Where to stay in Tenerife

[NSWCruiser]

Going all the way from Hong Kong to Tenerife this year for my little training camp. I will be going there alone and riding by myself most of the time unsupported on a road bike. I know that there are a lot of climbs in Tenerife, but then if I am not going to rent a car, where should I stay and set up my base camp to begin my ride with?

[eins4eins]

I've been to Tenerife twice and stayed on the west coast both times. First time in Los Gigantes, second time in Los Christianos. Would go to both places again. Los Gigantes is smaller and more quiet. Los Christianos is bigger, very touristic and much more traffic. Both are okay to get to from the airport in the south. Transfer times are not too long.
Both are at sea level, so its always uphill right from the start of the ride. But i wanted to be at the ocean. Staying more inland, will save some climbing.

Both were good for riding, but i liked Los Gigantes a even more. It offers more choices for routes, as you can ride the northern part of the island as well. You can climb Mt Teide from 3 sides and Masca (must go) is around the corner as well. Several options to leave the place and go back to.
Starting in Los Christianos was quite different. Busier road, less options and if you want to go north, its quite a trip. Distances aren't too long, but there are almost no flat sections and you've to do 900m of elevation before even starting the real nice climbs. I ended up climbing Mt Teide every day, only varying the first half of the climb.

You probably know already: the island has two different faces. While the south is dry/beach/sun/party/tourism, the north is more tropical with a totally different vegetation, climate and also culture. Weather is also different.
Makes for a really cool experience if you start at the beaches in the west towards the north coast, climb teide from the north trough the tropical forest, end up in the moon like landscape of the vulcano and then 2000m descending back to the beach.

[fatpinarellorider]

I lived on Tenerife for close to eight years.

As already mentioned, Los Gigantes is nice.

Otherwise, using Puerto de la Cruz as a base, then depending on your fitness it might be possible to ride to several different locations from there:

• the Anaga mountains (Afur, Taganana)
• the climb along the spine/backbone of the island (via La Esperanza)
• Past La Orotava to Teide from the North side
• Masca

[Rudi]

Not sure when you are visiting but you might also want to check out the wild fire situation:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66525861

[spdntrxi]

Not sure when you are visiting but you might also want to check out the wild fire situation:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66525861

agreed

[Nickldn]

I would second Puerto de la Cruz. It's in the North and gives you more choice of routes and less tourist traffic.

Los Christianos is nice for a beach holiday, but has much more traffic and less access to good routes nearby (IMHO of course).

[NSWCruiser]

Thank you all for the input. The wild fire should not affect me as I go there in December. As for where to stay, sounds like the west side Los Gigantes/Puerto de la Cruz are the places I am looking for. I plan to ride every day and more route options would be great.

May I also ask how do you get from the South Airport to these places. Are taxis the only option or I can take my bike bag on a shuttle bus?

[eins4eins]

If you have the option when booking the trip, include the shuttle transfer with your hotel reservation. Usually the cheapest and easiest option. The driver will probably complain about your luggage once you show up with a big bike bag and charge you like an extra 10€, but in december the island isn't too busy and chances are very low they'll leave you stranded because the bus is full.

[fatpinarellorider]

What gearing have you got?
'Cause almost all the roads are either up or down.
(in fact that's how they navigate there, not by saying left or right, but up or down)
The only relatively flat route out from El Puerto is to Garachico. A busy little road though.
There's a bonus climb to El Tanque worth doing from there.

Also, know that it can be chilly up there in Las Calderas in Winter (it's literally another climate zone).
Especially cold when decending all the way back to the coast.