10 EPIC Black Sand Beaches in Tenerife

Tenerife is known for its natural beauty and for being home to the tallest point in Spain – Mount Teide. Teide is the world’s third highest volcanic structure and it has a height of 7,500 meters, if measured from the ocean floor.

Due to the volcanic nature of the island, there are many beautiful black sand beaches in Tenerife. Some of them are more remote while others are located near big cities.

I spent one week on the island, searching for the best beaches and tourist attractions. After visiting some unique and breathtaking black beaches in Tenerife, I decided to share with you my favorites. Here they are!

1. Best black sand beaches in Tenerife

1.1 Playa de los Gigantes

I have to admit that Playa de los Guios, also known as Playa de los Gigantes is one of my favorite beaches in Tenerife. Bordered by tall cliffs, this beautiful black sand beach is about 100 meters long.

From the beach, you can admire the majestic cliffs. This black sand beach in Tenerife is perfect for swimming, but be careful, sometimes the currents are powerful.

There is a lifeguard, showers and changing rooms at Los Gigantes Beach. If you get hungry, you can choose one of the many nearby bars and restaurants.

1.2 Playa de Benijo

If you’re looking for the best black sand beaches in Tenerife, you have to visit Benijo Beach. This beach is located in the northeastern part of the island, near one of the most incredible villages on the island – Taganana.

What makes Playa de Benijo special are the huge boulders rising from the sea and the tall cliffs guarding the beach. The best time to visit this place is at sunset.

Playa de Benijo is one of the unspoilt beaches in Tenerife. There are no beach bars, restaurants, sunbeds, lifeguards, showers or toilets here. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the beauty that Mother Nature created.

1.3 Playa El Bollullo

Located near Puerto de la Cruz, Playa El Bollullo is one of the best black sand beaches in northern Tenerife. It’s a place known mainly by locals, a hidden gem yet unknown to tourists.

To get to Bollullo Beach, you’ll first have to drive on a narrow road and then go down a set of stairs. There is a restaurant on the beach and another one nearby, in case you get thirsty or hungry.

I loved Bolloullo Beach because it’s a bit more remote and the views are pretty spectacular. It’s the perfect choice for those looking to escape the chaos of big cities.

1.4 Playa Jardin

Another beautiful black sand beach in northern Tenerife is Playa Jardin. This beach is actually composed of 3 smaller beaches – Playa del Castillo, Playa Chica and Playa Maria Jimenez.

Out of the three, I loved the most Maria Jimenez Beach. In the backdrop you can admire a row of colorful houses and the mountains. We stopped for about an hour to take photos and even if the weather was terrible, the view was still beautiful.

1.5 Playa de Fanabe

If you’re looking for black sand beaches in southern Tenerife, you have to stop at Playa de Fanabe. We discovered this beach on our first day in Tenerife and we saw the most incredible sunset here.

The beach is about 600 meters long, perfect for a relaxing walk at sunset. There are countless restaurants and souvenir shops nearby, making it the perfect destination for those who want to go to a beach with all the facilities.

If you have time, make sure to visit the nearby Playa del Duque. This is a golden sand beach, perfect for swimming. It’s a bit smaller than Playa de Fanabe, but equally beautiful.

1.6 Playa de Las Gaviotas

Located near the more popular Playa de Las Teresitas, Las Gaviotas Beach is one the best beaches near Santa Cruz de Tenerife. You can reach this beach by car, but first make sure to stop for a few minutes at Mirador Gaviotas.

From this viewpoint, you can see both the black sand Las Gaviotas Beach and the golden sand Las Teresitas Beach. It’s one of the best viewpoints on the island!

If you’re planning to visit Las Gaviotas, keep in mind that nudism is accepted here. There are no facilities at this beach, making it the perfect place to reconnect with nature.

1.7 Playa Amarilla

Are you looking for hidden beaches in Tenerife? Visit Playa Amarilla, one of the natural wonders in Tenerife. This beach is only about 50 meters long and is covered in black pebbles. However, you can lay your towel directly on the curved golden rocks.

Amarilla Beach is an excellent spot for both swimming and snorkeling. The water is crystal-clear. There are no facilities at this beach except for a small beach bar that sells drinks.

If you’re looking for unique places in Tenerife, add Playa Amarilla to your itinerary. You’ll love the rock formations here.

1.8 Playa de Punta Larga

Located just a short drive away from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Punta Larga beach is one of the best black sand beaches in Tenerife. It’s not very crowded and the water is perfect for swimming.

This beach has all the amenities you need. It has showers, toilets and there are lots of restaurants and bars nearby. If you’re looking for a beach with beautiful views, this is the one!

1.9 Playa del Socorro

Located in Los Realejos, Playa del Socorro is one of the only two beaches in Tenerife adapted for disabled people. This beach has also been awarded the Blue Flag, meaning that it has all the facilities needed and clean water.

Here you can find showers, toilets, changing rooms and lifeguards. The beach also has a few areas with WiFi.

Socorro beach is a popular destination for surf enthusiasts. The beach is also perfect for swimming, when the waves aren’t too big. This is one of the best beaches in Tenerife, a place that has all the facilities you’ll need.

1.10 Playa de la Arena

This beautiful Tenerife black sand beach is located in Puerto de Santiago. This beach is relatively small but is one of the most popular destinations in the area, together with the incredible Charco el Diablo.

At Arena Beach, you’ll find sunbeds for rent, showers, toilets and lots of restaurants nearby. Since this is a popular spot, I recommend arriving here early in the morning if you want to rent a sunbed.

While in the area, stop for an hour at the nearby Charco el Diablo. The volcanic rock formations here form incredible shapes and natural pools, perfect to refresh yourself.

-> Other must-see places in Tenerife:

• Climb Mount Teide – The tallest mountain in Tenerife
• Take a whale watching cruise
• Siam Park – The world’s best water park

2. Why are the beaches in Tenerife covered in black sand?

Most of the beaches in Tenerife are black sand beaches due to the volcanos in the area. Over the years, due to many volcanic eruptions, the ocean crushed the volcanic rocks into fine black sand.

There are also a few golden sand beaches in Tenerife such as Las Teresitas Beach and El Duque Beach. The sand here has been imported from Sahara, to make the beaches more appealing to tourists. All the natural beaches in Tenerife are covered in black sand.

3. Where to stay in Tenerife

There are thousands of hotels in Tenerife and finding the perfect one, to meet your criteria might be challenging. That’s why I’ve been searching for the best accommodation on the island, for every budget. Here are my recommendations.

• Budget – Atlantic Holiday Hotel – amazing ocean view, beautiful modern studio, good location, friendly staff, good amenities
• Mid-Range – Labranda Bahia – beautiful pools, good location, spacious rooms and good services, friendly staff, all-inclusive
• Luxury – Fantasia Bahia – perfect for couples and families, excellent services, all-inclusive, huge & modern rooms, beautiful pools

4. How to get around Tenerife

To explore Tenerife, I recommend renting a car. It gives you the freedom to spend as much time as you like in each place you visit. We rented our car from Oasis for about 35 EUR per day and we were very satisfied with their services.

Tenerife also has a good system of public transport. There are many buses running between the big cities of the island.

5. Final thoughts

I hope that I’ve inspired you to visit at least some of these incredible black sand beaches in Tenerife. Scattered from south to north, these beaches will definitely steal your heart.

While in Tenerife, make sure to also visit Mount Teide, the top attraction on the island. I recommend buying your cable car tickets in advance, to make sure that you catch a spot on your preferred date.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section below. May the travel bug bite you.

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Aurelia Teslaru

Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.

She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here.

To follow her adventures, check out her Instagram and Facebook pages!