Los Gigantes

Travel Agent's View

Los Gigantes has a small black volcanic beach and the neighbouring resort of Playa de la Arena offers a larger version close quotes

Los Gigantes resort is set on the west coast of Tenerife. It is named after the Acantilados de los Gigantes which are the large, striking cliffs that surround this holiday resort.

Los Gigantes has a small black volcanic beach and the neighbouring resort of Playa de la Arena offers a larger version. The marina in Los Gigantes, which is situated next to the main public beach, is an ideal place to use as a starting point to explore the cliff faces or to enjoy whale and dolphin watching.

In the resort centre there is a pedestrianised zone near the church which is ideal to visit the shops. There are a few bars and restaurants where you can enjoy quiet drinks and meals. One of the main events in the town is the annual carnival which is held after Ash Wednesday.

Insider's View

feels more like a village than a resort and everyone who lives there refers to it as 'the village' close quotes

This is the place on Tenerife to take a boat trip to see the dolphins and whales close quotes

For me, Los G (as it’s known locally) is like Little Britain in the sun, but without the only gay in the village… well, there may be gays but you get my drift.

It feels more like a village than a resort and everyone who lives there refers to it as 'the village'. Menu boards outside bars advertise everything with chips and there's even a take-away pie shop.

Walking down the main street at night your ears move from karaoke to cabaret, then Eastenders to Match of the Day and back to karaoke until the midnight hour, when just about everything stops.

For sun worshippers Los G is Nirvana with some of Tenerife's longest hours of sunshine and some rather nice places to stretch out with the iPhone and a beer to hand. I personally like El Laguillo because it's very chic and I'm a snob. But for families, Club Oasis is better because it's got a children's play area and is on grass.

The Marina's the focal point of the resort and I love to walk around to the top end and watch the boats going out on fishing and dolphin watching trips and gaze at those amazing cliffs. It's one of the few places in Los G where you can stroll on level ground, the rest of the resort's so hilly you'll still be walking with a slight forwards or backwards lilt long after you get home.

Speaking of walking, if you've got the stamina I really recommend taking a trip to Masca, doing the three hour hike down the Barranco (valley) to the beach and then getting the boat back to Los Gigantes. You might be walking like an 80 year old the next day but it'll be one of the highlights of your holiday.

And the must-sees? This is the place on Tenerife to take a boat trip to see the dolphins and whales.