Santa Cruz de Tenerife: Las Teresitas Stand Up Paddle Course

Las Teresitas gives this beginner paddleboard course a fine setting: clear, sheltered water, pale sand, and the Anaga Mountains rising behind the beach. You get a short lesson, then plenty of time to practice without being pushed into rough surf.

I like the small group of up to 10 and the easygoing format. I also like the useful balance of instruction and freedom: 20 minutes with a teacher, followed by about an hour to paddle at your own speed. The main catch is simple: you must be able to swim, and you arrange your own way to the beach.

Key points

• Calm water for first-timers: Las Teresitas is protected from waves and currents, making balance practice less stressful.
• A beautiful setting: Paddle beneath the Anaga Mountains, a Biosphere Reserve, with views across a 1.5-kilometer beach.
• Short lesson, long practice period: The instructor teaches you how to use the board for about 20 minutes, then you have roughly an hour on your own.
• Small groups help: A maximum of 10 people makes it easier to hear the instructions and ask for help.
• Several language options: Instruction is available in English, German, and Spanish.
• Good value at $21: The price includes the paddleboard and instruction, but not transport, food, drinks, swimwear, or a towel.

Why Las Teresitas works so well for beginners

Las Teresitas is a 1.5-kilometer white-sand beach near Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Its sheltered position keeps the water calmer than many open coastal spots, which matters when you are trying to stand on a narrow board for the first time.

A rough sea can turn a simple lesson into a wrestling match with the board. Here, protection from waves and currents gives you a fair chance to learn the basic movements: getting onto the board, finding your balance, holding the paddle, and steering.

I like that the setting does not feel cut off from Tenerife. You are close to Santa Cruz, yet the beach sits below the Anaga Mountains and near San Andres, a fishing town known as one of the island’s attractive coastal communities. The view gives the activity a sense of place rather than making it feel like a generic water-sports session.

The clear water also helps. You can see the water around the board, which makes the first few minutes less intimidating. Still, calm does not mean risk-free. You need to be a swimmer, and you should expect to get wet.

The first 20 minutes: learning the board

The session begins with an instructor explaining how to use the paddleboard. This opening lesson lasts about 20 minutes, so the teaching is focused rather than lengthy.

You can expect the instructor to cover the practical basics needed for a first attempt. The supplied details do not give a minute-by-minute lesson plan, so do not expect a long technical course. The goal is to get you safely started and ready to practice.

The instructor is available in English, German, or Spanish. One instructor praised in the activity feedback is referred to as Caaho, with another spelling appearing as Cao. The descriptions consistently point to a friendly, patient teaching style, especially for people who had never tried paddleboarding.

That patience matters more than fancy technique at this stage. Most beginners need a calm explanation, a chance to try, and a little correction when the board wobbles. If you are nervous, tell the instructor at the start. The small group limit of 10 should make it easier to get individual help than on a large beach outing.

The lesson is also useful for couples or mixed-ability groups. A first-time participant can learn the basics while a more confident companion gets ready to move farther along the beach. One couple found that the activity worked well even when one person had never paddleboarded before.

About an hour to practice on your own

After the lesson, you have about one hour to enjoy the board independently. This is the strongest part of the format for many beginners. You are not rushed through a short guided route just as you begin to feel comfortable.

You can use the time to repeat the basics, paddle along the beach, or simply stay near the starting area while you build confidence. One useful detail from the activity feedback is that the calm conditions allowed participants to paddle along much of the beach line, with few people around at that time.

That freedom comes with a tradeoff. The instructor is listed as being present at the beginning, not as a guide who leads the entire hour. If you want constant coaching, a fully guided paddle tour may suit you better. If you prefer to practice without a group keeping pace, this arrangement is more appealing.

I would treat the free-paddle hour as practice time rather than a sightseeing cruise. You might pause to enjoy the mountain view, but the main purpose is learning how your body, paddle, and board work together.

Stand-up paddleboarding uses your whole body, especially as you steady yourself and change direction. The activity can feel active without being frantic. Once you stop worrying about every wobble, the steady rhythm of paddling can be pleasantly restful.

The Anaga Mountains and San Andres backdrop

The Anaga Mountains provide the visual highlight. This area is a Biosphere Reserve, and the mountains give the beach a dramatic setting without requiring a long hike or a demanding excursion.

You will see the mountains from the water, with Las Teresitas stretching along the shore. The view is most useful when you want a break from concentrating on balance. You can stop, look back toward the beach, and take in the contrast between white sand, clear water, and dark mountain slopes.

The nearby town of San Andres adds local character. The course takes place at the beach, not on a town tour, so do not expect a guided visit through the fishing community. Still, its proximity helps explain why this is more than a resort pool setting. You are practicing a water sport beside an established coastal town, under one of Tenerife’s best-known natural areas.

The scenery is a good reason to accept the lack of hotel pickup. You need to make your own way to Las Teresitas, but once there, the beach setting is part of the reward. The supplied information does not list a transfer service, so check your route before booking.

Is $21 a fair price?

At $21 per person, this is an inexpensive way to try paddleboarding in Tenerife. The fee covers the paddleboard and the initial instructor-led lesson. You then get around an hour on the water, which gives the price solid value for a short activity.

It is especially good value if you have never paddleboarded and want to test the sport before paying for a longer course. You receive enough instruction to get moving, but you are not paying for a full-day program you may not need.

The price does not include pickup, drop-off, food, or drinks. Swimwear and a towel are also your responsibility. These exclusions are ordinary for a beach activity, but they affect the real cost if you need transport or plan to spend extra time at Las Teresitas.

I would compare the price with your day’s plans. If you are already visiting Santa Cruz or the beach, $21 is an easy add-on. If reaching the beach requires a costly or complicated transfer, the activity may be less of a bargain. Since no pickup is included, this is best for people who can arrange transport without much trouble.

What the small-group format changes

A maximum of 10 participants is a useful middle ground. You get the social feel of a shared activity without being placed in a large crowd on the beach.

A small group also helps during the first 20 minutes. You should be able to hear the instructor and watch the demonstrations clearly. If several people are struggling at once, the instructor still has more room to help than in a large class.

The tradeoff is that the course is not private. You will share the instruction and the practice area with other participants. The hour on the water is independent, so people in the group may spread out at different speeds.

The language choice is another practical strength. English, German, and Spanish are available. If you are booking with family or friends who have different language needs, confirm the preferred language when arranging the activity.

What to bring and what not to expect

Bring swimwear and a towel. You should expect contact with the water, even if your goal is to remain standing. A towel becomes useful immediately afterward, especially if you want to continue enjoying the beach.

Food and drinks are not included, so plan those separately. The activity details do not specify that refreshments are supplied at the meeting point, and you should not count on them being part of the session.

Meet at Teresitas Paddle Board, Anaga Experience, on Las Teresitas Beach. Pickup and drop-off are not included, so leave enough time to reach the beach and find the meeting point before your start time.

This course is not suitable for non-swimmers. That is the clearest eligibility rule and should be taken seriously. A sheltered beach can reduce waves and currents, but it does not remove the need for basic swimming ability.

Who will enjoy this course most?

I would recommend it first to paddleboarding beginners who want a gentle introduction. The calm water, short lesson, and long practice period give you room to learn without committing to a demanding outing.

It also suits couples, friends, and families with swimming ability who want a relaxed outdoor activity near Santa Cruz. The low price makes it easy to add to a Tenerife holiday without giving up half a day.

Confident paddleboarders may find the instruction too basic. The course is designed around learning, not advanced technique, waves, speed, or a long guided route. One participant described looking forward to trying waves next time, which neatly captures the level: this is a calm-water starting point.

You should also think about how much supervision you want. If you want an instructor beside you for every minute, choose a different format. If you like learning the basics and then practicing independently, the structure works well.

A practical choice for a beach day

Las Teresitas is more than a launch point. Its broad white-sand shore, clear water, and mountain setting make it a pleasant place to spend time before or after the 80-minute session.

The activity itself is compact. About 20 minutes go to instruction, with roughly an hour for independent paddleboarding. That makes it easy to fit into a larger day, though you should allow extra time for getting to and from the beach because no transfer is included.

The high satisfaction score of 4.6 from 44 ratings matches the experience’s main strengths: a beautiful beach, friendly instruction, easy first steps, and calm conditions. The most repeated praise centers on the location and the instructor’s patient explanations. Those are the parts I would weigh most heavily when deciding.

Should you book Las Teresitas paddleboarding?

Book it if you can swim, want to try stand-up paddleboarding for the first time, and like the idea of learning in calm water beneath the Anaga Mountains. At $21, the combination of equipment, instruction, and about an hour of practice is strong value.

Skip it if you want a challenging sea session, a fully guided paddle, hotel pickup, or advanced coaching. For everyone else, this is a practical, low-cost way to get on the water near Santa Cruz, with enough free time to turn a first attempt into a real skill.

FAQ

Where does the stand-up paddle course take place?

The activity takes place at Las Teresitas Beach, at the Teresitas Paddle Board, Anaga Experience meeting point.

How long does the activity last?

The total duration is 80 minutes. This includes about 20 minutes of instruction and roughly one hour of independent paddleboarding.

How much does the course cost?

The listed price is $21 per person.

Is the water suitable for beginners?

Yes. Las Teresitas is protected from waves and currents, creating calmer conditions for people learning to paddleboard.

Do I need to know how to swim?

Yes. The activity is not suitable for non-swimmers.

What is included in the price?

The price includes the paddleboard and an instructor at the beginning of the activity.

Is transportation included?

No. Pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to arrange your own way to Las Teresitas Beach.

What should I bring?

Bring swimwear and a towel. Food and drinks are not included.