The beach of El Puertito in Adeje, Tenerife is a beautiful retreat and change of pace from the overcrowded tourist beaches of Las Americas and Los Cristianos.
Not only is it separated from the hoards of sunbathers and beachside drinkers, it is a protected bay perfect for snorkelling in, as it boasts crystal clear waters and a resident group of sea turtles who have become quite friendly with visitors.
Tenerife offers a lot more than a beautiful landscape. There is a breathtaking underwater world with an amazing flora and fauna along with many different marine species, including incredible turtles, three different types of turtles exist on Tenerife, Atlantic Green Turtles, Leatherback Turtles, and Loggerheads. The most common one to be seen is the Atlantic Green Turtles. Their length starts at 90 centimetres and can measure up to 2,70 meters! These incredible ocean turtles can be found very close to the coast and are often a common companion when you are snorkelling. At El Puertito, also known as Turtle Bay, the ocean has a depth of up to 12 meters. Turtles can be seen at a depth of eight meters all year round. The terrain is made up of a rocky reef, which also brings in many different types of fish and sea life.
I would definitely recommend snorkeling in Turtle Bay. It is one of the best experiences i have had. Being able to be so close to such a peaceful creature is truly amazing. During my time snorkeling i saw two atlantic green turtles, one very large one and one slightly smaller, i was able to swim alongside them as well as touch their shell! In turtle bay you are almost guaranteed to see a turtle. As well as snorkeling with turtles, i also snorkeled a little closer to the shore near the rocky reef, where there are so many colourful and strange fish to see, it is fascinating.
I would recommend this trip to everyone! I was able to see so many different animals as well as having a nice day at the beach, and swimming with turtles completely topped it all off.
Snorkelling in El Puertito is a fam trip that is frequently organised by the AWF. A day spent in El Puertito gives volunteers the opportunity to see marine life up close, learn about the different organisms found around Tenerife and inspire them to to pursue scuba diving if they enjoy interacting with marine life and wish to take it further.
The AWF has plenty of mask and snorkel sets for volunteers to use, but if they do have their own and have space in their luggage, it is encouraged that individuals bring their own equipment if they can!
We also make sure that there is a trained lifeguard coordinator with the groups when they go snorkelling, and we have lifejackets to give to volunteers who are not strong swimmers or wish to take extra precaution.
There are several small bars and restaurants in the coastal town of El Puertito for volunteers to eat at for lunch, but the selection is a bit limited so packing a lunch is advised for groups that are going to be out swimming all day.
We hope you come see the turtles with us!
Atlantic Whale and Dolphin Foundation 