Whale watching in Tenerife in August: the pilot whales are here as in every month, and operators report sightings on about 99 % of trips.
The sea averages 23.1 °C, the air 28.4 °C by day, with 13.2 hours of daylight and almost no rain in the month; the first boats leave at 09:00, sunrise is at 07:35. August is the busiest and windiest month: book ahead and choose a morning boat or an eco-yacht.
The windiest month with July and the hottest air; summer calima stays mostly at altitude.
Each row under the bar is one boat, in its colour; the pills are that boat's departure times on the same clock as the daylight band. The eco-yacht runs departures from 09:00 to 17:00 and the Los Gigantes sailboat leaves at 09:45 or 13:00. In August the sun rises at 07:35 and sets at 20:47, so even the last 17:00 slot returns in full daylight. The sunset catamaran with pickup leaves at 17:00.
August has 1 public holiday on the Canary calendar. Boats fill up around holidays and weekends; book a few days ahead and use the free cancellation if plans change.
Best boat for most people
Ninety minutes, cheapest proven
Evening catamaran with pickup
August in the south of Tenerife averages 28.4 °C by day and 21.1 °C at night, with the sea at 23.1 °C. It has almost no rain, 277 hours of sunshine and 13.2 hours of daylight a day. That makes it the second sunniest month of the twelve, the third warmest at sea and the warmest on land.
Against its neighbours, the sea is 0.9 °C warmer than in July and 0.7 °C warmer in September; the days are 0.6 hours shorter than in July. The figures are long-term averages (AEMET normals and a ten-year sea-temperature average), so any single week can differ.
What the sea does in August, from our notes on the month: the windiest month with July and the hottest air; summer calima stays mostly at altitude. On the water that means a lively afternoon: take a morning departure, or a boat that rides steadily — the eco-yachts and the big catamarans roll least.
Trips are cancelled by the operator when the sea is unsafe, and the partner site refunds a cancelled trip in full. Cancellations for weather are rare in this month, but the free cancellation up to 24 hours before covers you if the forecast turns. Calima — dust haze from the Sahara — shows up on about 24 days a year by the weather service’s count; it softens the light but does not stop the boats.
The residents are here in August as in every month: short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. Operators report pilot whales on about 99 % of trips (operator data), and bottlenose dolphins on many of them. No seasonal visitor peaks in August; the spotted dolphins and Bryde’s whales come in spring. Now and then a boat also meets striped dolphins and Risso’s dolphins — rare enough that no trip can promise them.
About 362 pilot whales live along this coast, in a protected area of 69,490 hectares; that is why the same animals can be found in any month. Every licensed boat keeps 60 m from them and stays no longer than 30 minutes with a group (the rules); the dolphin and whale guide has the species one by one.
The sun rises at about 07:35 and sets at about 20:47 in mid-August. The earliest departure on any listing is 09:00, well after sunrise. On the departure times we checked, six trips would come back in the last hour before sunset — the softest light of the day, and six trips would return after dark.
Long days leave room for any departure; the evening light is best on the last boats of the day and on the sunset trips. Departure times on the partner calendar can change with the season; the times above come from the options we checked, not from a timetable.
The calendar for August: 16 Aug 2027 · Assumption (moved) and School summer holidays in Spain and most of Europe. Boats fill up in these weeks, especially the small sailboats and the trips with lunch; book a few days ahead, as every trip on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before.
If you want a small boat on a busy day, the best-rated small groups are Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sailboat (up to 10, ★ 4.9 from 2,265 reviews).
Our picks for the month are Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sailboat (€75, ★ 4.9 from 2,265 reviews), Travelin' Lady: Eco Yacht Whale & Dolphin Safari + Swim (€29.90, ★ 4.7 from 19,265 reviews) and Sunset Catamaran Tour with Transfer, Buffet & Drinks (€64, ★ 4.7 from 946 reviews). At 23.1 °C the sea is warm enough for a proper swim, so a trip with a swim stop earns its extra hour; the cheapest proven one is Whale & Dolphin-Watching Cruise with Swim at €26.40.
In a windy month the steadiest boats are the eco-yacht from Los Cristianos and the big catamarans from Puerto Colón; the sailboats and speedboats are more fun on a calm day. The full list sorts all boats by price, rating or time to deep water.
Pack light: swimwear under your clothes, a sun hat, high-factor sunscreen and sunglasses; the deck has little shade on the small boats. With the sea at 23.1 °C, a towel and a change of clothes are worth carrying even if you do not plan to swim — spray reaches every deck. Bring the booking on your phone; the ticket carries the meeting point and the operator’s number.
Is August a good month for whale watching? For the whales, yes — as good as any. It is best for long evenings. Think twice if you get seasick — the windiest month. If the dates are flexible, compare it with July and September, or see all twelve on the season page.
Yes. Short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are resident, so August is as good for seeing them as any month; operators report sightings on about 99 % of trips. August is the busiest and windiest month: book ahead and choose a morning boat or an eco-yacht.
About 23.1 °C on average, with air at 28.4 °C by day and 21.1 °C at night. Warm enough for the swim stop without a wetsuit for most people.
Swimwear under light clothes, a hat, sunscreen and a thin windproof layer for the run out.
August has 1 public holiday on the Canary calendar. Boats fill up around holidays and weekends; book a few days ahead and use the free cancellation if plans change.
Sunrise about 07:35 and sunset about 20:47 (mid-month, Los Cristianos), 13.2 hours of daylight. The first boats leave at 09:00.
The whales are the same; the sea is 23.1 °C in August and 23.8 °C in September, with 13.2 and 12.4 hours of daylight. See the September page for its numbers.