Los Gigantes or Puerto Colón: which harbour to sail from

Nearly everything that happens on the water in the south of Tenerife leaves from one of two marinas, about half an hour apart by road. They are not interchangeable, and the difference is not scenery — it is logistics.

Los Gigantes: the scenery starts at the dock

The marina sits at the foot of the cliffs, which means the view begins before the boat is out of the harbour mouth. Three departures leave from here, all of them run by the same owner: Masca Express at €28, two hours on the Flipper Uno at €33 and three hours with a paella lunch at €40. All three are sold as “departure without transport”: the fare is the boat, and getting to the ticket office at Calle Poblado Marinero, local 25, is your problem.

Puerto Colón: the harbour inside the resort

Puerto Colón is in Playa de las Américas / Costa Adeje, surrounded by hotels, and it is the busier of the two by a distance. Its pontoons hold the catamaran departures, both parasailing boats, all six jet ski safaris and the shared fishing trips. If you are staying in the south without a car, you can probably walk to it.

The transfer is the real difference

Three fares include a free hotel pick-up and drop-off, and all three are from Puerto Colón: the three-hour Freebird trip at €47 and the 4.5-hour cruise at €62. Freebird's own €30 two-hour fare does not include it. The sailing yacht at €65 includes transport from and to your hotel as well.

The comparison that actually applies

So a couple staying in Costa Adeje without a car should compare €28 plus the cost of getting to Los Gigantes and back against €47 with a car sent for them — that is the actual choice, not €28 against €47.

Which activity sails from where?