waves and currents, so make sure you check the conditions before swimming. If you’re not a confident swimmer, I wouldn’t swim here!

Enjoy the views from Mirador Archipenque (favourite!)

If you’re looking for a great viewpoint, Mirador de Archipenque is one of the best places to see Los Gigantes from above. This panoramic viewpoint will give you breathtaking views of the Los Gigantes cliffs, the Atlantic Ocean, and Puerto de Santiago, and it’s absolutely one of my favourite things you can do here!

It’s easy to reach, as it’s located right off the main road and has a parking area nearby. I’d especially recommend stopping here around sunset, when the cliffs and coastline look even more beautiful. It’s also a great quick stop if you’re driving around the west coast of Tenerife, because you don’t need to spend much time here to enjoy the views.

BEST WAYS TO SEE LOS GIGANTES CLIFFS

From land

You can get some incredible views of the Los Gigantes cliffs without getting on a boat. The easiest option is to head to Playa de los Guíos, where you can see the cliffs towering directly above the beach. For a panoramic view from higher up, Mirador de Archipenque is one of the best spots and is especially beautiful around sunset.

You can also see the cliffs from Puerto de Santiago and several points along the coast, so if you’re exploring the area by car, just drive around and keep an eye out for viewpoints along the way. Seeing Los Gigantes from land is completely free, so it’s an easy addition to your Tenerife itinerary even if you only have a few hours to explore.

From the beach

The easiest way to get up close to the Los Gigantes cliffs is from Playa de los Guíos. The beach is right at the foot of the cliffs, so you can swim, relax on the black sand, and look straight up at the towering rock faces above you. It’s probably the most accessible way to experience the cliffs without booking a tour or spending much time getting around. I was honestly very impressed with this view and even if you don’t want to swim I’d still suggest you go and see the cliffs from the beach!

From the water

Los Gigantes from the water is the most impressive option. Whether you take a whale-watching boat trip, go kayaking, or join a boat tour along the coast, you’ll get a completely different perspective of the cliffs. Being right beneath them makes it much easier to appreciate their enormous size, and you may also get to see dolphins, whales, caves, and other parts of the coastline that you can’t reach from land.

From Punta de Teno

If you want to see the Los Gigantes cliffs from a completely different perspective, make sure you visit Punta de Teno. This stunning viewpoint is located in Teno Rural Park, at the westernmost point of Tenerife, and the views are incredible. This was my favourite way of seeing Los Gigantes and one of my favourite experiences in Tenerife in general.

You can reach Punta de Teno by car early in the morning or later in the afternoon, or by bus from Buenavista del Norte during the day. Just make sure you check the current access restrictions before you go, as private car access can be restricted at certain times.

If you want to include Punta de Teno in your Tenerife itinerary, check out my guide to Punta de Teno, where you’ll find everything you need to know before visiting.

CAN YOU VISIT LOS GIGANTES WITHOUT A CAR?

Yes, you can definitely visit Los Gigantes without a car. Tenerife has a good public bus network, and there are direct connections to Los Gigantes from some of the island’s main tourist areas. So, while having a car gives you much more flexibility, you don’t need one to visit Los Gigantes. If you’re staying in the south of Tenerife, I’d have no problem taking the bus for a day trip. If you’re coming from the north, however, I’d personally prefer having a car, especially if you want to combine Los Gigantes with Masca or Punta de Teno.

HOW LONG DO YOU NEED IN LOS GIGANTES?

You can see the main highlights of Los Gigantes in just a few hours, but I’d recommend spending at least half a day here if you have the time. If you simply want to see the cliffs, visit a viewpoint, walk around the marina, and spend some time at Playa de los Guíos, 3–4 hours should be enough.

However, if you want to take a whale-watching or boat tour, go kayaking, or enjoy some time at the beach, I’d set aside at least half a day. You can also easily make Los Gigantes part of a full-day west Tenerife itinerary by combining it with places like Masca, Punta de Teno, or Puerto de Santiago.

We visited Los Gigantes while exploring this part of Tenerife, and I think half a day is a good amount of time for most visitors. It gives you enough time to enjoy the cliffs without feeling like you have to rush through the area.

BEST TIME TO VISIT LOS GIGANTES

Los Gigantes is a great place to visit year-round, thanks to Tenerife’s mild climate. However, I’d recommend visiting in the morning or later in the afternoon, especially if you want to avoid the biggest crowds and enjoy the cliffs at their best.

Morning is a great time to visit Playa de los Guíos, because it’s quieter and you’ll have more space to enjoy the beach. It’s also a good time for boat trips and whale watching, when the conditions are often more favourable for getting out on the water.

Late afternoon is my favourite time to visit Los Gigantes. The cliffs look beautiful as the light changes, and Mirador de Archipenque is especially gorgeous around sunset. If you’re planning a longer visit, you could arrive in the afternoon, explore the marina and beach, and then finish the day watching the sunset from one of the viewpoints.

If you’re visiting Tenerife during July and August, expect more visitors and busier beaches. Spring, autumn, and winter can be pleasant if you want to explore Los Gigantes without the busiest summer crowds. We visited in December and it was lovely!

CONCLUSION: MY LOS GIGANTES GUIDE

Los Gigantes was one of my favourite places we visited in Tenerife, and I’d definitely recommend adding it to your itinerary. The cliffs are absolutely spectacular, but what I loved most was that there’s so much more to do here than simply stop for a few photos.

You can swim at Playa de los Guíos, explore the marina, go whale and dolphin watching, kayak beneath the cliffs, or enjoy the views from places like Mirador de Archipenque and Punta de Teno. You can also easily combine Los Gigantes with Masca or other stops along Tenerife’s west coast if you’re planning a full day of exploring.

Whether you only have a few hours or want to spend the whole day here, Los Gigantes is definitely worth visiting. I hope this guide helps you plan your visit and enjoy this incredible part of Tenerife as much as we did!