After the beautiful, quiet intensity of La Gomera’s hiking trails, I was ready for a change of pace. I was heading back to Tenerife, an island I’ve visited twice before and loved. But this time was different. I was going to explore the South, a part of the island I’d never seen, and I was curious about what I would find. I arrived looking for a new kind of energy, and I definitely found one—just not in the way I expected.
Finding a Musical Home
My new home base was a place called Cactus Coliving in Arona, the ‘sister’ to the coliving I had just left. The house itself was beautiful and had all the comforts I needed to settle in. The busy season was ending, so it was quiet, sometimes a little empty, but it had a soothing kind of magic. The best part was the people who were there; some played guitar or sang, and I absolutely loved hearing soft music drifting through the hallways. It was the perfect, gentle backdrop to start this new chapter of my trip.
A Party of Familiar Faces
A couple of days in, I got an invitation for a pool party at Maraya Coliving, a place I’d stayed twice before and completely adored. They had invited all the other colivings on the island, and it was my first chance to see the community I’d be moving back to. It was this wonderfully warm, social day—a reminder that sometimes the best part of travel isn’t the place, but the people you share it with.
A Perfectly Imperfect Mountain Adventure
My most memorable outing was a trip organized by the coliving up to the mountain village of Vilaflor. The plan was a wine tasting, which was pretty funny because three out of the five of us who went didn’t actually drink wine! We ordered lemonade instead, which for some reason was so terribly sour it was impossible to drink. We all just sat there, laughing at our sour faces, enjoying the absolutely beautiful view over the valley.
Afterward, we wandered through the little village and found a small shop selling ‘dulces’. We went in just to look and came out with six different bags of local sweets to taste! It was one of those perfect, spontaneous travel moments—unplanned, a bit silly, and utterly joyful.
The Reality of a Plastic Paradise
But the fun, social moments were balanced by a much harsher reality. One day, all of us at the coliving joined a beach cleanup day with an organization called Canary Green. We spent hours with a group of other volunteers, combing a beach and gathering trash. There was something so satisfying about working together and seeing the huge piles of garbage bags we had collected.
But that satisfaction was mixed with a heavy dose of sadness. It was depressing to realise just how much trash there was, and to know we were only cleaning one tiny part of one beach in one country in this whole world. It was a stark, physical reminder of the impact we have on these beautiful places.
The Surreal Realization
And yet… while these moments with people were so sweet and genuine, the backdrop of the South started to feel… off. It was my first time truly exploring this part of the island, and I realized how different it is. It’s so incredibly touristy. It’s full of resorts, shopping malls, and restaurants all designed for visitors, and it felt like there was very little space left for actual local life.
The whole vibe was a bit surreal, and honestly, it made me sad. It reminded me of family trips to places like Los Angeles or Las Vegas—landscapes built for consumption. I learned that this is a big problem for the people of Tenerife, and seeing it firsthand was jarring.
This was my big lesson from Tenerife South. I discovered that while I can find wonderful people and create sweet, funny memories anywhere, I don’t feel at home in a place that doesn’t feel like a home to its own people. I learned that I much prefer the mountains and the quieter, more authentic parts of Tenerife. I don’t think I’ll be going back to the South anytime soon, and that’s okay. Because sometimes, the most important part of “making life work for you” is learning what doesn’t, and knowing where your heart truly wants to be.
