By Rowan Ellis · Updated · Affiliate links, explained in my disclosure
Xplore Tenerife
Kayak & Snorkel with Marine Wildlife + Free Videos
4.7 (12,450) · from $26
Snorkeling in Tenerife works best with a guide, because the good spots are protected bays and coves rather than the main beaches. I compared four tours from $26 to $84: a kayak trip, a guided snorkel in a marine protected area, a beginner scuba session and a catamaran with a snorkelling stop. For every boat I compared, my guide to boat tours in Tenerife has the full list. Prices are in US dollars, checked in October 2026, and the booking links are affiliate links, as I explain on my about page.
My pick is the Snorkel Tenerife Excursions session at $42: 2 hours, rated 4.9 from 744 reviews, with a wetsuit and free videos. For the cheapest day, the Xplore kayak and snorkel trip is $26, rated 4.7 from 12,450 reviews.
The south coast is where all four snorkelling tours operate. The marine protected area tour from Snorkel Tenerife Excursions starts on the beach at Abades on the south-east coast, in a sheltered bay with calm water. The listing describes rocky reef, hidden coves, sea grass where green sea turtles may feed, and fish that include octopuses and seahorses. It includes a mask, snorkel, fins, boots, a wetsuit, a 50-minute guided snorkel and free photos and videos, and gives extra help for small children and seniors.
It costs $42, lasts 2 hours and is rated 4.9 from 744 reviews. Reviewers praise the guides by name and the quality and fit of the wetsuits. The listing also sets rules to protect marine life: no feeding the animals and no touching. Hotel pickup is not included, so plan how you will reach the meeting point at Magilu.
Snorkel Tenerife Excursions SL
My pick: My pick: $42, 2 hours, 4.9 from 744 reviews, wetsuit and free videos included, in a sheltered marine protected area.
If you are searching for snorkelling with turtles in Tenerife, there are two honest options in my data. The first is the Travel Sub Dive Center session, sold as a beginner dive in a turtle habitat: $84 for 3 hours, rated 4.7 from 2,017 reviews. It meets at the dive centre in Puerto Colón, in front of pier 5, with a safety briefing of 30 minutes, a 15-minute speedboat ride, 25 minutes of scuba to 12 metres, 25 minutes of snorkelling and a ride back.
One PADI instructor takes two people. Children under 8, pregnant women and people with heart, respiratory or epilepsy problems or other medical conditions can’t join, and photos and video are available on the spot. A reviewer says they were so happy that they plan to train for a licence. The second option is the marine reserve tour above, where turtles may appear. No listing promises you will see one.
TRAVEL SUB DIVE CENTER
My pick: Scuba plus snorkelling for first-timers: $84, 3 hours, 4.7 from 2,017 reviews, one instructor for two people.
Costa Adeje has two of the four tours. The scuba session meets at Puerto Colón, and the Kalima Kat catamaran from Coover Canarias leaves from the same harbour. It costs $51 for 3 hours and is rated 4.4 from 342 reviews. The sail passes the beaches of Fañabe and Torviscas, stops at a cove at Veril Beach for snorkelling and includes snorkelling equipment, snacks and drinks, and pickup and drop-off. A solarium is on board.
A reviewer who picked it for the smaller group wrote that they saw dolphins, turtles and a hammerhead shark swimming near the surface. The listing excludes wheelchair users, and the rating is the lowest of the four, so I’d put it third. For more catamarans, see the catamaran tour in Tenerife page.
COOVER CANARIAS, SOCIEDAD LIMITADA
My pick: Snorkelling from a catamaran: $51, 3 hours, gear, snacks and drinks, 4.4 from 342 reviews.
Playa de las Américas is next door to Puerto Colón, and I don’t have a snorkelling tour that starts from its beach. The nearest are the ones above. The catamaran sails past that coast, and the Xplore kayak trip starts about 4 kilometres south in Los Cristianos. The Xplore trip is $26 for 3 hours, rated 4.7 from 12,450 reviews, and the most active of the four.
It starts at the Xplore office in the Cristianmar building, with a 15-minute safety briefing and a short walk to the beach. The route goes along Playa de Los Cristianos and the Cueva de los Enamorados, then to a secret stop. It includes kayaks, snorkelling gear, accident insurance, a guide, wetsuits, lockers, water, towels and swimsuits, and the photos and videos are sent the same day. Group sizes are limited, and the operator suggests booking early.
Xplore Tenerife
My pick: The cheapest way to snorkel: $26, 3 hours, kayak and snorkel gear, 4.7 from 12,450 reviews.
| Operator | Price | Duration | Boat type | Rating | Cancellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xplore Tenerife | $26 | 3 hours | Kayak and snorkel, small group | 4.7 (12,450 reviews) | Free up to 24 hours |
| Snorkel Tenerife Excursions | $42 | 2 hours | Guided shore snorkel, marine reserve | 4.9 (744 reviews) | Free up to 24 hours |
| Coover Canarias | $51 | 3 hours | Catamaran with swim stop | 4.4 (342 reviews) | Free up to 24 hours |
| Travel Sub Dive Center | $84 | 3 hours | Speedboat, scuba and snorkel | 4.7 (2,017 reviews) | Free up to 24 hours |
Puerto de la Cruz is on the north coast, and none of the four tours starts there. All of mine are on the south and south-east coast, so if you are staying in the north, the nearest snorkelling tour is a long drive away. The island is wide: the Loro Parque coordinates are about 40 kilometres from Puerto Colón in a straight line, by my calculation from the place data, and the road is longer.
I wouldn’t trade a day for the snorkelling, so I’d pick a day when you are already in the south. If you want to see wildlife from the surface instead, see whale watching in Tenerife or the page on dolphin watching in Tenerife.
Snorkeling in Tenerife is cooler than people expect from the Canary Islands’ reputation, and the operators plan for it: the marine reserve tour and the kayak trip both supply wetsuits, and one reviewer said they stayed warm. The scuba session supplies wetsuits, towels and swimming costumes. I’d still bring a towel, sun cream that is safe for reefs and a change of clothes, and I’d check what the listing says about lockers, which the kayak trip includes.
Think about the season and the swell too. Snorkeling in Tenerife is best on a calm day, and the operators decide if it runs. Because every listing in my data offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before, you can book early and look at the forecast the evening before. The tours with small groups, the kayak and marine reserve tours, are the ones I’d book early.
My short answer for snorkeling in Tenerife is the $42 marine reserve tour, because 744 reviewers rate it 4.9 and the gear and videos are included. Here is how I’d decide:
Before you book a snorkelling tour in Tenerife, check the meeting point, the age and health notes, and the cancellation text, which is free up to 24 hours on all four. Choose a tour above and use the booking links to see availability, or see everything in Tenerife boat tours. The homepage lists the other cities I cover.
For a first snorkel I'd book the Snorkel Tenerife Excursions session: $42, 2 hours, including a 50-minute guided snorkel, rated 4.9 from 744 reviews. For a cheaper, more active day, the Xplore kayak and snorkel trip is $26 for 3 hours and rated 4.7 from 12,450 reviews. Both include the full gear.
The four snorkeling trips I compared cost $26 for the kayak and snorkel session, $42 for the marine protected area tour, $51 for the Coover Canarias catamaran and $84 for the scuba and snorkel session. They last 2 to 3 hours. Prices are in US dollars, checked in October 2026, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Operators and reviewers say it is possible. The marine protected area listing says you may spot green sea turtles over the sea grass, the scuba listing is sold as a turtle habitat dive, and reviewers on the kayak trip mention dolphins and turtles. Sightings depend on the day, so don't count on one.
Yes on the trips I compared. The kayak listing says no previous experience is needed, the marine reserve tour is in a sheltered bay with calm water suitable for all swimmers and offers extra help for small children and seniors, and the scuba session is for first-time divers with one PADI instructor for two people.
Yes. The marine reserve tour includes mask, snorkel, fins, boots and a wetsuit, the kayak trip includes snorkelling gear, wetsuits and lockers, the catamaran includes snorkelling equipment and the scuba session includes all diving and snorkelling gear with prescription goggles. Check the listing for towels, which the kayak and scuba trips mention.
The kayak trip starts at the Xplore office in the Cristianmar building in Los Cristianos. The marine reserve tour leaves from the beach in Abades and meets at Magilu. The scuba session meets at a dive centre in front of pier 5 in Puerto Colón, and the Coover Canarias catamaran also leaves from Puerto Colón.
My full review of each one, in the order I rank them: