It’s that time of year again, the time of the year where I desperately begin to look for sun and warmth. Usually, that search takes the form of looking online for vacations or holidays, depending on your country. This time around I sent Tweets at Royal Holiday
for some recommendations. I found Tenerife to be the ideal spot.
The south coast of the Tenerife is the place I head to for lazy beach time. But the last time I was there I ventured to the northern part of the island, which has a little more outdoorsy/adventurous feel, due in part to Spain’s tallest mountain and tropical forests. The more I explore Tenerife I realize just how diverse the island is, with everything from picturesque port villages, mountains, deserts, and whole cities built just for tourists.
The thing about Tenerife is that it, and the rest of the Canary Islands, was completely transformed by the arrival of regular flights to Europe in the 1960’s. What was once a tiny banana growing agricultural economy became a massive tourist destination almost overnight, and investment and development came pouring in.
The tourists here are diverse as the island itself. There are the young party animals on the south of the island. There are the nudists who have their own beach in Los Cristianos. There are the nature lovers. There are the couples with kids who visit the many amusement parks on the island. There are middle aged men who play golf all day. There are the retirees who eat at the very best restaurants.
I realize now that I will always come back to Tenerife throughout my life, so I’ll get to be every one of those people. Except the nudists, I can’t see becoming one of those. But who knows?