Discussion · VoyageForum

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-06

Makes sense—it’s a must-stop for all organized excursions and one of only two stops in the park that rushed travelers make (the other being the cable car).

But the crowds soon fade as we head back down toward the parking lot.

Honestly, this 8-kilometer loop hike is absolutely stunning!

The Fiat is now blocked by taxis waiting for their clients.

Luckily, the drivers stayed near their vans and quickly let us through.

We then drive to the park’s various viewpoints.

The cable car still hasn’t been put back into service, but it doesn’t matter—we already made the climb to the summit in 2019!

Clouds creep up the slopes, lava fields dominate the landscape, and the colors shift from ochre to black, with only a few rare patches of green vegetation.

Today, just like yesterday, this sight has lost none of its magic, and we’re so grateful to Thérèse for not spoiling this joyful moment.

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Montagnard74 Globetrotter ·2026-05-06

I was really impressed by the striking contrast of colors in the different lava flows during my visit to the park in 2018.

Looks like the rocks haven’t moved ;)

"Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux." Marcel Proust

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-06

Yeah, this park is amazing! 😛

And for hikers, there are tons of options! Like everywhere on this island, really.

I arrived a few days too late—all the snow had melted in the caldera. It would’ve been a unique sight: all white. 😉

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Muriel18 Globetrotter ·2026-05-07

I also found this park absolutely stunning, with plenty of hikes for all levels and varied landscapes. With blue skies and snow, it’s even more beautiful 😎

The northeast seems different and beautiful too, but unfortunately, we only saw it through the clouds 😕

Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)

Kate Globetrotter ·2026-05-07

Gorgeous landscapes! Thanks Thérèse 😎

Mes photos sur Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/153304262@N05/albums "Le Temps nous égare. Le Temps nous étreint. Le Temps nous est gare. Le Temps nous est train".

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-07

I don’t know if it’s more beautiful with snow. It might be a tad less "exotic."

I see that Teide is a unanimous favorite! 😉

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-07

Yeah, it’s still pretty unusual to see snow in the Canaries !😉

I saw photos of the park roads covered in snow—it looked just like a winter sports spot! But, well, it melts super fast there.

It must’ve been around 15°C the day we were there, but it felt warmer because of the sunshine.

The only upside of Theresa!

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·2026-05-08

Thanks for this travel journal—it’s given me a serious case of wanderlust for El Hierro (in better weather conditions, hopefully)!

We’re heading to La Gomera for two full weeks at the end of July/beginning of August. There was a little discussion earlier in the journal about renting cars. Could you share what you think is best: booking in advance or not, or any other tips? Thanks!

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-08

For the car, I think it's best to book in advance to make sure you get one at a good price.

Especially on a small, rather touristy island.

The two rental companies I’d recommend to avoid deposit issues are Cicar and Autoreisen.

Neither does an entry nor exit inspection. No worries about scratches, etc.!

However, keep in mind that their cars aren’t necessarily brand new since they keep them for a long time, unlike traditional rental companies that just lease cars they rent themselves for a set time and mileage from manufacturers.

Watch out for the wind when you open the doors. When it’s windy in the Canary Islands, it’s violent—it can rip off the hinges or bang into the car next to you...

For the ferry crossing from Tenerife, I don’t think it’s necessary to book the pedestrian passage too far in advance.

To get from Tenerife Airport to Los Cristianos, the bus is very convenient.

Hope you have an amazing trip there! !

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

This morning, Thérèse seems to have definitely packed up—it's too bad we'll have to do the same soon...

For the first time since the start of our stay, we’re actually having our coffee and toast outside, sunglasses on!

Our flight doesn’t leave until late afternoon, so we can enjoy a few more hours of this bright, refreshing atmosphere.

We take the small road parallel to the highway heading north of the island.

This road is just a series of twists and villages—it’s definitely prettier, but we’re not making much progress, and the minutes are ticking by!

We end up merging onto the four-lane highway to have time to do something other than just drive...

We arrive at Puertito de Güímar too late to hope to complete the full Malpaís loop.

So we only go as far as the Mirador de las Morras del Corcho.

Back in the village, we sit down at a terrace for one last Canarian lunch.

I’d imagined this trip differently—spring sunshine, a certain softness, sunny breaks, light layers...

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

Thérèse had other plans, so we had to adapt!

Our last stop before returning the car will be to grab an ice cream on El Médano beach.

The Fiat is now parked in the airport parking lot. The Cicar employee refunds us the fuel deposit, which is only required in Tenerife. We head toward the EasyJet counters.

What is this insane line about???

Several flights are scheduled just ten minutes apart.

Staff are standing guard near the baggage drop counters to only let passengers with the nearest departures through...

It’s better to check with them instead of waiting in this line, which is only for people who arrived way too early!

Boarding, flight, deplaning...

Back in Lyon by evening, in Auvergne by night!

Now it’s just a matter of counting the days until the next trip...

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

I won’t sugarcoat it—Gran Canaria won’t be my fondest memory of the Canary Islands.

Sure, the storm disrupted the trip, but even without it, I think I’d have come back a little disappointed.

Too urbanized, too touristy, and nothing particularly unique.

On the other hand, I really liked El Hierro. The island has a more distinct character and feels wilder.

I’d happily go back!

As for Tenerife, I think it’s the best island for a first trip to the Canaries.

It’s definitely crowded, and the south coast is pretty scarred by overtourism, but Teide is a natural wonder, Anaga is surprising, and its towns and villages have their own charm.

For now, my ranking of the islands would be:

Top spot: Tenerife

First runners-up: Lanzarote and El Hierro

Second runner-up: Fuerteventura

Way behind: Gran Canaria

I haven’t been to La Gomera or La Palma yet.

Next Canary Island destinations—maybe a return to El Hierro?

(My accounts of my first two trips to the Canaries are here for Tenerife and here for Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.)

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

Thanks again for this travel journal and your tips on car rental and ferry bookings—they’ll be super useful!

I have a Canarian colleague from Gran Canaria, and even she seemed to say it’s not the most interesting island in the Canaries. She’d never even visited La Gomera or El Hierro, like most Canarians, apparently.

You recommend Tenerife for a first trip to the Canaries, but La Gomera seemed like the best fit for us: not very touristy, peaceful, stunning landscapes, amazing hikes, and a few black sand or pebble beaches. It’s a bit less deserted than El Hierro but way quieter than all the other islands—the perfect balance, it seems. My colleague’s Canarian parents went there in February, and they barely ran into anyone. La Gomera is curiously untouched, and that’s just how we like it. We’d considered combining it with El Hierro or La Palma during these two weeks, but that’ll be for another time. We decided to use these 15 days to explore La Gomera thoroughly. Maybe I’ll write a travel journal if I have time...

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

I’d love to hear your thoughts on La Gomera—I’ve never been! 🙂

If you haven’t finalized your itinerary, I’d still recommend setting aside 2 days for Tenerife to visit Teide.

It’s a landscape you won’t find anywhere else, just 3 hours from southern France.

You don’t necessarily need to go all the way to the summit to be blown away, and there are hikes for every level. The sunset over the sea of clouds is absolutely stunning.

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

Even before your reply, your travel journal really made me think that a little detour to Teide might be doable. We’ve booked everything for the two weeks (two different spots each week), but maybe we can take an earlier ferry on the last day and spend a bit of time there. But would half a day be enough? If not, it’ll have to wait for next time!

I’ll do my best to share my thoughts on La Gomera. Just two and a half months to go!

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

Half a day is really too short. Especially since you’ll be on a bus.

Better to save it for a future trip!

Have a great stay in La Gomera! ;)

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Puma2A Veteran ·2026-05-09

Hello,

And BIG THANKS for this travel journal, especially the section about El Hierro. I had already found some info and images on "the other forum," and then there were also the images from the Spanish TV series episodes. Your firsthand experience confirms everything I had "seen" through other images.

I’m sorry "Thérèse" messed up your travel plans so much... These intense weather events aren’t going to improve worldwide, as experts predict a strong new surge of "El Niño" phenomena across the world’s oceans... starting as early as June!

For your info, some friends traveled through the Canary Islands, and based on their feedback and photos, La Palma would be the other gem of this archipelago...

Keep going, and happy future travels! Cheers.

Puma2A

Attila Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

Hi Alain,

Thanks for following this travel journal to the end! 🙂

Also, thanks for confirming how great La Palma is! 😛

Un si beau paysage : concours de photos amical de juin 2026 Rubrique Jeux Voyages C'est le moment de poster vos meilleurs clichés !

Pagaljavab Globetrotter ·2026-05-09

La Palma would be the other Pearl of this archipelago....

After studying the question of which Canary Island to choose for quite some time, La Gomera naturally stood out, but I have to admit La Palma really caught my eye. Beautiful hikes, breathtaking views, waterfalls, a few beaches, and slightly more touristy than La Gomera—but only just. Definitely worth keeping in mind for a future trip.

Muriel18 Globetrotter ·2026-05-10

Thanks Agnès for this travel journal that reminded me of... I don’t quite know how to describe them 🤪, just some memories 😎

I imagined this trip differently. Spring sunshine, a certain softness, sunny stops, mid-season clothes...

That’s exactly it 😏

Too urbanized, too touristy, no unique features.

I didn’t get that sense of urbanization or crowds, except in the south and at a few spots... maybe because we mostly stayed in the northwest and the center. On the other hand, I totally agree that it’s a pretty ordinary island, especially compared to its neighbors 😉

Why not the Canary Islands again... but the smaller islands and fingers crossed for the weather!

Si tu diffères de moi, mon frère, loin de me léser, tu m'enrichis (Saint Exupéry)

Rouquine38 Globetrotter ·2026-05-11

Thanks Agnès for this travel journal—it’s really making me want to go back to Tenerife and discover El Hierro! 😊

"Voyager est un triple plaisir : l'attente, l'éblouissement et le souvenir." Ilka Chase

Holigirl Veteran ·2026-05-20

Thanks Agnès for your travel journal. Never been to the Canaries but Teide looks amazing :)

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