Cueva Bonita

Useful Information

Location:	Tijarafe, west coast. Near Prois de Candelaria. From Tijarafe center, follow paved road to the north down to a banana plantation, park car. Good trail down to Pirates Bay and the cave. Boat trips from Puerto de Tazacorte.
Open:	no restrictions
Fee:	free
Classification:	sea cave
Light:	n/a.
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Cueva Bonita is a huge sea cave, which is so beautiful, that it is popular among tourists and locals. A sort of drawback is the walk to the cave, or better back from the cave, as the cave is located at sea level, and the next village called Tijarafe at 650 m asl. The west coast is sunny in the afternoon, and there is no shadow on the trail. The alternative is to visit the cave by boat from Puerto de Tazacorte.

This sea cave is exceptional, as it has two entrances. It is said, that the natives used it to escape from pirates. According to local lore during the 16th and 17th century Moorish, French, and English pirate vessels visited the Canary islands. Punta del Moro (the Moor's headland) was used by Arab slave trades, where they chased and boarded the small fishing boats of the natives. The locals escaped by swimming into Cueva Bonita through one of its mouths and by getting away through the other.

The huge cavern is up to 10 m high, and at the far end is an 84 m long stony beach. The only way to get in is by boat or by swimming from the nearby Pirate Bay. If you swimm, be carefull, high waves are dangerous, and the volcanic rocks are really hard.

You should definitely visit the cave in the afternoon, when the sunlight shines into the cave. The whole cave is lit by the reflections and the blue shimmer from the water. But the best time is said to be sunset, when the cave fills with the reddish light preceeding dusk.