Travel information for island hopping & backpacking the real Canary Islands

My motivation to share travel information for island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands

People from Europe sometimes ask me why I still go back to the Canary Islands. Some wondered why I went island hopping & backpacking in the Canary Islands. Especially after I have been working abroad in so many other places around the world. Most of my friends from outside Europe don’t even know about the Canary Islands. Some people in Australia and New Zealand only know about Tenerife, the biggest island. Many people don´t think this is an attractive place to travel to. They wonder what I like so much about Canarias. In this post, I will share travel information and my personal experience of backpacking and island hopping in the Canary Islands. I traveled the Canary islands as a female solo traveler away from the mass tourism, and it was a great experience!

Hang on, island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands?

Yes! After traveling to many places around the world as a backpacker and island hopper, I also decided to solo travel the Canary Islands with my backpack. I have been backpacking in Asia, to be exact in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Bali, and even to the local islands in the Maldives. But I have also traveled and backpacked quite a bit in New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean and the Portuguese islands such as Madeira and the Azores. And after all this, I can really say that the Canary Islands are also a lot of fun to solo travel with a backpack. So yes, I do recommend backpacking and island hopping in the Canary Islands, and it is very easy to do!

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The Canary Islands is not so much considered a backpack destination

The general idea about the Canary islands as a holiday destination might be associated with families and package holidays. And not so much a destination to go solo traveling, backpacking or island hopping. Maybe you have this idea of retired people playing golf everywhere. Or you might think of the overloaded mass tourism places full of younger people getting drunk every night. And people eating ‘all you can eat’  Chinese food. And if you´re looking for this kind of vacation, you will certainly find what you´re looking for. But actually only in the touristy places on the bigger Canary islands such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. However, this is not the type of traveling I like, nor the destinations I like to write about.

Go island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands away from mass tourism

It is possible to solo travel the Canary Islands in another way, by backpacking and even island hopping to other islands. There are so many things to do (ad)! And there are different ways to travel the Canary Islands away from the mass tourism. The smaller islands of La Palma, El Hierro, and La Gomera offer a completely different type of tourism. You can do many activities here and enjoy adventure in nature (ad) such as walking in green, forested areas. But the larger islands also have places like this.

Activities away from mass tourism while backpacking in the Canary Islands

You can also go mountain biking, canyoning or kayaking in the Canary Islands (ad). If you like to soak up some Canarian culture, you can also do this by going wine tasting or visiting museums (ad). The museums are mainly found in the larger cities such as Las Palmas on Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz on both, La Palma and Tenerife. Yes, the capital of the island of La Palma and Tenerife are both called Santa Cruz :-) And you might also like to read my blog post about whale and dolphin watching on the Canary Islands. I describe how you can do this in the most sustainable way on the Canaries. And if you’re planning to travel to Corralejo on Fuerteventura, I recommend reading my post about 10 things to do in Corralejo, besides surfing.

Supporting the local population whilst island hopping &  backpacking in the Canary Islands contributes to sustainable tourism

Due to their volcanic origin, there are many mountains on the Canary Islands. And there are also many guest houses and accommodations other than large hotels in the smaller mountain villages. You can find these via booking.com (ad), but if you are traveling alone you may prefer to pay less and stay on a budget in a hostel. You can book an affordable accommodation on the Canary Islands with hostelworld (ad). This is also a fun way to get to know other backpackers. If you choose these types of accommodations instead of the large resorts and hotels, you also support a more sustainable form of travel in the Canary Islands.

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Boat connections and ferries between the Canary islands to go island hopping

There are several boat and ferry connections between all Canary Islands (ad). I started in Gran Canaria and took the boat to Fuerteventura after which I hopped on to Lanzarote. From Lanzarote I took the boat with two overnight stays to La Palma island and from there I continued island hopping on the western Canary Islands. Most ferries between the Canary Islands also allow you to take a car on the boat.

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Getting around in the Canary Islands: car rental, shared airport transfers, public transport & excursions

You can rent a car in the Canary Islands (ad) and visit different places that way.  When traveling alone and backpacking in the Canary Islands, I did everything by public transport. But there are also affordable shared airport transfers (ad) available. Excursions can be booked with Get Your Guide (ad). They offer excursions with local entrepreneurs, and I am really in favor of supporting locals when traveling. This contributes to more sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands. And consider supporting the local population, think about your stay, the excursions you book, and where you eat.

After a lot of solo traveling, backpacking & island hopping in the Canary Islands, I have come to love the Canary culture

I also always choose to eat local as much as possible. Outside the tourist areas, most restaurants offer a daily menu for approximately €12 (update 2024) which consists of a starter, main course and dessert with a glass of wine or other drink. But usually you can also just order dishes from the menu. Over the years I have really come to love the Canary Islands culture. After I have worked and lived on the Canary Islands. But especially after traveling the Canaries for two months in the form of backpacking and island hopping as a female solo traveler. Also take a look at TripAdvisor to book accommodations or excursions on the Canary Islands (ad).

‘The other side’ of the Canary Island: away from the mass tourism

I found there´s another side of the Canary Islands, which I already discovered when I first came to live here in 2006, almost twenty years ago! I was living on Gran Canaria, in the small fishing town of Arguineguín to do my Divemaster internship and I ended up working for the dive center the complete year.  Arguineguín now has grown into a bigger town and has become extremely popular among the Scandinavian people. This ‘other side’ of the Canary Islands which I try to write about, is simply the local style and more off the beaten path. But if you only stay, eat and drink in mass tourist places, you will definitely miss it.  I spent almost two months backpacking and island hopping in the Canary Islands whilst traveling alone. It’s something I can recommend to everybody!

Why solo travel the Canary Islands on a budget, with local transport and a backpack?

Maybe the Canary Islands are considered as limited in their ability to be a destination for backpacking. You might think that it’s not a good idea to travel the Canaries alone, on a budget, by using the public transport, or to go island hopping. It’s true that I never met somebody who told me: “I’m going to backpack the Canary Islands.” And so ultimately it became my decision to do it.

After having worked abroad in seven different countries worldwide, I was living for the third time in Gran Canaria and. Except of the Canary Island El Hierro, which is known for amazing scuba diving, I had never seen any of the other Canary islands. This was due to a lack of time before, I was always working and saving up for my next destination. But I finally had the chance to go island hopping and to backpack all Canary Islands, including the less-known islands. And it was much later that I realized that the best memories I had were pretty special!

My best memories of traveling & living in the Canary Islands were those between the local people

The best memories I have are from the times when I just hiked the woods recommended to me by a guy in the local bakery. Or when I camped on an unknown beach or just picked a place on the map and did a small road trip. The best food I have eaten were the meals in one of these typically local places. They might look like somebody’s backyard or private terrace, rather than a fancy restaurant.

And the best nights I had were the evenings when I randomly decided to go to the local sunset life singer who also could play the guitar. And when I ended up at a local funfair, or some local ‘festivo’ and danced on the square till the early hours. After realizing this, I became curious to go island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands.

Missing travel information for island hopping & backpacking the Canary Islands

This trip was for me a confirmation that there´s travel information lacking for people who are also looking into backpacking the Canary Islands. Traveling the Canary Islands in ‘another way’ for me means meeting with the lovely local Canary people. And to feel the real Canary experience.

Most people are not aware that the Canary islands are not only a great destination to travel around but also give home to any kind of holiday. And there are many activities to do in the Canary Islands (ad) if you´re looking for staying on only one island. Spain´s highest mountain, the Teide volcano on Tenerife, reaches 3718 meters (almost 12200 feet) above sea level. And an overseas extension of the Sahara desert has created amazing beaches. The Canary Islands have so much to offer. You can surf the ‘European Hawaii’  in Fuerteventura. Or go hiking in fairy-tale forests on the smaller island of La Palma with her ‘thirty shades of green’.

Even scuba Diver will be amazed on their travels to the Canary Islands

Even scuba divers will be amazed by the variety of dive spots on the Canary Islands (ad), and in particular on El Hierro. But you can enjoy great scuba diving on all Canary islands, and each island has something special. I will soon write a blog post about what you can do and see on each Canary  island specifically, including a bit about scuba diving on each island. But the Atlantic Ocean in general has a lot to offer. And you can dive in your wetsuit all year round in the Canary Islands. Click here for my blog post about scuba diving in the Canary Islands.

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A ‘mini-continent’ and the microclimate of the Canary Islands

Due to its volcanic origin, nature has created a diverse range of landscapes. It is sometimes said that the Canary Islands are a ‘mini content’ because they have so many different landscapes. The Canary Islands also have a microclimate. This means that it can be warm and sunny somewhere, while it can be rainy and much cooler not much further away. Almost every winter there is snow on the Teide of Tenerife, and also often on the mountain tops of other islands such as Gran Canaria and La Palma, while a little further away you can just lie on the beach. The climate of the Canary Islands is considered one of the best in the world. There is sun all year round and a constant temperature of 17°C (62,2 °F) in winter to 25°C (77 °F) in summer.

Island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands is cheap, safe and easy

Backpacking on the Canary Islands is very safe. I went island hopping as a solo female traveler and never felt unsafe. With low-cost carriers offering super cheap flights from almost all European countries, you can save a lot of money on your flight. Within 3 to 6 hours of flight time from most European countries, you´ve already arrived at your destination. No stopovers, jetlags or recovery of a long flight on arrival! Click here to find your flight deal to the Canary Islands (ad).

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The costs of accommodations in the Canary Islands: guesthouses, bed & breakfasts, and hostels

In comparison to the rest of Europe and other western countries like Australia, Canada or the United States, the Canary Islands are pretty low-budget. Of course, not if you compare them to Thailand or the Philippines. It’s not very common yet to stay in a backpacker accommodations or hostel in the Canary Islands, but not impossible to find one on each island. Click here to find your hostel in the Canary Islands (ad). Other than hostels, you can find nice guesthouses or bed & breakfast on the Canary Islands, you can book through them booking.com (ad).

When I was island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands as a solo traveler, I paid around €30,-, or about £25,- (in 2024), for a single room. Sometimes this was with a private bathroom, and at other times with a shared bathroom. I also stayed in backpacker accommodations, i.e. a shared room in a hostel, in Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria, paying much less. Click here if you prefer to book on Agoda (ad).

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Other travel costs for backpacking in the Canary Islands: food & drinks

You have complete control over the costs of food and drinks. There are many fancy restaurants whose prices are still a lot lower than in the United Kingdom or the mainland of Europe, especially northern Europe. But there are also many comparable eateries that offer a daily menu for around €12,-, or about £10,-. These are the updated prices in 2024. For a coffee you pay about €1.50 or €2,-, or around £1,50, to give you an idea.

How much do you pay for public transport if you go backpacking in the Canary Islands?

Public transport is surprisingly cheap! For most bus trips I paid between €2,- and €5,- or £1,60 and £4,20. The distances are never very far either. The most expensive bus trip I made was on Fuerteventura from Puerto de Rosario to Morro Jable in the south. This two-hour bus journey costed €10 at the time, and it still costs that now in 2024! If you don’t like to wait for the bus after your flight, it is also possible to book a shared airport transfer at a reasonable price (ad).

If there is nothing special going on such as Carnival or another ‘festivo’, the bus times are also quite reliable. Sometimes there may be a delay, but this is nothing compared to Asia or South America where you sometimes really have to change your travel plans because of public transport.

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Safety of using public transport while backpacking in the Canary Islands

Another positive aspect about public transport in the Canary Islands is that it is extremely safe. You don’t have to worry about anything if you put your large backpack in the trunk section of the bus. You can even take a ‘siesta’ on the bus without any worries! I’ve traveled on public transport in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, and many countries in Europe. And I can honestly say that I have never felt more safe than on a public bus trip in the Canary Islands.

I am talking about the regional buses that cover a somewhat longer distance on the island. On the city buses in larger cities such as Las Palmas on Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz on Tenerife, you naturally have to pay more attention. Always use common sense, but there is absolutely nothing to worry about. Also compared to ten years ago, public transportation in the Canary Islands has improved a lot. And it is now much easier for tourists to take the public bus because most bus drivers now speak some English. But of course you can also rent a car for a good price, if you prefer.

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Transport between the islands when you go island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands

As mentioned before, there are good boat connections between the Canary islands. These are carried out by Naviera Armas, Fred Olsen, Trasmediterranea and Lineas Romero. Which company you choose depends on which islands you travel between, how much time you have, whether you want to take a car and your budget. You can book your ferry between different Canary Islands with Get Your Guide here (ad). The tiny island of La Graciosa is only accessible from Lanzarote by boat (ad). But all other Canary islands are also connected by indirect or direct flights.

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Flights for traveling by plane between different Canary Islands

Although I personally prefer to travel in a sustainable way, it is also understandable that not everyone has the time to do backpacking and island hopping on the Canary Islands entirely by boat. All Canary Islands have an airport and can be reached by flight, except La Graciosa Island near Lanzarote (ad). Most Canary islands are directly interconnected. Only to travel to some smaller islands, like El Hierro and La Gomera, you might have to do a stopover in Gran Canaria or Tenerife. Click here to find your flight between the different Canary islands (ad). Most flights are carried out by the Canary airlines Binter Canarias and Canary Fly.

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Should I need pre-book my accommodation in advance for island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands?

When island hopping and backpacking in the Canary Islands, it is not very common to book on site, without making a reservation in advance. It is sometimes possible, depending on where you are, but you may also experience some problems with this. Even in the surf town of Corralejo, where are many hostels, most accommodations still work with pre-booked reservations.

Sometimes hostels are fully booked and you don’t want to spend hours walking through the streets with your backpack looking for a place to sleep. It may also be that your room choice is not available and you may have to pay more than planned. Or you might end up in a shared dormitory while you planned to book your own private room. I recommend booking your accommodation in the Canary Islands in advance with organizations such as booking.com (ad) or hostelworld (ad). Click here if you prefer to book with Agoda (ad).

Travel tip if you don’t like to stick to a tight schedule during your backpack trip to the Canary Islands

I highly recommend booking your accommodation in advance. Even though you might not want to stick to a strict travel itinerary during backpacking in the Canary islands. In this case you can still book the accommodation for your first nights. If you really like the place and like to extend your stay, you can see if it’s possible. And if not, you have at least a few days to book an accommodation on your next destination. Or in the same town if that’s where you like to stay longer.

You can do this during you whole trip of island hopping and backpacking the Canary islands, if you like. Before you hop to the next island in the Canary Islands, you book the accommodation for the first nights again. You can also book further in advance. Because most online booking platforms as suggested before offer a free cancellation up to a few days before you arrival. Just make sure to read the booking conditions.

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Travel tip for excursions, activities & tours in the Canary Islands

Would you like to book your excursions ahead? You can use Get Your Guide (ad) to book your activities during your adventure of island hopping and backpacking in the Canaries. They offer anything from boat excursions, entrance tickets, hop-on hop-off bus tickets in the cities, adventure sports, water sports, hiking tours, day trips and island tours, and so much more! They work together with local providers, so you also support the local population and promote sustainable tourism this way. Or you can also have a look at TripAdvisor (ad).

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The local people of the Canary Islands – los/las Canari@s

The real Canary people are super friendly and open. Although it would help a lot if you speak some basic Spanish, the local ‘Canarios’  will try and help you in whatever way they can. Especially if you travel to smaller villages or go to the mountains, it helps a lot if you speak basic Spanish. After living in the Canaries for all those years, I communicate fluently in Spanish. This has helped me a lot in getting all the travel information I needed whilst island hopping and backpacking the Canary Islands.

But I´ve seen some tourists who didn´t speak Spanish and they were also using local services without too much struggle. Nowadays you can use Google Translate on your phone. I also believe that there have been a lot of changes over the recent years. I see more local people and certain staff starting to speak English. The bus drivers and people in the supermarket now also speak basic English.

Local Canary people are usually honest and innocent

In the places with a lot of mass tourism in the Canary Islands, you will find many staff who are not Canary people. The chance is pretty high that you are speaking to an European, South American, Indian or Moroccan in the more touristy places in the Canary Islands. People from different countries in the world often work in restaurants, bars and shopping centers in the areas with mass tourism in the Canary islands. Think of places such as Playa del Inglès on Gran Canaria, Puerto del Carmen on Lanzarote, or Playa de las Americas on Tenerife. I haven’t seen many Canary people working in these places.  In general, the real Canary people are honest, and pretty innocent.

This is my personal opinion of course, but in general the local people of the Canary Islands are very real. They are not looking to rip you off. Especially in the smaller places, you sometimes feel like going back in time. And they are more likely to forget to put a drink on your bill than to over charge you.

Latest travel tip for island hopping & backpacking in the Canary Islands: do you need a travel SIM card for affordable internet during your travels?

After all this, I’m going to end this post with travel information about backpacking and island hopping in the Canary Islands. I just wanted to share one last tip here if you are planning to go traveling in the Canary Islands for a longer period of time. There is good internet in most places. However, ff you are looking for internet and for your mobile phone, I can recommend DrimSim (ad). It works as a prepaid card, offering local rates for both internet and calling. You can then also use it in other countries, so you do not pay a fixed monthly amount.

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My experience of living, working and traveling in the Canary Islands

The archipelago of the Canary Islands is the place where I started my travels and journey to work as a diving instructor all over the world, almost 20 years ago. And I have been living here for several years now in 2024. It is also the place where I stopped for my Safety Stop in life. In between I also often returned to the Canary Islands to work here for another season. In between working in the Caribbean, the Maldives, South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

It is a place in the world where I have lifelong friends and where my aunt and uncle live. The islands, the culture and the people have a special place in my heart. I am motivated to help the local population, stimulate sustainable tourism and personally I prefer not to support mass tourism in the Canary islands.

More travel information for the Canary Islands

I´m creating a series of articles about the Canary Islands, just for travelers who are interested in experiencing the real Canary Islands. For people who would also like to travel, backpack or island hop between these islands. Or for scuba divers looking to dive in the Canaries. Maybe you also like to experience the local Canary culture.  I also hope to be able to promote the lesser-known places on the smaller islands by sharing information. I know that the government mainly promotes the larger islands such as Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and I hope to be able to complement the smaller islands such as La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro.

So far, I have written some posts about Corralejo on Fuerteventura, the whistle language on La Gomera, a few more about Gran Canaria and scuba diving there. And I´m in the process of writing a more general post with an overview of travel information of all the Canary islands. Click here for whale & dolphin watching on Gran Canaria!

Click here for an overview of all posts related to the Canary Islands. 

The difference between a holiday and traveling in the Canary Islands

You can go on holiday to the Canary Islands, between the mass tourism, and go on an excursion for a few days. Or you can travel the islands, discover the local culture, meet the locals and see the REAL Canary islands. This article was written with a focus on backpacking and island hopping in the Canary Islands. But even if you only go for one or two weeks, you can still choose between a holiday to relax or a trip that enriches you! Feel free to share in the comments if you have also been to the Canary Islands and what your experience was!

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What’s next on Splashpacker?

Although I´m in South America at the moment, I will try to complete as much travel information about the Canary Islands as I can. Since I´m currently stuck in Lima due to the heavy rainfall in Peru, and so I haven´t seen much of the country yet. In the meantime, you might like to follow me on the Splashpacker Facebook page, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok. Happy Reading! Safe Travels :-)

* As an associate with Booking, Agoda, Get your Guide, and TravelPayouts, I earn from qualifying purchases through those links and the links to DiscoverCars, Kiwi.com, TripAdvisor, Hostelworld, Drimsim, and HolidayTaxis (ads).