La Tejita beach, Tenerife: Montaña Roja, wind and naturism

La Tejita is the long, undeveloped beach on Tenerife's south-east coast: around a kilometre of natural golden sand between El Médano and Los Abrigos, in Granadilla de Abona, closed off at one end by the reddish cone of Montaña Roja. There are no hotels and no promenade above the sand, just the beach, the volcano and the Atlantic. In return, the wind nearly always blows, the waves are moderate, there is no shade and lifeguard cover is seasonal. It is the best choice in the south if you want space, scenery and a short walk; it is not the place for a calm-water day with small children.

At a glance

• Area and municipality: south-east Tenerife, beside the TF-643 road between El Médano and Los Abrigos, municipality of Granadilla de Abona.
• Sand: natural, golden and fine, with no breakwaters or imported sand.
• Approximate length: around a kilometre.
• Waves and wind: moderate waves and constant wind; popular for surfing and windsurfing. Swim with caution.
• Lifeguards: cover in season; outside it, the beach is unsupervised.
• Facilities: showers at the access points, toilets, a café and sunbed and parasol hire.
• Blue Flag 2026: not on the official 2026 list.
• Accessibility: no adapted access; from the car park it is about a five-minute walk over earth and sand.
• Parking: a large open car park beside the road from El Médano to Los Abrigos, with more than a hundred spaces, which fills by mid-morning in summer.
• TITSA bus: guagua (the local word for bus) line 470 El Médano–Los Cristianos, La Tejita stop.
• Best for: walks along the shoreline, climbing Montaña Roja, surfing and windsurfing, naturism at the volcano end and anyone escaping resort beaches.
• Drawbacks: wind, no natural shade at all, calima (hazy dust-laden air from the Sahara) on some days and more exposed swimming than on beaches with breakwaters.

Montaña Roja and the landscape

The beach owes its look to the Montaña Roja Special Nature Reserve, a protected area of about 166 hectares on the Granadilla coast with a 171-metre volcanic cone. That is why there are no buildings on the sand, and why beaches like this are rare in south Tenerife. The climb to the top is a short path with no shade and strong wind at the summit, and it gives the best view of La Tejita and El Médano together; it is described in the guide to the best hikes in Tenerife. Inside the reserve, stick to the marked paths: birds nest in the areas off them.

How to get there

By car, leave the TF-1 towards El Médano and take the TF-643 towards Los Abrigos; the open car park is right by the road, and from there you walk down to the sand in about five minutes. In summer and at weekends it fills by mid-morning, so arrive early or come in the afternoon.

By bus, TITSA line 470, which links El Médano and Los Cristianos in around an hour, stops at La Tejita; you can also walk from El Médano along the coast, skirting Montaña Roja, if you do not mind the sun and wind.

The sea and safety

La Tejita faces the open sea and has no breakwaters. The waves are usually moderate, but in strong wind or ocean swell the waves and currents build, and the official Canary Islands Tourism listing advises caution when swimming. Swim in the supervised area when lifeguards are on duty, respect the flag and do not go far out if there is no cover. Bring water, a hat, high-factor sun cream and, if you can, a windbreak: there is not a single tree on the whole beach.

After heavy rain the town council may close the beach to swimmers because of run-off until water tests come back clear, as happened in September 2022, when La Tejita was the last beach in the municipality to reopen. If it has rained in the previous days, check the council's notices.

Naturism

Naturism is traditional at La Tejita, at the eastern end closest to Montaña Roja, where the official listing places the nudist area. On the rest of the beach, people with and without swimwear share the sand without any conflict. Together with Diego Hernández in Adeje, it is the best-known naturist beach in the south.

What is nearby

To the east, beyond the volcano, is El Médano beach, with the town, the windsurf and kitesurf schools and Playa Chica for children. To the west, Los Abrigos is the fishing village with fish restaurants on the quay, the best option for lunch after the beach. If you are spending several days in the area, the guide to what to see in south Tenerife suggests how to combine it with the uplands of Vilaflor and Granadilla.

Best time of day and year

Early morning is best: the wind is usually lighter, the car park has space and the light on Montaña Roja is at its finest. From midday the trade wind picks up and the sand starts to fly; in the afternoon it is pleasant again for a walk along the water's edge. In summer, arrive before eleven to park.

You can visit all year round. Summer brings the most regular wind and the busiest beach; in winter there are more calm days, although ocean swell can make swimming less advisable. The guide to the best time to visit Tenerife sums up the weather month by month.

Frequently asked questions

Is La Tejita a nudist beach?

It has a traditional naturist area at the eastern end, next to Montaña Roja; on the rest of the beach most people wear swimwear. Both coexist without problems.

Is it safe to swim at La Tejita?

Yes, with caution: the waves are usually moderate, but there are no breakwaters and the wind is constant. Swim in the supervised area in season, respect the flag and stay out of the water when there is a swell.

Is there shade or a beach bar?

There is no natural shade. There is a café, toilets, showers and sunbed and parasol hire, but bring plenty of water and sun protection.

How do you get to La Tejita without a car?

On TITSA line 470, which stops at La Tejita on its route between El Médano and Los Cristianos. You can also walk from El Médano along the coast, skirting Montaña Roja.

Is it worth climbing Montaña Roja?

Yes, if you can handle the sun and wind: it is a short climb up the 171-metre cone that gives the best view of La Tejita and El Médano. Do it first thing in the morning and stay on the marked path.

Keep planning

• The best beaches in south Tenerife: how to choose between southern beaches by wind and facilities.
• The best beaches in Tenerife: the island-wide selection.
• El Médano beach: wind, kitesurfing and Playa Chica, on the other side of the volcano.
• The best hikes in Tenerife: Montaña Roja and other routes in the south.