Costa del Silencio in particular: the south-east coast. The old fishing town of El Medano (meaning Sand dune) is the place to be, especially for wind and kitesurfers looking to extent the European summer. El Medano is the kitesurf town of Tenerife. Here’s a little El Medano adventure travel guide that helps you plan and get settled when thinking to go adventuring and/or kitesurfing in El Medano, Tenerife.
The Bearings
El Medano: a sense of place

Kitesurfing in El Medano
Adventure things to do in El Medano
Rent a bike in El Medano

Birdwatching in El Medano
Go Surfing in El Medano
Snorkeling & Chilling
Salt water pools of Tenerife
Hike up Montaña Rojo

Best time to go to El Medano?
Where to stay in El Medano Tenerife?
Budget places to stay El Medano
- Los Amigos Backpackers. 15 euro’s per night. This hostel is located few kilometers outside of El Medano. It’s a hostel run by backpackers for backpackers. For 2 euro you can rent a bike. If you leave before noon it’s no problem to take your kitesurf gear on the bike (poco viento). The staff is very active in organising daily excursions and dinner gatherings. Breakfast (cereals, bread, fruit & veggies) and towels are included. The wifi is good. The crowd is multi-national. It lacks Spanish ambience if that’s what you’re after. For people who specifically come to kitesurf in El Medano, you may want to stay right in El Medano town.
- Casa Grande Surfhostel. 15 euro per night. A budget surf vibe place in El Medano center. Shared rooms only.
- Hostal Carel. 45 euro’s per night/per room. Budget friendly top location.
Midrange accommodation options in El Medano
- Hotel Playa Sur This hotel is right on the kitesurf spot in El Medano. You cannot be closer!
- Casas Bioclimaticas Eco houses powered by the wind. Located a few kilometers east of El Medano. 100% in nature. You would want to rent a car if you stay here.
Check Booking.com Homestays, Flipkey, Homelidays, Atraveo , and Trivago to browse more house rentals and accommodation in El Medano. Or stay with a local and find El Medano accommodation on HomeStay.com or AIRBNB. Numerous nice homestay accommodation in El Medano exist.

Cool places to Eat & Drink in El Medano
- For a cafe con leche in the morning or cana after kiteboarding: Veinte 04 Surf cafe, on the square.
- Tapas? Vetusta Bar Lovely staff, good wifi, delicious tapas! and Bar playa chica (5 tapas for 10 euro’s), both at the paseo Maritimo.
- Flashpoint: right on the beach. Nice view of the world from here.
- Go for the catch of the day in the town next to El Medano: Los Abrigos
- For cocktails? Calima Cafe
- In the small alleys on the eastern side of the bay you find more nice coffee bars, wifi-bars, an eco food shop and discodancing options.
Local food of the Canary Islands?
Forget about your usual food. These are must tries when in the Canary Islands:
- Papa arrugadas: Canary Island style salty potatoes which come with a delicious salsa (sauce) Mojo rojo (red) y verde (green). I cannot get enough of this, and of the Mojo especially!
- Rancho Canario: a tasty local chickpeas soup. Very nutritional!
- Queso Rojo: the local cheese!
- Mango’s, papayas, kaki fruit and a lot of them!

How to get to El Medano?
Beyond El Medano
El Medano kitesurf resources
Disclaimer: All recommendations in this El Medano Kitesurf & Adventure guide are my own. Some links are affiliate links, some are not. If you book through my site I get a few pesos to put into the adventure fund. Thank you! If you would like to know more about this cool coastal town, leave a comment below. Happy to help.
Hi Suzanne, great review, thank you! I’m training to run a few marathons in the desert & would like to try & practise running up some sane dunes. Is it possible to run in/up/across the sand dunes?
This is such a detailed travel guide. I love what this amazing place has to offer. I’ve looked at the Canary Islands as a place to honeymoon several times, never realized how amazing it was.