Playa de Almáciga

The editor's take

Just along the coast from Benijo, Almáciga is a wide, wild black-sand beach where Atlantic swells come crashing in unobstructed. The current is too strong for swimming most days, but the show is spectacular: 5-metre waves break against volcanic cliffs and a few fearless local surfers ride the better days. The hamlet behind has a single bar serving cold beer and grilled limpets. Pair this beach with a morning hike through the Anaga laurel forest — one of the oldest temperate forests on Earth — for the most off-the-beaten-track day in Tenerife.