Just 8 minutes from the airport, El Médano is the Tenerife town that doesn't try to be Tenerife. The trade winds that funnel down the south-east coast made it a windsurf and kitesurf destination in the 1980s, and a bohemian, international community has grown up around the beach in the decades since. The town centre is a lattice of low whitewashed houses, surf shops, yoga studios and cafés serving acai bowls; the seafront Plaza Roja fills at sunset with locals, dogs and beer. The two beaches — El Médano in town and the wilder La Tejita next door — are exceptional, and the volcanic cone of Montaña Roja behind them is one of the island's most photogenic landmarks. Best for travellers who want sun and sand without resorts, and digital nomads attracted by reliable wi-fi, year-round warmth and an established remote-work community.
Surfy, sun-bleached and distinctly counter-cultural. Whitewashed houses, yoga studios, surf cafés and an end-of-the-world feel beneath Montaña Roja.
Surfers, kitesurfers, digital nomads, independent couples seeking authenticity.
Boutique guesthouses, surf-house apartments, a few small hotels.
Surfer brunches at Flashpoint, fresh tuna at the Cofradía de Pescadores, vegetarian at El Limón.
Climb Montaña Roja first thing in the morning — 25 minutes up, 360° views to El Hierro on a clear day.