Los Gigantes Guide: Cliffs, Beaches and Boat Trips

Los Gigantes is the west-coast base to choose when the cliffs and easy access to the sea matter more than nightlife or a wide sandy beach. The resort is compact around its marina, but the streets rise sharply behind it and parking is the main nuisance. It suits couples, relaxed stays and travellers planning a boat trip; choose Costa Adeje instead if you want flatter promenades and a larger choice of evening entertainment.

Reviewed by the TouchDownSouth editorial team. Tour prices, durations, inclusions and local access information were checked against official sources on 12 September 2026. Sea conditions, availability and prices change, so confirm the details before paying.

What Los Gigantes is like

The resort sits below the dark walls of the Teno massif, beside Puerto Deportivo Los Gigantes and Playa de Los Guíos. The cliffs are the reason to visit, but their scale makes most sense from the water. On land, the marina, beach and lower streets are close together; accommodation higher up the slope can mean steep walks in both directions.

Puerto de Santiago begins immediately to the south and feels like part of the same resort strip, but the excursion boats described here leave from Puerto Deportivo Los Gigantes, not from the Puerto de Santiago seafront. That distinction matters when you are checking a meeting point or arranging a taxi.

See the cliffs from land and water

Mirador Archipenque is the low-effort land view: you see the resort, marina and cliff line together. It is useful for orientation, but a boat or kayak gives a completely different sense of the rock face because you are looking almost straight up from sea level. Tenerife’s official tourism site places the cliffs within Teno Rural Park and reports heights of up to 600 metres in places.

For wildlife-focused sailings, use the detailed Tenerife whale-watching guide. If the boat format, swimming stop or private charter matters more than cetaceans, compare the wider Tenerife boat-trip options. The main Tenerife excursions hub is the better starting point if Los Gigantes is only one day of a longer island stay.

Compare boat trips from Los Gigantes marina

The three formats below were advertised by the marina’s own activity operator when checked. No customer rating was published on that direct page, so the comparison does not invent one. Choose the €30 small boat for a short cliff view, the kayak for an active route towards Masca Bay, or the three-hour sailing when whale watching and time aboard are the point of the day.

If the regulated gorge descent is your priority, use the Masca tours guide to compare the trail, boat and transport bookings before choosing a marina activity.

Playa de Los Guíos and nearby swimming

Playa de Los Guíos is the convenient beach beside the marina. It is small, dark-sand and visually dominated by the cliffs. The rock wall delays direct sun, especially earlier in the day, so this is a better stop after a boat trip than a dependable full-day sunbathing plan.

Walk south through Puerto de Santiago for more choice. Playa de la Arena has a longer developed beachfront, while the area’s natural pools can be affected by swell. Never treat a barrier or warning sign as optional: Atlantic waves can cross a pool wall even when the water inside looks calm.

Walk to Puerto de Santiago

Los Gigantes and Puerto de Santiago join together, so you can walk between their restaurants, viewpoints and swimming spots without arranging transport. The catch is the gradient. Map apps can make a short route look effortless while hiding a sharp climb, so check the elevation as well as the distance if you are travelling with a pushchair or have limited mobility.

The marina is the practical centre for morning activities. For dinner and a longer promenade, moving south gives you more choice without changing resort. If you stay high above the coast, budget for taxis rather than assuming every return walk will feel pleasant in the heat.

Is Los Gigantes the right base?

Choose Los Gigantes for cliff scenery, a quieter west-coast atmosphere and boat departures within walking distance. Skip it as your main base if steep streets are a serious problem, you want a broad sandy beach, or nightlife is central to the trip. A day visit is enough for the viewpoint and marina; stay longer when you want slow evenings and more than one activity on the water.

Sources checked

• Official Tenerife Tourism guide to the Los Gigantes cliffs
• Official Santiago del Teide tourism portal
• Puerto Deportivo Los Gigantes marina information
• Los Gigantes Blue activities, prices and durations
• Official Masca Gorge transport and boat-ticket rules