Whale watching from Costa Adeje
Puerto Colón in Costa Adeje is where almost all whale watching on this coast actually departs from, including trips advertised under other town names. Here is how to find it and what to expect.
Finding Pantalán 3
Puerto Colón is a working marina rather than a passenger terminal, so there is no check-in desk. The meeting point is a gate.
- Head to the main marina car park on the western side, off Avenida de Bruselas.
- Walk down towards the water and look for the blue metal gates numbered by pontoon.
- You want Pantalán 3 / Gate 3 — there is a blue and red sign reading "solo usuarios / users only".
- Wait at the gate. Crew comes up to meet you and takes you down.
Why the boats leave from here
Costa Adeje sits at the point where the south-west coast turns and the sea bed drops fastest. From Puerto Colón the boat is over water more than five hundred metres deep within about fifteen minutes, and over the resident pilot whale grounds within twenty. No other harbour on this coast gets you there quicker.
That is also why trips sold in Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas and further afield often bus you here first. If you are booking from elsewhere, check where the boat actually leaves from — you may be paying for a transfer you do not need.
Getting there
| From | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Adeje hotels | 5–15 min on foot | Flat seafront walk for most of the resort |
| Playa de las Américas | 10–20 min on foot | Northern end is closest |
| Los Cristianos | 10 min by taxi | Or the 473 bus along the coast |
| Tenerife South airport (TFS) | 20–25 min by car | Straight down the TF-1 |
| Santa Cruz / the north | 60–75 min by car | TF-1 the whole way |
While you are at the marina
Puerto Colón has cafés and a couple of decent seafood places around the edge, and the beaches of Playa del Duque and Fañabé are a short walk north. If you take the 9:30 departure you are back on land by 11:45 with the whole day ahead of you, which is the main argument for the morning boat beyond the calmer sea.
Questions about the meeting point
Where exactly is the meeting point?
Puerto Colón marina, at the blue gate marked Pantalán 3 / Gate 3, on the western side of the marina near the main car park. Someone comes up to meet you — you do not go down to the pontoon on your own.
Is there parking at Puerto Colón?
Yes, a large open car park beside the marina. It fills up in high season, so allow an extra ten minutes in July and August.
How early should I arrive?
Fifteen minutes before departure. The boat leaves on time and will not wait.
Can I walk there from my hotel?
From most of Costa Adeje and the northern end of Playa de las Américas, yes — it is a flat seafront walk. From further out, a taxi is a few euros.
2 h · max 10€60 per adult
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