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Drosiba Tenerife padomi. Ceļojuma apdrošīnāšana.

Safety First

 

Overall, safety in Tenerife is at a high level. The police and local authorities are well aware of how important this issue is for tourists, and security is well maintained. However, there are a few helpful tips that can make your trip more enjoyable by following certain precautions.

Travel Insurance

 

Any article about travel safety should start with a friendly reminder about the necessity of travel insurance. This insurance certainly won’t be the most expensive item in your travel budget. It is essential to purchase insurance before every trip. Choosing the right coverage is up to you, but it’s better to pay a bit more and be happy that it wasn’t needed than to later worry about unexpected additional costs. If your trip to Tenerife includes active recreation, additional risk coverage will certainly be beneficial in case of any accidents.

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Pickpockets

 

Just like in other popular tourist destinations, beware of thieves. Tenerife has quite several illegal immigrants and teenagers looking to profit at tourists' expense. Special care should be taken at night when drunk travelers, returning from or heading to nightlife spots, often become easy targets for thieves. Do not leave your belongings unattended on the beach; leave your valuable items at the hotel. Perhaps your phone isn’t even necessary to bring along to the beach.

Stay vigilant during photo stops, whether by bus or in a rental car. Thieves typically know where tourists lower their guard at various tourist spots, such as roadsides or parking areas.

It only takes seconds for something to disappear from your car, and the thief will either blend into the crowd of tourists or quickly hide their loot. Sometimes, thieves work very efficiently as a team. They might pretend to be tourists, taking photos and approaching your car, while their accomplice checks its contents. 

Pickpockets in Tenerife

Do not keep your wallet, phone, or tablet in plain sight. You’d be surprised how quickly these can disappear from your dinner table or pocket while navigating through city crowds or admiring the animals at Loro Park.

Make sure you know the phone number to call to block your card in advance. This number should not only be saved on your mobile phone but also written down somewhere else so you can quickly access it in case your wallet or phone is lost.

 

Additionally, in hotel rooms and apartments, store your most valuable belongings securely—hide your money, documents, and electronics. In Airbnb rentals, a previous tenant could have copied the key and easily re-enter the apartment. This differs from more modern hotels that use electronic key cards.

Car and Traffic

 

If you rent a car, do not leave anything valuable inside. If you cannot take something with you, consider whether it is truly necessary for the trip. Perhaps it can be left in the hotel or apartment, or carefully hidden in the car. Avoid leaving bags in the car that might appear to contain valuable items to a thief.

 

It is quite common to hear from tourists about thefts from cars by smashing a side window. Stolen items often include cameras, laptops, and even passports left in the car. The most common places where car thieves operate are tourist viewpoints and parking lots:

 

  • At Pino Gordo, the "tall pine" in the village of Vilaflor.

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  • Parking lots in Teide National Park.

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  • Near the Masca Gorge.

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  • Do not leave any belongings in the car overnight, regardless of the parking location.

 
Theft from cars in Tenerife

In narrow streets, be cautious of cars, as you won’t always be visible, and take special care of children to prevent them from running across the road; they can be hard to spot between vehicles.

Before crossing the street, make sure drivers can see you. Traffic (especially during the tourist season) is intense, so stay alert. Locals in towns are accustomed to this driving style, narrow streets, and steep inclines. Outside urban areas, driving is simpler, though less experienced drivers may initially need to get used to driving in more mountainous terrain.

Ocean

 

Be cautious with the ocean and keep an eye on children. Locals often allow small children to play in the ocean waves, but they are experienced, and the children have learned the important safety rules. Ocean waves can change quickly, going from small to large, or a sudden big wave might knock you off your feet and sweep you into the ocean. In popular beaches, there are additional buoys that reduce the waves, but some other beaches, like the one in Puerto de la Cruz, can be “rougher” with bigger waves.

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Beach sandals or water shoes that cover the entire foot will be very useful both for walking on sun-heated beach sand (especially black sand beaches) and for protecting your feet from sharper stones or jellyfish that sometimes the wind can blow onto the shore. You definitely don’t want to encounter jellyfish—if they appear on the beach, announcements are usually made.

 

Flags as signals – red, yellow, and green. These flag colors are used to warn about ocean danger. If there are large waves and strong winds, a red flag will be raised. Remember that in more remote beaches, which are popular with individual travelers, extra caution is needed since there may be no lifeguards or additional signage.

 
Danger of wimming in ocean Tenerife

And once again... be really careful with the ocean, as weather conditions can change rapidly, and tides create sudden waves, even though the ocean may have been calm just moments ago. Near rocks, there can also be underwater currents.

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This is one of the reasons why the Canary Islands have the highest number of drownings in Spain. Choose to swim in a pool or simply wade through the ocean if you don’t feel confident enough to swim in the sea.

Health

 

  • Use sunscreen with a high SPF to protect your skin from sunburn.

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  • Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, especially on very hot days.

 
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