The “giants” of rock
Los Gigantes
The cliffs drop up to 600 metres sheer into the sea, best seen from the water.
The original inhabitants called them the “wall of hell”, today they are simply Los Gigantes, the giants. The cliffs rise vertically from the deep-blue water, with a small resort and harbour at their foot. The finest boat trips on the west coast start from here.
The cliffs from the water
Only from the boat do you get a sense of the scale: where the rock face rises 600 metres, the excursion boat looks tiny. The water in front is among the calmest on the island, a protected marine area where pilot whales and dolphins live all year round. Many tours stop for a swim in a cove you could never reach on foot.
The black beach
Right by the town lies the Playa de los Guíos, a small beach of jet-black volcanic sand, framed by the immense rock backdrop. At sunset the wall glows orange. For swimming the surf here is sometimes calm, sometimes strong; on quiet days a dream of a spot.
Right next to the house
From Callao Salvaje it is only around 30 minutes up the coast. That makes Los Gigantes the ideal half-day destination: a boat trip in the morning, fish in the harbour at midday, back to the pool in the afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
Do the boat trips really see dolphins?
The chances are very good: dolphins and pilot whales live off the west coast all year round. Reputable operators keep a respectful distance. Nature never gives a guarantee, of course.
Is Los Gigantes worth it without a boat?
Yes. The viewpoints above the harbour and the black beach alone are impressive. From the boat, though, the scale of the cliffs is another league again.
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Your base camp for all of it
The house sits centrally in the sunny south-west — most destinations are less than an hour away.