Whale watching in Tenerife in May: the pilot whales are here as in every month, and operators report sightings on about 99 % of trips.
The sea averages 20.4 °C, the air 23.9 °C by day, with 13.6 hours of daylight and almost no rain in the month; the first boats leave at 09:00, sunrise is at 07:15. May has long days, almost no rain and the last of the spring visitors before the summer trade winds build.
Trade winds building; calima at its least severe; long, bright days.
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 May the sun rises at 07:15 and sets at 20:50, so even the last 17:00 slot returns in full daylight. The sunset catamaran with pickup leaves at 17:00.
May has 2 public holidays 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
May in the south of Tenerife averages 23.9 °C by day and 17.0 °C at night, with the sea at 20.4 °C. It has almost no rain, 246 hours of sunshine and 13.6 hours of daylight a day. That makes it the fourth sunniest month of the twelve, the eighth warmest at sea and the seventh warmest on land.
Against its neighbours, the sea is 0.8 °C warmer than in April and 1.1 °C warmer in June; the days are 0.7 hours longer than in April. 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 May, from our notes on the month: trade winds building; calima at its least severe; long, bright days. Most days are fine for every boat; on a windy day the morning departures are calmer than the afternoon ones.
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 May 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. Seasonal visitors possible in May: Atlantic spotted dolphins (common in season) and Bryde’s whales (rare). 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 07:15 and sets at about 20:50 in mid-May. The earliest departure on any listing is 09:00, well after sunrise. On the departure times we checked, ten 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 May: 1 May 2027 · Labour Day and 30 May 2027 · Canary Islands Day. Most boats have space most days; the small sailboats with ten or twelve seats are the first to fill.
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 20.4 °C the swim is brisk; many people take a short dip or skip it, so a trip without a swim stop loses little this month.
With a calm sea every boat type works; this is the month to take the small sailboat or the fast boat you might avoid in July or August. The full list sorts all boats by price, rating or time to deep water.
Pack layers: the run out at speed feels much cooler than the harbour, so bring a warm top and a windproof jacket as well as sunscreen and sunglasses. With the sea at 20.4 °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 May a good month for whale watching? For the whales, yes — as good as any. It is best for long bright days. There is no reason to avoid it. If the dates are flexible, compare it with April and June, or see all twelve on the season page.
Yes. Short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are resident, so May is as good for seeing them as any month; operators report sightings on about 99 % of trips. May has long days, almost no rain and the last of the spring visitors before the summer trade winds build.
About 20.4 °C on average, with air at 23.9 °C by day and 17.0 °C at night. Refreshing for the swim stop — many people swim briefly or skip it.
Layers: a warm top and a windproof jacket for the run out, sunscreen and a hat; swimwear if you plan to swim.
May has 2 public holidays 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 07:15 and sunset about 20:50 (mid-month, Los Cristianos), 13.6 hours of daylight. The first boats leave at 09:00.
The whales are the same; the sea is 20.4 °C in May and 21.5 °C in June, with 13.6 and 14.0 hours of daylight. See the June page for its numbers.