You board a catamaran at Porto Colon and sail toward Masca Bay, scanning for pilot whales and dolphins in their natural habitat while the crew navigates past Los Gigantes' towering volcanic cliffs. You swim in Masca Bay, eat lunch on board, and drink from the shaded bar — all included — before returning in the afternoon. No arrangements needed beyond showing up.
"The whales, they know when we're coming," our captain said as we cast off from Porto Colon, squinting at the water like he'd done this a thousand times. And he probably had. The catamaran cuts through the strait between Tenerife and the smaller islands, and within the first hour, you're scanning the surface for dorsal fins. Pilot whales and dolphins move through these waters regularly — not guaranteed, but regular enough that the crew knows the routes, the times, the spots where the pods tend to gather. You're on deck the whole time, sun on your face, a cold drink in hand, and the island's volcanic spine rising up behind you.
The real draw, though, is sailing into the shadow of Los Gigantes. These cliffs don't photograph well from land — they're too tall, too close, too much. From the water, they're just there, 600 meters of dark rock dropping straight into the sea, and you're small beneath them. The catamaran slows down, the crew points out the geology, and you realize why people come back to Tenerife. After an hour or so of cruising, the boat drops anchor in Masca Bay and you get time to swim. The water's cold enough to wake you up, warm enough that you don't want to get out. Lunch is served on board — nothing fancy, but real food, not a snack — and the bar stays open with beer, sangria, water, soft drinks. You're not rushed.
The whole thing runs from Porto Colon, which is on the south coast, and takes up most of a day without eating into your evening. Lifejackets are provided, and the crew handles everything. If you're hoping to see whales and dolphins, you will or you won't — that's the ocean — but either way, you're spending the day on a catamaran off one of Spain's most dramatic coastlines with food and drink sorted. That's the trade.
Operated by Destination Services Spain
Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full day on the water without arranging transport, food, or timing yourself — the catamaran handles the route, the crew handles the stops, and you show up at Porto Colon ready to sail.
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4h · EN · at your hotel
from € 62 per person
★★★★★★★★★★3.1712 reviews