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Tenerife: Surf Lessons at El Médano Beach for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.43 (7 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/5

Duration1h 30m

GroupUp to 5

LanguagesEN · DE +2

Mobile ticketAccepted

Your First Wave at El Médano

You arrive at El Médano, get fitted with a wetsuit and board, spend time on the sand learning technique, then paddle out into beginner-friendly waves where you'll likely stand up on your first attempt. The lesson includes all equipment and a small-group format that keeps the instructor's attention on you. Plan for around two hours in and out of the water.

1h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Arrive at Playa de la Jaquita
Attend surf class
Practice standing on the board
Enjoy sandy beach

The Experience

So you're standing in the water for the first time on a board, and your instructor is telling you to pop up on the count of three, and honestly you're thinking this won't work — but then it does, and you're up, and the board is moving under your feet. That's the whole thing right there. El Médano in Tenerife is built for this moment. The beach is sandy, the water is warm enough that the wetsuit feels like a bonus rather than a necessity, and the waves roll in at a size that means you can actually catch them instead of just getting tumbled around.

The lesson starts with the basics on the sand — how to lie on the board, where your hands go, how to read the wave coming toward you — and then you're in the water with your instructor watching the whole time. Wetsuits and boards are included, so you show up with nothing but your willingness to look a bit silly for an hour or so. Most people stand up on their first day. Not everyone, but most. The beach itself is the reason: Playa de la Jaquita is the one spot in the area where the conditions stay consistent for beginners, which is why the lessons happen there and nowhere else on the island.

You'll be out there with a small group, which means the instructor can actually see you and correct your stance instead of just hoping you figure it out. The water temperature and the sandy bottom mean you're not fighting the conditions — you're just learning to read the wave and trust your body to do what it's supposed to do. By the end, you've got the muscle memory of standing up, the confidence that you can do it again, and probably a sore chest from paddling, which is exactly what you should feel.

What’s included

Wetsuits and surfboards are provided for the lesson. The instruction takes place at Playa de la Jaquita, the sandy beach at El Médano, and covers technique on land before moving into the water for practice on beginner-friendly waves.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Godzilla Surf Shop

Is this one for you?Right for anyone visiting Tenerife who wants to try surfing without the usual learning curve — El Médano's sandy beach and small-group format mean you can stand up on your first day. The lesson takes a couple of hours, which fits easily into a holiday schedule.