Best Surf Spots in Tenerife and Gran Canaria: 12 Breaks Across Both Islands (2027)

The best surf spots in Tenerife are Playa de las Américas, El Socorro, Bajamar, Punta del Hidalgo, Almáciga and Benijo, and in Gran Canaria they are La Cícer, El Lloret, El Confital, El Frontón, Arinaga and Maspalomas.

Most of these waves break over reef, rock or pebbles, and the tourism boards point beginners to only four of the twelve. Surf forecasters pick December as the best month at seven of them, when monthly sea temperature averages still put the water at about 21 degrees. The airports of both islands list Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Brussels and Paris.

This guide zooms in on two islands from our guide to the best surf spots in the Canary Islands. It suits people who are flying here anyway and want waves with their winter sun. If the surf comes first, look at Fuerteventura or Lanzarote too.

What are the best surf spots in Tenerife and Gran Canaria?

This table runs island by island, Tenerife first. "Works best on" and the best month come from the surf forecasters' guide to each break. Levels come from the tourism boards and the Las Palmas city pages, and "varies" means none of them rates the spot.

Spot	Area	Type	Level	Works best on	Best months
Playa de las Américas	South Tenerife	Beach and reef	Beginners at El Medio, intermediate and expert elsewhere	All tides, SW swell, E wind	January
El Socorro	North Tenerife	Beach and reef	Intermediate and expert	All tides, N swell, SW wind	October
Bajamar (El Lobo)	North Tenerife	Point	Beginner and intermediate	All tides, WNW swell, SE wind	December
Punta del Hidalgo	North Tenerife	Point	Intermediate and expert	N swell, SE wind	December
Almáciga	Anaga, Tenerife	Beach	All levels	All tides, NW swell, S wind	December
Benijo	Anaga, Tenerife	Reef	Intermediate and expert	N swell, SE wind	December
La Cícer	Las Palmas	Beach	Beginners and up	All tides, NNW swell, SSW wind	December
El Lloret	Las Palmas	Reef	Experts	All tides, NNW swell, S wind	December
El Confital	Las Palmas	Beach and reef	Experts prefer it	All tides, W swell, E wind	January
El Frontón	North Gran Canaria	Reef	Varies	Low tide, NW swell, S wind	December
Arinaga	Gran Canaria	Reef	Varies	Low tide, N swell, W wind	February
Maspalomas	South Gran Canaria	Beach and reef	Varies	All tides, S swell, N wind	June

Where can you surf in the south of Tenerife?

At Playa de las Américas, a run of volcanic reef peaks in Arona with one gentler wave for learners. The island's tourism board says the most powerful waves break in the north and north-west, and that the south is gentler.

Playa de las Américas is several waves under one name. The tourism board lists El Medio for beginner and intermediate surfers, with gentle walls and a lifeguard on the beach. The neighbouring peaks, Las Palmeras, El Bunker and La Derecha del Conquistador, are tubes and walls for intermediate and expert surfers. All of them break over volcanic reef and are best from autumn to spring. Surf forecasters call the zone dependable and often crowded, and their warning is short: beware of rocks and locals.

El Médano, the south's other well-known name, is a wind town. The tourism board calls the far end of its beach the best place for windsurfing and kitesurfing, and surf forecasters file its surf break under "rarely breaks". Go for the wind, not for the waves.

North Tenerife: El Socorro, Bajamar, Punta del Hidalgo, Almáciga and Benijo

The north has the stronger waves and the longer season, and most of it is for surfers with some experience.

El Socorro, in Los Realejos, is 400 metres of fine grey volcanic sand that the tourism board rates for intermediate and expert surfers all year. Its advice: beginners surf on the smaller days, and always ask the lifeguards about the currents. Surf forecasters find it often crowded, and even in October, its best month, they count clean waves 27% of the time.

Bajamar has El Lobo, a long left over pebbles that the tourism board calls ideal for beginners and intermediate surfers. Surf forecasters rate it very consistent and not likely to be crowded, with rocks as the hazard.

Punta del Hidalgo, on the same La Laguna coast, is a left over pebbles for intermediate and expert surfers. The one hazard surf forecasters list is localism.

Almáciga is 300 metres of black volcanic sand at the foot of the Anaga mountains. Several surf schools train here and the tourism board rates it for all levels, but it adds that the waves are generally quite strong all year round.

Benijo is close by, reached by a path with steps and rated for intermediate and expert surfers. The tourism board says to take extra care with the waves, and surf forecasters add rocks and locals.

Both belong to the village of Taganana, around 30 minutes from Santa Cruz on a winding road. Igueste, rated expert only, didn't make our list: surf forecasters find it too small 79% of the time even in its best month.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: La Cícer, El Lloret and El Confital

Las Palmas has four surf zones along one city bay: La Cícer and La Barra inside it, El Lloret and El Confital at the two ends. The bay is Las Canteras: 3,100 metres of sand, with a reef, La Barra, running parallel to more than half of it.

La Cícer, at one end of Las Canteras, is the city's beginner zone, with several surf schools. The island's tourism board calls it one of the best spots in the country for learning how to surf. Surf forecasters call it usually a safe bet at any tide, sometimes crowded and mostly flat in summer.

El Lloret, behind the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, is for experts because of its swell and its rocky bottom, says the city's tourist office, and in a big swell its two waves can connect, which makes it very dangerous. La Barra, the reef itself, is only for the most advanced.

El Confital, on the La Isleta peninsula, is the famous one: a right-hander that surfers consider one of the best waves in Europe, says the tourist office. Surf forecasters rate it very consistent and often crowded, with rocks to watch for. The city's surf page gives it no level, but says the most expert surfers prefer it and that the place is famous for its big waves.

When we looked in October 2026, the city's beach page for El Confital carried a notice that bathing is prohibited there because of episodes of contamination. It gave no dates, so look up the current status first.

The rest of Gran Canaria: El Frontón, Arinaga and Maspalomas

Outside the capital, the north coast is rocky and heavy, and the south only works once in a while. The island's tourism board describes the stretch from El Confital to Gáldar as a rocky coast with the highest wave frequency and the strongest breakers, where waves can reach 5 metres under perfect conditions.

El Frontón, in Gáldar, is a bodyboarding wave: a bodyboard world championship is held here every year. Surf forecasters describe an exposed reef for low tide, with rocks and heavy waves as the hazards. For most of us it is one to watch from the shore.

Arinaga is the sheltered one: a left-hand reef that surf forecasters rate fairly consistent in autumn and winter, though even in February, its best month, they find it too small 74% of the time. They warn about rips, crowds and rocks, and no tourism board rates it.

Maspalomas has surfers too, on the bend that joins it with Playa del Inglés, but surf forecasters say it only works once in a while, on a south swell. Even in June, its best month, they find it too small 72% of the time.

Are Tenerife and Gran Canaria good for beginner surfers?

Yes at a handful of spots, no at most of the famous ones. The tourism boards send learners to La Cícer in Las Palmas, to El Medio at Playa de las Américas and to El Lobo at Bajamar. On Tenerife they also list Martiánez in Puerto de la Cruz, Playa Grande at El Porís and, with that warning about strong waves, Almáciga.

Tenerife's tourism board is plain about the rest: waves over volcanic reef are recommended only for surfers with more advanced technique and experience. It also advises going in with a partner and keeping sessions to two hours at most.

When is the best time to surf in Tenerife and Gran Canaria?

October to February is the main season, and December is the month surf forecasters pick most often. They name December at seven of our twelve breaks and January at two more. In summer they call Playa de las Américas and four of the Gran Canaria breaks mostly flat, though Tenerife's tourism board lists El Socorro, Almáciga and Benijo as all-year waves.

Period	Swell	Water temp (°C)	Wetsuit	Verdict
Oct to Nov	Season starts, El Socorro's best month	22 to 24	Shorty in October	Warmest water with waves
Dec to Feb	Best month at ten of the twelve breaks	19 to 21	3/2 full suit by February	Best all round
Mar to May	South Tenerife reefs still in season	19 to 20	3/2 full suit, as in February	Coolest water of the year
Jun to Sep	Mostly flat at Las Américas and in Las Palmas	21 to 24	Shorty or 2 mm top	Lessons and small days

Temperatures are monthly averages for Las Palmas and Playa de las Américas. Wetsuits follow the surf forecasters' guide for Playa de las Américas: a 3/2 fully sealed suit for the coldest weeks in February, a shorty or 2 mm top in September. Spring is our own reading of the averages.

Wind matters too: even in their best months, surf forecasters count blown out conditions more than half the time at El Socorro, Almáciga, Benijo and El Lloret, so learn how to read a surf forecast. See also our wetsuit thickness guide, the best places to surf without a wetsuit and where to surf in winter.

Getting to Tenerife and Gran Canaria from Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris

Fly: no road or railway reaches the Canaries, and a ferry from mainland Spain takes well over a day.

By plane, the destination lists of Tenerife Sur and Gran Canaria airports both showed Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rotterdam, Brussels, Brussels Charleroi, Ostend-Bruges, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly when we checked in October 2026. Tenerife Sur also listed Antwerp and Beauvais, Gran Canaria also Groningen and Lille, and Tenerife Norte none of them. Routes change, so check before you plan.

By car and ferry, Fred. Olsen Express lists Huelva to Tenerife or Gran Canaria at 33 or 40 hours. That only makes sense for a long van trip, with the surf spots of Andalusia on the way down.

Between the islands, Fred. Olsen Express sails from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Agaete in 80 minutes, up to 8 times a day, with a free bus on to Las Palmas that you should reserve. Baleària Canarias lists Las Palmas to Santa Cruz in about 1 hour 40 minutes, up to 6 times a day.

Flying usually means hand luggage only. One solid bar for hair, body and face isn't a liquid at airport security.

Our guide on whether you can take soap on a plane has the detail.

Where to stay for surfing in Tenerife and Gran Canaria

Choose by level: Las Palmas or Playa de las Américas if you're learning, the north of Tenerife if you already surf.

In Las Palmas, Guanarteme is the neighbourhood behind La Cícer. The city's tourist office describes it as a surf quarter, with rental shops, places to eat and accommodation aimed at surfers. In the south of Tenerife, the tourism board mentions several surf schools at Las Palmeras, in Playa de las Américas.

For the north of Tenerife, stay on the La Laguna side for Bajamar and Punta del Hidalgo, or in Santa Cruz for Anaga. Taganana is around 1 hour 15 minutes from Tenerife South airport, so Anaga is no quick trip from a southern resort.

For more Atlantic islands, see our guide to surfing in Madeira and the Azores.

Showers, wetsuits and washing up in Tenerife and Gran Canaria

The town beaches have showers; the Anaga beaches list none, so plan to wash where you're staying. At La Cícer, the public bathhouse on Plaza de Agatha Christie has toilets and showers and opens daily from 08:00 to 20:00, with the showers running until 19:45. On Tenerife, the tourism board lists showers and toilets at El Socorro, El Médano and El Medio.

Beach showers are for sand and salt. At La Cícer, rules the city set with the surf schools in 2021 stop the schools rinsing their kit under them at all. Don't rinse shampoo or soap directly into the ocean or into beach showers that drain to the sea. Lather only where the water goes into a drain. More in our guides to rinsing off after a surf and surf camp showers.

Between the beach and the room, wetsuit, towel and wash kit share one damp bag, and a solid bar has nothing to leak in there.

For the wetsuit itself, see how to get rid of wetsuit smell.

Surfing in Tenerife and Gran Canaria: locals and the environment

Respect the locals

Surf forecasters name locals as a hazard at Playa de las Américas and Benijo, and localism at Punta del Hidalgo. Wait your turn, and don't paddle out at a wave above your level. At La Cícer, the rules the city set with the surf schools in 2021 have them keep strictly to the surfing code in the water. Our surf etiquette guide spells that code out.

Respect the environment

Almáciga and Benijo sit in the Anaga Rural Park, almost 14,500 hectares that have been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2015. Near El Médano, Montaña Roja is a Special Nature Reserve of 166 hectares, home to protected birds such as the Kentish plover. In Gran Canaria, the dunes at Maspalomas are a Special Natural Reserve: keep to the marked areas and the authorised path, and stay out of the exclusion zone, where public access is strictly prohibited.

Summary

Tenerife and Gran Canaria give you twelve breaks: learner waves at La Cícer, El Medio and Bajamar, strong beach breaks in the north of Tenerife, and reefs for experienced surfers almost everywhere else. Come between October and February, pick the island by your level, and check the notice at El Confital before you count on it.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

The facts in this article are based on the sources below, checked in October 2026.

1. Surfing in Tenerife: Best beaches and schools on the island. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
2. Tenerife: the perfect destination for surf lovers. Turismo de Tenerife, 2025.
3. Bodyboarding in Tenerife: the best spots to ride the waves. Turismo de Tenerife, 2022.
4. El Socorro Beach. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
5. El Médano Beach. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
6. Almáciga Beach. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
7. Benijo Beach. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
8. Taganana: Beaches, routes and tradition. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
9. Anaga Rural Park: Map, information and attractions. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
10. Montaña Roja. Turismo de Tenerife, 2026.
11. Surfing and Windsurfing spots. The Official Gran Canaria Tourist Website, 2026.
12. Learn to surf in Gran Canaria. The Official Gran Canaria Tourist Website, 2026.
13. Maspalomas: Dunes by the Lighthouse. The Official Gran Canaria Tourist Website, 2026.
14. Ciudad de surf. LPA Visit, Turismo de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2026.
15. Surf. LPAmar, Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2026.
16. Las Canteras. LPAmar, Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2026.
17. Balnearios. LPAmar, Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2026.
18. El Confital. LPAmar, Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2026.
19. Ciudad de Mar y las escuelas de surf ordenan la actividad deportiva en la zona de La Cícer de cara al verano. Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 2021.
20. RNE de Maspalomas. Masdunas, 2026.
21. Playa de las Americas surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
22. El Medano surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
23. Playa del Socorro surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
24. Bajamar (El Lobo) surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
25. Punta del Hidalgo surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
26. La Derecha de Almaciga surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
27. Benijo surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
28. Igueste de San Andres surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
29. La Cicer surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
30. El Lloret surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
31. El Confital surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
32. El Fronton surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
33. Arinaga surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
34. Maspalomas surf guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
35. Playa de las Americas water temperature and wetsuit guide. Surf-Forecast, 2026.
36. Playa de las Américas sea temperature. seatemperature.org, 2026.
37. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria sea temperature. seatemperature.org, 2026.
38. Tenerife Sur Airport destinations. Aena, 2026.
39. Tenerife Norte Airport destinations. Aena, 2026.
40. Gran Canaria Airport destinations. Aena, 2026.
41. Fast Ferry Tenerife - Gran Canaria (Agaete). Fred. Olsen Express, 2026.
42. Routes. Fred. Olsen Express, 2026.
43. Ferry Gran Canaria to Tenerife. Baleària Canarias, 2026.