Responsible vacations in the Canary Islands
César Manrique was a hero in Lanzarote, a local visionary artist and architect, who worked closely with local authorities throughout the late 20th century to prevent his homeland from resort ruination, and whose many architectural masterpieces built into lava you can visit. Indeed, to visit Lanzarote without understanding Manrique is like doing Barcelona without Gaudí. Manrique’s statue ‘El Diablo’ is the symbol of Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park, overlooking all the Canary Islands as if to remind us that we need to keep the badness at bay. And these vulnerable volcanic gems do still have their demons when it comes to responsible tourism.
Wildlife & environment
Tap into the water issue
Water is a big issue on the Canary Islands, although when you look at the proliferation of well watered golf courses and resorts overflowing with swimming pools you would be forgiven for thinking that all is well. Which is an unfortunate pun, because when it comes to water, all is not well. Due to their remote nature, ecosystems and volcanic geology, the islands’ life giving resources have to be very carefully monitored. The islands source their water in two ways: in general, the western ones source theirs from ground water, and the eastern ones through desalination of sea water. So, when you see a sign asking you to be really careful about water usage, they mean it. We can enjoy these all year round gorgeous temperatures, but the impacts on water resources can be serious.What you can do
All common sense, really. Don’t shower three times a day, don’t insist on your bed linen and towels being washed all the time, don’t leave the tap running when you brush your teeth, and seek out places to stay that are environmentally aware, with smaller pools and an ethos that encourages you to use the much bigger, natural pool nearby: the Atlantic.
Say no to dolphinariums
At Responsible Travel, we do not support keeping whales or dolphins in captivity. Tenerife has one prolific dolphinarium, with performing dolphins, sea lions, and even six orcas. The most recent orca to be brought to this water park, Loro Parque, is Morgan, in 2011, despite worldwide appeals from leading conservationists such as the WWF. These mammoth mammals, used to perform tricks for our entertainment, are social creatures that are always on the move, and so in our opinion, being cooped up in tanks, away from their mothers or social group is not only cruel, but extremely harmful. Many tourists are now becoming aware of the impacts, and indeed some vacation companies are removing the park from excursion lists. And we encourage our responsible travelers to do the same.What you can do
Go and see whales in the wild instead. Not all whale watching voyages are created equal, however, so choose a triprun by experts like Susanne Braack, at our vacation specialists OCEANO Whale Watching. She says: “They’ve proven that pilot whales have higher cortisol levels [a hormone produced in response to stress] because there’s a lot of tourism. And the thing with the pilot whales is that they’re a resident population – they’re always there. So the operators go out and promise whale sightings, they go out three or four times a day, and it’s permanent pressure on the animals if the boats don’t follow the regulations.”
The best trips, then, follow the international whale watching guidelines, while combining scientific work with whale watching. Susanne uses 10-person Canarian fishing boats, keeps a safe distance and steady course, and logs sightings for a 20-year-old research project by a small NGO called MEER. You go whale watching; the guides log sightings and whale details from the bow; volunteers input the data back in the La Gomera office – and MEER takes care of the rest.
“It’s quite an interesting long-term project,” says Susanne, “because in 1995 this association started collecting data, which we still do on every tour, and put it in a database, and we are just now working on finding a way to get results out of this database. We’re reading data collected over 20 years. We want to bring it in relation to climate change and the water temperature – all these issues. This is the big goal because this data really is a treasure.”
Susanne says that their whale watching trips also reveal behaviour never recorded before: “We had a situation here where we found a dead calf and the mum was carrying it for six days in a row. Our biologist was on the boat and took some photos and data. Later, it was discovered that not only the mother but another individual of the dolphins carried the dead body around and this was not known before in the scientific world.”
And don’t forget about the dolphins. They often unexpectedly steal the show, says Susanne: “We had a very special encounter with a Risso’s dolphin because they are very synchronised in their behaviour, and if they’re in big groups they are so social and open to meeting humans… they really want contact. Scientists say they are one of the most intelligent dolphins; we love them very much.”
The best trips, then, follow the international whale watching guidelines, while combining scientific work with whale watching. Susanne uses 10-person Canarian fishing boats, keeps a safe distance and steady course, and logs sightings for a 20-year-old research project by a small NGO called MEER. You go whale watching; the guides log sightings and whale details from the bow; volunteers input the data back in the La Gomera office – and MEER takes care of the rest.
“It’s quite an interesting long-term project,” says Susanne, “because in 1995 this association started collecting data, which we still do on every tour, and put it in a database, and we are just now working on finding a way to get results out of this database. We’re reading data collected over 20 years. We want to bring it in relation to climate change and the water temperature – all these issues. This is the big goal because this data really is a treasure.”
Susanne says that their whale watching trips also reveal behaviour never recorded before: “We had a situation here where we found a dead calf and the mum was carrying it for six days in a row. Our biologist was on the boat and took some photos and data. Later, it was discovered that not only the mother but another individual of the dolphins carried the dead body around and this was not known before in the scientific world.”
And don’t forget about the dolphins. They often unexpectedly steal the show, says Susanne: “We had a very special encounter with a Risso’s dolphin because they are very synchronised in their behaviour, and if they’re in big groups they are so social and open to meeting humans… they really want contact. Scientists say they are one of the most intelligent dolphins; we love them very much.”
Our Canary islands Vacations
Lanzarote villa vacation, Fisherman's Cottage, Canary Islands
Off-grid seafront cottage in traditional village with coastal walks
From
€120 to €350
per couple per night
La Palma walking vacation in the Canaries
Walk a biosphere reserve that is home to over 900 endemic species
From
US $1649 to US $1849
8 days
ex flights
Gran Canaria walking tours, Canary Islands
This unique volcanic island reveals unexpected variety
From
US $1340 to US $1530
8 days
ex flights
Canary Islands walking vacation
Visit Teide volcano and walk through the Garajonay Forest
From
US $1530 to US $1670
8 days
ex flights
Lanzarote beach house, Canary Islands
Beautiful Villa 100mt to beach, private plunge pool & Wifi
From
€160 to €400
per accommodation per night (sleeps 2-4)
Lanzarote self catering cottage in the Canary Islands
Cozy Cottage, friendly tropical eco village, swimming pool,
From
€910 to €4000
per week (sleeps 4)
People & Culture
With the proliferation of all-inclusive resorts on the Canary Islands, most of which direct tourists away from local activities, local culture and most definitely the local economy, it is easy to forget that there is a wealth of Canarian culture on the islands, all different, and all fascinating. Seek and you will find, however. You can buy Europe’s only home grown coffee on Gran Canaria, for example, where in the Valle de Agaete coffee has been grown since the 18th century. On this island, there is a general revival of the Canarii culture as well, one that goes back to the Berber people who predate the Spanish, who conquered the islands in the 15th century. Indeed, it is thought that the Berber people came here as long ago as 1000BC. Or long Before Charters. Check out the caves on Gran Canaria, once home to many of the Berber people, many of which are now being restored. Cenobio de Valerón on Gran Canaria is a fine example of these ancient lifestyles.
On the other islands, the original Berber inhabitants are referred to as guanches, and although it is thought that most people with Berber roots are actually now a mix of Berber and Spanish, the ancient traditions live on. On La Gomera, you can still hear Silbo being used, the whistling language that enabled messages to be sent, literally, across the wind, from one valley to another. Fiestas such as Fiesta de Charco, on Gran Canaria every September, when over 15,000 people dive into La Marciega lagoon to catch as many fish as they can with their hands, are a sight to behold. Or Fiesta de la Rama in Agaete, an ancient tradition of local people heading to the Atlantic from the inland peaks or Tamadaba Natural Park in August, to beat the waters with palm branches as an act of prayer for rain. Although these days, the branches are offered to the Virgin Mary instead of the traditional rain dance. Given the lack of water issues on the islands, some might think that the original version might be more appropriate.
On the other islands, the original Berber inhabitants are referred to as guanches, and although it is thought that most people with Berber roots are actually now a mix of Berber and Spanish, the ancient traditions live on. On La Gomera, you can still hear Silbo being used, the whistling language that enabled messages to be sent, literally, across the wind, from one valley to another. Fiestas such as Fiesta de Charco, on Gran Canaria every September, when over 15,000 people dive into La Marciega lagoon to catch as many fish as they can with their hands, are a sight to behold. Or Fiesta de la Rama in Agaete, an ancient tradition of local people heading to the Atlantic from the inland peaks or Tamadaba Natural Park in August, to beat the waters with palm branches as an act of prayer for rain. Although these days, the branches are offered to the Virgin Mary instead of the traditional rain dance. Given the lack of water issues on the islands, some might think that the original version might be more appropriate.
Matthew Hirtes, author of Going Local in Gran Canaria:
“Escape the south of Gran Canaria and head to the north coast – it suddenly feels like you have entered a book by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez. Go to the local fiestas, such as Fiesta de Charco, to see real, local traditions in action. Also walking festivals are just great here. And sometimes you can combine them with star gazing nights which are just fantastic."
“Escape the south of Gran Canaria and head to the north coast – it suddenly feels like you have entered a book by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez. Go to the local fiestas, such as Fiesta de Charco, to see real, local traditions in action. Also walking festivals are just great here. And sometimes you can combine them with star gazing nights which are just fantastic."
Vicky Garnett, from our adventure vacation specialists Explore, says:
“Parts of the islands are built up and catered more toward mass fly and flop tourism (especially the south coasts of Tenerife and Lanzarote). We stay in smaller towns where possible and the walking trails are quiet, away from the busy areas. Most people come to sunbathe, leaving many trails free of other walkers, apart from a couple of the ones that are popular with the big walking groups.”
“Parts of the islands are built up and catered more toward mass fly and flop tourism (especially the south coasts of Tenerife and Lanzarote). We stay in smaller towns where possible and the walking trails are quiet, away from the busy areas. Most people come to sunbathe, leaving many trails free of other walkers, apart from a couple of the ones that are popular with the big walking groups.”
Responsible tourism tips
Spokesperson from British Embasssy in Madrid, Spain:
"Make sure you have travel insurance. An emergency abroad can be extremely expensive. If you need to be returned to the UK it could cost you thousands, unless you are properly insured. It can cost, for example, £12,000 to £16,000 for an air ambulance from the Canaries. Every year British Consulates see cases of uninsured travelers facing huge bills – make sure you are not one of them."
"Make sure you have travel insurance. An emergency abroad can be extremely expensive. If you need to be returned to the UK it could cost you thousands, unless you are properly insured. It can cost, for example, £12,000 to £16,000 for an air ambulance from the Canaries. Every year British Consulates see cases of uninsured travelers facing huge bills – make sure you are not one of them."
More about Canary islands
Ironically, the best time to visit the Canary Islands is completely out of their peak season with things to do on the Canary Islands much more wide ranging than getting sunburned on a packed beach.
Our Canary Islands travel guide uncovers the secret spots well off the tourist radar where yurts and windmills are far more prevalent than huge hotels...
Sometimes it is hard to convince people that the Canary Islands have anything more to offer than charter flights, cheap beer and chips.
There’s one easy thing you can do to help preserve this archipelago: avoid resort accommodation in the Canary Islands.
Walking in the Canary Islands reveals a side of the archipelago that the lion’s share of visitors doesn’t realise exists.
Lanzarote is for rebellious spirits. Read about how the island is home to pioneers of ecotourism still inspired by the legacy of the great architect and activist Cesar Manrique.
We’ve spoken to whale watching experts, pioneers in renewable energy-powered accommodation, and pro hikers to source the very best Canary Islands travel tips.
