ISLAND HOPPING IN CANARY ISLANDS

*Article contains affiliate links

Island hopping in the Canary Islands is a big dream of many and also easy to do. The Canary Islands are a popular holiday destination and many end up staying on larger islands, such as Tenerife or Gran Canaria. However, a lot of shorter or longer trips are made from these to neighboring islands as well.

It is easy to get from one place to another by public transport in the Canary Islands, as the services are well developed and tourism has existed on the islands for a long time. Due to its simplicity, the Canary Islands are also excellent for first-time travelers and solo travelers. Island hopping in the Canary Islands can be easily done on your own, and you don’t have to settle for the travel agencies ready-made short day trips.

WHAT CANARY ISLANDS?

The Canary Islands are a self-governing group of islands in Spain and it consists of 13 different islands, 8 of which are inhabited. The islands are located off the coast of West Africa and they all are different from each other, so it is recommended to visit more than just one island. I haven’t been to every island yet, but that’s my goal. Island hopping in the Canary Islands is not only quite easy, it’s also fun!

HOW TO DO ISLAND HOPPING?

Island hopping works by ferry, traveling from one island to another. You just decide which island you want to travel to first and then you jump on a ferry and travel to your preferred island. In the Canary Islands, the ferry connections are functional and usually well scheduled and there are several connections. Ferry trips can and should be booked online in advance to ensure a place on the ferry. You just decide the island and the port of departure and destination and off you go.

BOOK YOUR FERRY TRIPS EASY AND FAST WITH OMIO!

GETTING AROUND THE ISLANDS & RENTING A CAR?

Getting around the islands is quite easy, for example by public transport, as I mentioned earlier. However, I can say with the bitter voice of experience that, unfortunately, renting your own car is a more convenient option on some islands. Of course, it depends on what you want to do. Tenerife and Gran Canaria offer really functional bus connections to almost every place up to small mountain villages, but on the other islands you may not be able to get to every place. Renting your own car also gives you additional freedom to travel on your own and more opportunities to see even more remote hidden gems.

INTERESTED IN RENTING A CAR IN CANARY ISLANDS? CHECK THIS OUT!

GUIDED ISLAND TOURS, TRIPS & ACTIVITIES

Each of the islands is different and offers interesting things to see and do. With a local guide, you often get a lot more out of your trip, because the guide can tell you information and background about different places that you wouldn’t otherwise hear or read yourself. Various activities and guided tours also offer the opportunity to get to know other travelers if you wish (this is especially nice if it’s a solo trip, for example).

With island tours, you can see several tourist destinations and interesting places during the same day and thus also save time and effort in scheduling. Guided tours and activities should also be used when you only travel on public transport. On the tours, you can easily visit the slightly more difficult places that may not be accessible by public transport at all.

CHECK OUT THE BEST TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN CANARY ISLANDS!

HOW TO FIND THE BEST ISLAND FOR YOU & THE BEST ISLAND HOPPING ROUTE?

Start by exploring all the islands. Then think about what kind of things you want from your trip and how much. Are you a fan of green mountains or white beach sand? Do you want volcanic landscapes and lava sand or to hike the tropical trails? All this is possible in the Canary Islands, but not necessarily on one and the same island.

Where do you want to fly to first and where do you start your island hopping tour? The Canary Islands are almost in a row with each other, so if island hopping starts from Tenerife, I recommend going to the so-called left towards La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro. If you start from Gran Canaria, you can actually go in any direction just because of the island’s central location. Many also like to combine, for example, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura together.

Read more about Canary Islands on this blog: