La Gomera - undeveloped, unspoilt ancient laurel forests, and only 15 miles from Tenerife

Highlights

Overview

Very  close to the south coast of Tenerife but the proximity is only geographic. La Gomera has no airport of its own and is consequently largely missed by the package tourists, although there is a regular ferry service to Tenerife - only 15 nautical miles away. The absence of an airport or established tourist industry means that there are very few apartments or hotels on the island, but the beauty of travelling here by yacht of course is that you have your own palatial (!) apartment with you. There are several convenient and attractive anchorages and an excellent marina.

La Gomera is home to magnificent ancient laurel forests, believed to have been the landscape typical of much of the Mediterranean before 'civilisation'. Although like all the Canaries the island is volcanic in origin, the eruptions finished here over two million years ago. Popular with walkers the forests have a climate of their own, misty and damp caused by the Atlantic trade winds colliding with local warm winds.

La Gomera is an unspoilt island and far removed from the tourism of Tenerife, seeing the distant bright lights and neon of Los Cristianos and Playa de Las Americas from a quiet Gomerian bar terrace on a warm evening is surreal. I know where I'd rather be.

Facts