Tenerife’s best snorkeling is right off the beach. This 2-hour outing in a marine protected area lets you swim alongside sea turtles and plenty of reef life, with a guided 50-minute session and photos included. It’s family-friendly, and the sheltered bay helps first-timers feel at ease fast.

I love that the tour is built around high-quality full wetsuits plus all the key gear: mask, snorkel, fins, and boots. I also like the small group pace led by Rafaella and Ron, where instructors guide your technique and keep everyone together, even if you are a nervous starter. The vibe is safety-first and playful, not showy.

The main consideration is that turtle sightings are never guaranteed, even though green sea turtles are a real possibility in the area. If you are showing up with turtle expectations, I’d plan to enjoy the whole reef experience too, not just one animal moment.

Key takeaways

• Abades beach start: you skip boats and swim straight into the protected bay
• 50-minute guided snorkeling in calm water with shallow average depth
• Full wetsuits and fitting help: warm, buoyant, and easier for beginners
• Rafaella and Ron’s safety rhythm: patient coaching, often with added support for kids and anxious swimmers
• Photos and videos included: you get digital underwater shots at no extra charge

Why Abades snorkeling feels calmer than most Tenerife trips

The biggest quality-of-life win here is simple: you snorkel from the beach in Abades. That means no boat ride, no choppy ride to the site, and less stress if you are prone to motion sickness. You also get to ease into the water in a sheltered setting, which matters a lot when you are new or traveling with family.

The protected area is chosen for its coastal biodiversity, but also for practical comfort. The bay tends to be calm, and the tour runs at an average depth of about 2.5 meters, with a maximum around 8 meters. In plain terms, you are not doing a deep-water task, you are cruising over reef habitat.

One more detail I appreciate: the guides emphasize respectful wildlife interaction. They keep rules clear, like no feeding marine life and no touching animals, so the whole experience feels ethical instead of like a cheesy animal selfie setup.

Meeting point at Magilu, and what to do before you hit the water

You meet at Magilu, looking for the guide wearing a Snorkel Tenerife Excursions shirt. Arrive about 10 minutes early, and try to come already wearing your swimsuit since the timing moves efficiently once groups form.

Before you go out, you get a safety briefing so you know what to expect in the water and how to interact with marine wildlife. The provider also contacts you the day before to ask for your measurements for the wetsuit, which is a small thing that makes a big difference once you’re in the lineup.

From there, you get kitted up on land with the full set of gear. You’ll be in a full wetsuit for warmth and buoyancy, plus snorkel and mask, fins, and boots, so you are not left improvising.

If you have a health condition or motion sickness risk, plan ahead. The tour advises people with motion sickness to use medication, and it asks you to inform them about pre-existing medical conditions prior to the tour.

Gear that actually helps: full wetsuits, boots, and fin fit

This is one of those tours where the equipment choice shows up in your comfort immediately. A full wetsuit keeps you warmer in water listed at about 19 to 23°C for March to September, and buoyancy can make snorkeling feel easier for beginners. Add boots and fins, and your footing and propulsion feel more stable.

A few rules help you avoid common snorkel mistakes. The tour does not allow the use of a full face mask, so bring your setup accordingly if you normally snorkel with one. And while you don’t need your own gear, you can bring a camera only if you have previous snorkel experience, since the tour wants you focused on safe technique first.

I also like that they build in extra assistance for small children, non-strong swimmers, and seniors. That doesn’t mean the tour is slow or watered down. It means the guides pay attention to the real-life differences between people in the water, like confidence level and comfort with breathing through a snorkel.

The 50-minute snorkel: how the session is shaped for beginners

Once you’re suited up, you head from the beach into the protected bay. The heart of the experience is a 50-minute guided snorkeling tour, designed to keep you moving at a pace where you can actually watch what’s around you.

Depth matters here because the average is shallow and the maximum is limited. In practice, that usually means you spend more time observing the reef and less time fighting buoyancy or worrying about where the bottom is. The sheltered bay also reduces the fear factor for people who imagine open-water swells.

The guides run the session like a group lesson. You get coached on technique and then guided to areas where you have a better shot at seeing marine life. In a lot of sessions, the best viewing happens near rocky reef formations and hidden coves, where fish and other creatures use the structure for shelter.

And yes, turtles are part of the story. The tour describes sea grass around the reefs as habitat where green sea turtles feed and swim by. But the guides explicitly say turtle sightings can’t be guaranteed, since turtles are free-ranging in their natural environment.

The marine protected area: fish, reefs, turtles, and what to look for

This outing is centered on Tenerife’s marine protected areas along the southeast coast. The goal is not just to see a single animal. It’s to recognize the underwater neighborhood, the reef shapes, and the way fish behave when they feel safe.

Here’s what the experience is built around:

• Rocky reef formations and sheltered coves, which create hiding spots and feeding zones
• Clear water conditions that support good visibility for colorful fish
• Sea grass nearby, which is tied to turtle habitat

In the water, you are looking for steady movement rather than constant thrills. Fish often hover near reef structure, then shift when you move. That is when patient observation pays off, since creatures don’t always pop into view on command.

Some past participants have reported seeing a mix of marine life types such as colorful reef fish and larger animals like rays and an angel shark. Others mention octopus, seahorses, and stingray behavior like burying under sand. You should not expect all of that on every day, but you can go in knowing the area supports more than just common reef fish.

If you do spot a sea turtle, remember the rule that matters most: keep a respectful distance. The guides follow protocols designed to avoid stress to turtles, and that respectful approach is what keeps the ecosystem interaction worthwhile.

Rafaella and Ron: patient coaching, organization, and calm energy

A lot of snorkeling tours are either too rushed for beginners or too casual to feel safe. This one seems to land in the sweet spot, largely because the guidance is consistent. Rafaella and Ron are repeatedly credited for being organized, friendly, and attentive to the group.

What stands out is how they manage different comfort levels without making anyone feel left behind. Many people describe initial nerves, then note that after a bit of coaching and reassurance, they felt confident enough to complete the whole experience.

Two practical things you’ll appreciate once you’re there:

• They focus on technique so you can breathe, move, and look around without panicking
• They keep the group together, which matters more than people think when you’re underwater and your sense of direction gets weird

They also work in multiple languages, so instructions stay clear even if your Spanish is rusty. The tour lists guides speaking Spanish, English, Italian, Swedish, Dutch, and German.

Photos and videos included, and why that changes the value math

You might spend a chunk of your trip budget just trying to capture underwater memories elsewhere. Here, photos and videos are part of the deal. An underwater photographer takes shots during the excursion using GoPro equipment, and the provider sends digital files to you for free.

This included photo and video element matters because snorkeling is one of those activities where you rarely get good shots if you’re juggling breathing and camera handling. Since the tour includes underwater content, you can focus on watching marine life and staying relaxed, then get a souvenir afterward.

The setup also helps families. Kids and first-timers are often busy doing the basics, so having someone else handle the recording can turn a nervous morning into a calm memory. Just note that the tour may still be subject to conditions like wind, which can affect visibility or where you go in the bay.

Weather, wind, and water temperature: plan like the sea has opinions

Snorkeling depends on conditions. The provider notes the tour might change or cancel due to poor weather, strong wind, or adverse sea conditions. That is not a dealbreaker, it is just the ocean being the ocean, so I’d build flexibility into your Tenerife schedule.

Water temperature runs about 19 to 23°C for March through September. That’s why the full wetsuit setup matters. If you run cold easily, you’ll be happy you don’t have to guess what wetsuit thickness to bring.

One more comfort detail: the bay’s sheltered nature helps on choppier-sounding days. Still, if wind is strong, snorkeling can feel different, and the guides will decide whether the plan stays the same or needs adjustment.

Who should book this snorkeling tour in Tenerife, and who should not

This is designed as a family-friendly snorkeling option. It’s for all ages, and the description says you don’t need to be a good swimmer or have previous snorkeling experience. The protected bay with calm waters is a big part of why.

It also includes extra assistance for:

• Small children
• Non-strong swimmers
• Seniors

That said, there are clear boundaries. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, wheelchair users, non-swimmers, people over 309 lbs (140 kg), and people under 66 lbs (30 kg). So if you are on the edge physically, it’s worth checking with the provider before you go.

If you have fear about being in water, this tour may still work well because the guides coach step-by-step and keep you supported. If you have medical conditions, tell them in advance, since you might need extra planning.

Price and value: is $45 fair for what you get

At $45 per person for about 2 hours, this tour prices itself as accessible, not premium-costly. The value comes from what is included, not just the price tag.

You get:

• High-quality gear (mask, snorkel, fins, boots, full wetsuit)
• A guided 50-minute snorkeling session
• Multilingual instruction
• Water and insurance
• Free underwater photos and videos

For beginners, the included wetsuit and fitting help can be worth a lot because it removes the hassle of renting and testing gear on your own schedule. For families, the included digital souvenirs are a nice bonus, since underwater photos can easily cost extra with other operators.

The main cost you should think about is what is not included: food, plus hotel pickup and drop-off. So plan to eat before or after, and be ready to get yourself to the beach meeting point in Abades.

Should you book this snorkeling tour in Abades

I think you should book this tour if you want an easy on-ramp to Tenerife snorkeling, especially with kids or mixed experience levels. The combination of a protected bay, shallow-water focus, and patient coaching from Rafaella and Ron is a strong match for first-timers and people who need reassurance.

Skip it if you are truly a non-swimmer, or if your body can’t handle basic water movement even with assistance. And if your whole vacation plan hinges on guaranteed turtle sightings, recalibrate your expectations. Green sea turtles are possible, but the guides are clear that sightings depend on where the turtles are that day.

If you want a respectful, well-run reef experience with real underwater life and free photo memories, this is a good bet for your Tenerife itinerary.