La Palma Travel Guide

La Palma is a mountainous island that offers excellent trails for all hiking enthusiasts, lush forests, colonial towns, and a more authentic atmosphere than other more popular Canary Islands. 

As if that weren’t enough, thanks to its geographical location, its terrain and regulations to limit light pollution as much as possible, the island is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. The only negative note is perhaps the beaches, not exactly the most beautiful in the archipelago.

I visited La Palma over the course of a two-month trip during which I explored all the major islands of the archipelago except El Hierro. Whether it’s a backpacking adventure, a road trip or an all-inclusive vacation, you’ll find plenty of useful tips and insights in this guide to help you plan your trip as best you can.

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Sunrise at Roque de los Muchachos.

When to visit La Palma

La Palma, like the rest of the Canary Islands, enjoys a good climate throughout the year and can therefore be appreciated in all seasons.

La Palma in spring

During the spring months, temperatures can reach 22-23 degrees Celsius, and even a few degrees more toward the end of May. In May, in fact, rainfall, which can occasionally occur in March and April, is practically absent, which makes this month particularly ideal for anyone who wants to avoid the crowds and the prices that come with the summer high season. Keep in mind that at altitude (the island’s highest point reaches 2426 meters), minimum temperatures can be just a few degrees above zero, especially in early spring.

La Palma in summer

In La Palma and the Canary Islands in general June, July and August are considered high season. The weather is excellent and rainfall is absent. Toward the end of July the ocean water also begins to warm up. Of course, this is also the busiest and most expensive time of the year. 

La Palma in autumn

September is a great month to visit the island: the weather is good and, especially in the second half of the month, you avoid the summer crowds. In October and especially November, the chance of rain increases and temperatures start to drop, but all in all it’s still a pleasant time to visit the island.

La Palma in winter

Even in the middle of winter – December, January and February – La Palma can definitely be an interesting destination, but keep in mind that December is when rainfall peaks, and it then gradually decreases until May.

Despite this, rainfall remains relatively low, and unless you’re particularly unlucky, you should still be able to fully enjoy your stay. However, keep in mind that at altitude it can get really cold: you might even find snow, and access to some roads and trails might be closed. In January 1990, the summit of Roque de los Muchachos hit a record low of -8 degrees Celsius!

Santa Cruz de La Palma seen from the Mirador de la Concepción.

Documents and vaccinations for going to La Palma

The Canary Islands are, for all intents and purposes, part of Spain, and therefore, as for any other country in the European Union, if you’re an EU citizen you don’t need a visa or a passport: a valid ID card is all you need to visit the island. If you’re not an EU citizen, on the other hand, the Schengen Area visa policy applies.

What to do and see in La Palma

For convenience, the places of interest are listed counterclockwise starting from Santa Cruz, which is how I personally decided to visit the island. Of course, nobody’s stopping you from following a different order, but I think visiting the places in the order described is the best way to optimize your travel time. If you’re interested, here you can find the video of my trip (in Italian, but you can turn on the subtitles).

N.b. Several times throughout the guide you’ll find links to https://www.alltrails.com/. If you want to use offline navigation directly from the AllTrails app, you need to upgrade to the pro version. However, you can get around this by downloading the coordinates from the desktop version of the site in “Google Earth KML” format and then uploading them to Organic Maps, which is by far one of my favorite travel apps.

Santa Cruz de La Palma

Considering that both the airport and the port are here, every trip to La Palma has a mandatory stop in Santa Cruz, the island’s capital, and that’s lucky, because in my opinion it’s the most beautiful city in the entire archipelago. The colonial-style old town is really well preserved, and when you walk through its streets it feels like going back in time.

Plaza de España and the Balcones de la Avenida Marítima are probably the two most iconic places to visit and photograph. Anyway, the city is really compact. In a couple of hours you can easily get around the center. Walking along the main street Calle O’Daly, and the adjacent side streets, is a treat for the eyes.

Through the streets of Santa Cruz.

The city beach (Playa de Santa Cruz de La Palma) isn’t that bad, but above all it’s conveniently located just a stone’s throw from the center. If you’re willing to travel a bit and you’re looking for some adventure, Playa de Nogales, north of the city, is reached at the end of a short trail and is much more secluded.

Particularly popular with surfers, it’s not exactly suitable for swimming, but it’s still a really nice beach, while Playa los Cancajos to the south is another popular beach, much less remote, with a few restaurants, lifeguards and umbrellas.

Finally, don’t miss the Mirador de la Concepción: this viewpoint overlooks the city from above and offers breathtaking views. In my opinion it’s particularly striking in the evening, when the city comes alive, or alternatively I think it’s a great spot to watch the sunrise. If you don’t have a car, you can also reach it by bus: lines 302 and 303 pass really close to it (use the public transportation feature of Google Maps).

Balcones de la Avenida Marítima.

How to reach Santa Cruz de La Palma?

The airport is connected to the city center by bus line 500: departures are frequent, the stop is right in front of the exit, and the ride costs 2.40€. The island has daily ferry connections with La Gomera and Tenerife. If you travel light, you can choose to walk from the port to the city center.

Where to sleep in Santa Cruz de La Palma?

Pension La Cubana: a great budget option right in the center, inside a historic building. There’s also a small kitchenette where you can cook a few meals. Right in the center, another cheap option is Hostelit. If you’re willing to spend a little more, check out El Hotelito 27.

Playa los Cancajos.

El Cubo de la Galga

This pleasant hike takes you inside a barranco, a sort of gorge that forms along the slopes of a volcanic cone and traps moisture, creating small ecosystems where the so-called laurisilva (laurel) forest grows lush and bright green dominates. A truly surreal landscape, especially compared to other parts of the island.

Along the trails of El Cubo de la Galga.

The route I followed is the one described on this page, where you can download the GPS coordinates. It’s about 8.5km and 2-3 hours of walking. If you don’t feel like walking that much, I still recommend doing a few kilometers and then turning back without completing the circuit that leads to the Mirador de Somada Alta. Looking at the map, it should be clear what I mean; this way you save a few kilometers and some elevation gain. You park the car at this point, where there’s also a small information center.

Mirador de Somada Alta.

San Andrés

The small village of San Andrés is one of the most charming on the entire island. You can get around it in no more than half an hour, but I think it’s still worth stopping to admire the village square, surrounded by colorful historic buildings and a couple of bars and restaurants where you can sit and take in the beauty of this small old town.

The little square of San Andrés.

Los Tilos

Continuing north, you come to what is perhaps the most popular hike on the entire island. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to do it, because the access road to the barranco was closed for roadwork during my visit. In any case, scenery-wise, the hike should be very similar to the Cubo de La Galga one, since here too the trail runs through the laurisilva forest. There are longer and shorter trails, but the “classic” is the one described on this page. It’s just over 5km in total, so it can be completed in about an hour and a half. If you want, there’s also this version with more than 20 km and over 1300 meters of elevation gain… not exactly a walk in the park!

It was right here in Los Tilos, given its almost fairy-tale atmosphere, that some scenes of the TV series The Witcher were filmed. You can park your car at the end of the road at this spot, and if you really don’t feel like walking, you can simply go to the nearby Cascada De Los Tilos.

Typical vegetation of a barranco.

Lp-109 road and natural pools of La Fajana

Between Los Tilos and the western side of the island, don’t miss the Piscinas naturales de La Fajana and especially the Lp-109. The latter is a really scenic mountain road that makes its way through the forest while also passing through a few tunnels carved into the rock. In some stretches there’s only room for one car, but there isn’t much traffic and all in all I think it’s a nice experience. There are also a couple of really nice viewpoints: Mirador de las Mimbreras and Mirador de Los Poleos.

One of the tunnels along the road.

Santo Domingo de Garafía

Again, somewhat like San Andrés, this is a really small town that you can get around in no more than half an hour. Probably not as pretty, but if you’re not in a hurry I think it’s an interesting place to stop for a bite to eat or just stretch your legs before continuing on to Roque de los Muchachos or down the west coast. If you decide to visit Santo Domingo, I’d also recommend going down to the Mirador Roque de Santo Domingo where you have beautiful views of the coast and the rocky islets that characterize it. 

Mirador Roque de Santo Domingo.

Roque de Los Muchachos

This is definitely one of the best attractions the island has to offer. Roque de los Muchachos, at 2426 meters, is not only the highest point on the island, with fantastic views of both the gigantic caldera and the ocean and the other islands of the archipelago, but just below the summit it’s also home to one of the most important astronomical observatories in the world. In fact, there are numerous telescopes run by nations from all over the world that create a surreal atmosphere; it almost feels like being on another planet.

Some of the astronomical observatories.

What to do and see in Roque de Los Muchachos 

Once you get to the parking lot at the top, I recommend walking to the viewpoint, where you get fantastic views with minimal effort. Keep in mind that further down, from 20:00 to 7:00, the barrier at the entrance of the road leading to the top of Roque de Los Muchachos (this point) is closed, so plan accordingly. Other than that, there’s nothing else to do at the top except enjoy the view.

Visiting an astronomical observatory 

Unfortunately, I visited La Palma during the pandemic and tours inside the facilities were suspended, but the situation should be better now. On this page you’ll find all the relevant information and, if you’re interested, you can book your guided tour. It’s recommended to book well in advance.

The symbol flower of the Canary Islands near Roque de Los Muchachos.

Stargazing

La Palma is a “Starlight Reserve”, meaning a place with regulations in force that limit light pollution as much as possible, such as extremely dim, reddish street lighting. On top of that, the low humidity and the altitude make the place ideal not only for the observatories but also for the human eye. In short, spending the night, or at least a couple of hours, admiring the stars around Roque de Los Muchachos can truly be a unique experience. Personally, I spent the night in my car by the side of the road at this spot, but if you’re not willing to sleep in your car, you can always wake up early in the morning or wait for night to fall before heading down. The only thing to keep in mind is the moon phase: ideally, the best nights are new-moon nights, when it’s pitch dark and the starlight isn’t drowned out by the moonlight.

For the more adventurous, I met two German guys who spent the night inside the Cueva del Morro de Las Cebollas. A really cool experience and, above all, a sheltered spot, since at over 2400 meters it can get really cold. Keep in mind, though, that technically it’s illegal! Anyway, I’ll cover this topic in detail later in the guide.

The Milky Way seen from Roque de Los Muchachos.

Cresteria de la Caldera

This is a scenic trail that runs all along the ridge of the caldera. You can start walking from the parking lot of Roque de Los Muchachos or alternatively from one of the points where the trail almost intersects with the road (LP-4) like here and here.

Many people, myself included, decide to hike up to Pico de La Nieve (but you can also go further if you want): starting from the parking lot at the top of Roque de Los Muchachos, it’s about 20 km in total, you go and come back on the same trail, 4:30-6 hours depending on your pace. The trail is really easy to follow and, despite the distance, relatively easy, since there are no big elevation changes; in fact, it’s mostly flat. Anyway, you can find the GPS coordinates on this page. The nice thing about this trail is that, as mentioned, you can decide to start walking from one of the points linked above, cutting the distance considerably, or simply decide to turn back before reaching Pico de La Nieve.

Along the Cresteria de la Caldera.

Even if you opt for a shorter version of the route, in all honesty you’re not missing anything, as the view doesn’t change much. In any case, I recommend avoiding the middle of the day, especially in summer: there isn’t a scrap of shade and it can get really hot. Also keep in mind that if you decide to start walking from the parking lot at the top of Roque de Los Muchachos, you absolutely must be back by 20:00, because from 20:00 to 7:00 the barrier at the entrance of the road leading to the top of Roque de Los Muchachos (this point) is closed! 

The trail continuing along the caldera, seen from Pico de la Nieve.

Las Tricias

A really nice and not too long trail starts from the small village of Las Tricias. It’s actually just over 4 km in total, about an hour and a half. Right where the trail starts, at this point along the road, there’s room for a couple of cars, otherwise park in the village and walk down.

The trail is the one described on this page, and it passes many really nice houses and dragon trees with the sea in the background. At point 2 you can see the Buracas or cave-houses that were used by the first humans to settle on the island. Not far away is a small bar where you can have a drink before heading back to the car. Certainly not a must-do excursion but undoubtedly a nice way to spend a couple of hours.

A view along the trail.

Puntagorda

The town of Puntagorda in itself doesn’t have much to offer, other than being an ideal base for exploring the northwest of the island. In any case, around the town you can go to the Mirador de Izcagua, which is a stone’s throw from the El Fayal recreational area, a pine forest equipped with benches, barbecues and bathrooms; not far away there’s also the Mercadillo del Agricultor, which can be an interesting visit. I couldn’t make the timing work, though, since it’s only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Finally, you can go down to the Puerto de Puntagorda, where at the end of a flight of steps there’s a small pool and a series of small houses carved out of the rock; if you want, you can go down to the sea to swim.

Where to sleep in Puntagorda?

Albergue Puntagorda is one of the few hostels on the island. If you’re looking for a cheap option without heading too far south, this is probably the best one.

Steps leading to the Puntagorda pool.

Porís de Candelaria

This is another place I unfortunately didn’t manage to visit because, just like with Los Tilos, the access road was closed for roadwork. In any case, it’s a truly unique place that I recommend visiting. This small fishing village – whose houses are literally set inside a giant cave that also forms an integral part of the buildings – undoubtedly creates a unique view.

Porís de Candelaria.

Mirador de la Cumbrecita

Mirador de la Cumbrecita is probably, along with Roque de Los Muchachos, one of the most iconic places in La Palma and the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. It’s simply a viewpoint at the top of the crater, on the opposite side from Roque de Los Muchachos, where a series of trails start.

You can drive up in your own car, but if you plan to go up between 8:30 and 16:00, it’s essential to book a parking spot online or at the visitor center. It’s all completely free, but since there are only about twenty parking spaces, this booking system was introduced to avoid traffic jams. Alternatively, if you don’t have a car or didn’t manage to book a parking spot, you can go up by taxi: the fare (one way or return) is fixed, 9€ every day except Sundays and holidays, when the price goes up to 10€. If you don’t feel like paying, you could simply hitchhike or walk up; after all, it’s only about 7 km with 500 meters of elevation gain. Taxis have a dedicated parking lot behind the visitor center.

The view facing away from the Caldera from the Mirador de La Cumbrecita.

Once you get to the La Cumbrecita parking lot, there are quite a few options. The first is to enjoy the view directly from the parking lot without the slightest effort; the second is to do a short loop of about 3 km with very little elevation gain, about an hour. The loop is described at this link and takes you to see two viewpoints: Mirador Lomo de las Chozas and the Mirador de Los Roques. Both are really nice, the trail is really accessible and there are also some benches along the way where you can relax and admire the view. 

A much more challenging alternative is to climb Pico Bejenado; the trail is described on this page. Anyway, it’s just over 8 km in total with 550 meters of elevation gain. At a brisk pace I went up in an hour and a half and came down in an hour, but if you’re particularly slow it can take up to 4 hours. From the top of Pico Bejenado you get better views than from the other viewpoints further down, and the trail is really nice, but if for whatever reason you don’t feel like going up, don’t despair: the view isn’t that different.

Finally, you can go down inside the crater by following the PR LP 13.1 trail. In this case, however, given the distances involved, it’s recommended to spend the night at the campground inside the national park, which has to be booked on this page. If you decide to complete the trail, you’ll also have to arrange transport by taxi, since you can’t leave your car at the La Cumbrecita parking lot for two days. Note that, if you want, you could combine this hike with the one to the Cascada de Los Colores described below.

View of the Caldera along the trail to Pico Bejenado.

Planning your trip? If you still need travel insurance, you can find my guide to the best travel insurance here. Purchasing through the links in the guide supports this site at no additional cost to you.

Cascada de los Colores

This is a hike I’d have liked to do, but partly because of time and partly because you have to take a shuttle-taxi that costs 51€, I preferred to do something else. In any case, on this page you’ll find the “classic” trail that starts at the Mirador de Los Brecitos, where, however, parking is prohibited. What you basically have to do is park your car at this point and then go up to the Mirador with the shuttles that leave from here, which, as mentioned, cost 51€, but if you’re lucky and show up between 9:00 and 11:00 you should be able to share the ride with someone else (the taxis run from 8:00 to 12:00).

Once you reach the Mirador you can follow the “classic trail“, at the end of which you come back exactly where you left the car and took the taxi. As I said, I didn’t do this hike, but it’s really popular, so I imagine there’s a good reason.

Where to sleep?

To go up to the Mirador de la Cumbrecita, or in general to visit the central part of the island, there are three really cheap options to use as a base: Casa Encantada and Casa Tranquila in El Paso a few kilometers from the visitor center and Hostel Vagamundo in Los Llanos.

Mirador de Los Roques.

Ruta de los Volcanes

This is without a doubt my favorite hike of all the ones I did in La Palma. It’s quite long and challenging, since it goes from a minimum of 17 km to over 20 km if you decide to climb to the top of some of the volcanoes you come across along the way, and, as the name of the trail suggests, there are quite a few. On this page you’ll find the GPS coordinates of the “classic” version.

Fortunately, most of the trail, if completed as I recommend, is downhill except for the relatively short initial part where you climb for a few kilometers. The scenery is really varied and impressive: you start out walking among pine trees and then move on to a volcanic moonscape, until you almost reach the sea. At a brisk pace with lunch break included we completed the trail in about five hours.

First part of the Ruta de los Volcanes.

The “problem” with this trail is that it’s not a loop, and to turn it into one you have to take a taxi at some point during the day. Considering that it’s absolutely preferable to complete the trail downhill, my advice is to leave the car at the visitor center, and from there take a taxi to Refugio El Pilar (there’s no public transportation to the refuge). Here too the fare is standard, 13€ one way, and as explained earlier, there’s a dedicated taxi stand behind the visitor center.

If there are no taxis, as happened to us, just call the number posted at the parking lot: in less than ten minutes a taxi driver arrived from El Paso. In this case you also pay for the call and the meter is switched on, so you pay slightly more; we paid 16.60€. Once you get to Los Canarios, where the Ruta de los Volcanes ends, you can take public transportation to get back to the car – to be precise, line 210 to Tajuya and then line 300 to the visitor center, 2.40€ and 1.50€ respectively (use the public transportation mode on Google Maps to check the schedules; roughly, there’s a bus every hour).

Central part of the Ruta de los Volcanes.

In my opinion this is the best and cheapest option, if you rule out hitchhiking. If you’re staying in El Paso, you could take a taxi to the Refugio El Pilar without going through the visitor center, or maybe take another taxi instead of public transportation once you finish the trail. In short, it’s up to you, but what I described above is, broadly speaking, the cheapest option.

The sea is getting closer!

Puerto Naos and Charco Verde

Puerto Naos and Charco Verde are two nice beaches not far from each other where you can spend some time and relax between excursions. Both are beaches with facilities, complete with showers and kiosks. There are also beach volleyball courts at Charco Verde. In short, don’t expect some remote beach all to yourself, but when it comes to beaches these are among the best options La Palma has to offer. Of the two I personally recommend Charco Verde.

Charco Verde.

Salinas de Fuencaliente and Playa de Echentive

The south of the island doesn’t have much to offer. A day should be more than enough time to explore what is a particularly barren region lacking in attractions compared to the rest of the island. The salt pans of Fuencaliente and the lighthouse of the same name are definitely worth a visit, and if you still haven’t had enough of walking and climbing to the top of volcanoes, starting from the salt pans you could reach the top of Teneguía volcano.

The salt pans of Fuencaliente.

Of course, you’re free to go up and down the same trail, but the loop described on this page seems to be an interesting option. My travel buddy and I preferred to spend the afternoon at nearby Playa de Echentive, where there’s a really nice natural pool, perfect for cooling off without worrying about the currents.

Finally, if you’re looking for more information and ideas on things to do and see, I recommend taking a look at the official Visit La Palma website. For hiking or biking, campsites and more, senderos de palma is probably the ultimate resource, while a really interesting blog with accurate descriptions of some of the most popular treks to do on the island is Pico Barro.

Playa de Echentive.

Suggested itineraries in La Palma

Especially if you’re not a keen hiker, the island of La Palma can be visited in a few days. In any case, assuming you’re interested in hiking, below I suggest a few itineraries, meaning what I’d do with a given amount of time. Obviously, take what follows as a starting point and build your ideal itinerary based on your interests, in light of what we’ve discussed so far.

5-day itinerary in La Palma

With five days you can easily see all the highlights of the island.

Santa Cruz de La Palma (1 night)

Day 1:

Arrival in La Palma. Spend the day exploring the city and climb to the Mirador de la Concepción for sunset or sunrise the next day.

Puntagorda (2 nights)

Day 2:

In the morning choose between hiking to Cubo de la Galga and hiking to Los Tilos. Visit the small village of San Andrés and go spend the night in Puntagorda (or nearby) via the Lp-109 road. If you feel like it/have time, in the afternoon before going to Puntagorda you can also go to the natural pools of La Fajana or go down to Santo Domingo.

Day 3:

Go up to Roque de Los Muchachos. Walk along the Cresteria de la Caldera or maybe visit the astronomical observatory.

El Paso (1 night)

Day 4:

Go up to the Mirador de la Cumbrecita and choose one of the possible loops.

Day 5:

Complete the Ruta de los Volcanes. Return to Santa Cruz.

Plaza de España, Santa Cruz.

7-day itinerary in La Palma

With a week available, you can add a few more treks or maybe spend a relaxing day at the beach.

Santa Cruz de La Palma (1 night)

Day 1:

Arrival in La Palma. Spend the day exploring the city and climb to the Mirador de la Concepción for sunset or sunrise the next day.

Puntagorda (2 nights)

Day 2:

In the morning choose between hiking to Cubo de la Galga and hiking to Los Tilos. Visit the small village of San Andrés and go spend the night in Puntagorda (or nearby) via the Lp-109 road. If you feel like it/have time, in the afternoon before going to Puntagorda you can also go to the natural pools of La Fajana or go down to Santo Domingo.

Day 3:

Go up to Roque de Los Muchachos. Walk along the Cresteria de la Caldera or maybe visit the astronomical observatory.

El Paso (3 nights)

Day 4:

Go up to the Mirador de la Cumbrecita and choose one of the possible loops.

Day 5:

Relaxing day at the beach in Charco Verde or trekking to Cascada de los Colores.

Day 6:

Complete the Ruta de los Volcanes.

Day 7:

Visit the Salinas de Fuencaliente and spend the rest of the day at Playa de Echentive. Return to Santa Cruz in the evening.

Sunrise above the clouds at Roque de los Muchachos.

10-day itinerary in La Palma

With ten or more days to spend on the island, I recommend following the one-week itinerary just described, maybe adding a day in Santa Cruz: the city is really nice and, if you want to fill the day, you can take a short trip out of town to Playa de Nogales or Playa los Cancajos.

Another day could be spent in the northeast of the island between the natural pools of La Fajana and Los Tilos/Cubo de la Galga. Finally, another day you could visit Santo Domingo, Puerto de Puntagorda, Porís de Candelaria and complete the hike at Las Tricias. In short, there’s no shortage of options; as I said before, choose based on your interests.

How to get around La Palma

Although the island is quite small, since it’s mostly mountainous, getting from one destination to another can take quite a long time, especially from east to west and vice versa, while traffic on the road that runs along the coast flows fairly smoothly, all in all.

In the Canary Islands in general, but especially in La Palma, although public transportation isn’t that bad, I think renting a car is by far the best way to explore the island.

La Gomera in the distance.

Rent a car in La Palma

During my trip to the Canary Islands, I almost always ended up renting my car with Cicar: the prices are competitive, you can easily pay without a credit card, no deposit is required, insurance is included and there are no deductibles, but above all they have offices in literally all the ports and airports of the Canary Islands, which is really practical if you’re planning a multi-stop trip between the islands. That’s because many of the other companies only have offices at the airport, which is really inconvenient if, instead of getting on a plane, you want to drop the car off at the port and take a ferry to another island.

In short, if you have an inter-island road trip on your mind or for whatever reason you don’t want to drop your car off at the airport, Cicar is probably the best option. In all other cases, it’s definitely worth considering other car rentals by checking out sites like Discover Cars. In any case, whether it’s Cicar or any other company, if you have specific dates, I recommend booking the car a few weeks in advance; that way you can save a lot compared to a last-minute rental.

Also, keep in mind that virtually all companies technically don’t allow you to drive on dirt roads, and if something goes wrong you risk having to pay out of your own pocket. We did it several times during our trip to the Canary Islands, but not in La Palma, where the roads, although sometimes winding, are in good condition.

Finally, there are companies that technically allow you to take the car to another island by ferry, as long as you return it on the island where you rented it, but many don’t allow you to leave the island at all, at least on paper. Obviously nobody checks at the port, but if you ever need assistance, that’s when the problems could start. My advice, if you need to, is to rent a different car for each island you visit, or at the very least find out exactly what you’re allowed to do and what you’re not.

Viewpoint along the Lp-109 road.

Buses in La Palma

If you’re traveling alone and want to save compared to the cost of renting a car, you only have a few hikes in mind that you can do with an organized tour, you don’t feel like driving, or for any other reason you don’t want to rent a car, public transportation isn’t bad at all and you can reach practically any destination on the island with a bit of planning. On this page you’ll find the various routes and schedules.

The one time we took the bus, the “public transportation” feature of Google Maps also turned out to be reliable, but it’s always better to check the official website (there’s also an app if you want).

Domestic flights

The only two airlines operating domestic flights between the islands are CanaryFly and BinterCanarias. Prices tend to be very similar, but generally speaking Binter seems to be slightly cheaper and also has special fares for under-29s. In any case, I recommend checking both and, if possible, booking at least a few weeks in advance for the best deals.

Ferries to La Palma

The cheaper alternative to flights, and above all the more practical one for getting from one neighboring island to another, is the ferry. As a general rule, as long as it’s the closest island or at most the next one, so in the case of La Palma, trips to Tenerife and especially La Gomera, not only do you save money by taking the ferry, but it’s also much more convenient, because you don’t have to show up at the airport two hours early: you can simply go to the port an hour early or even less, buy your ticket and board without necessarily booking your trip in advance.

Basically, if you don’t have a well-established itinerary, moving by ferry gives you much more flexibility. However, if for example you want to get to Lanzarote from La Palma, it’s clear that flying is not only much faster but also cheaper. In any case, there are several ferry companies operating between the islands; Direct Ferries is a site that aggregates all the companies, and you can use it to book your tickets if you want.

Specifically, La Palma has daily departures from Santa Cruz to San Sebastián de La Gomera and Los Cristianos in Tenerife with Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas in Gran Canaria with Transmediterranea.

On the streets of Santa Cruz.

Backpacking La Palma: costs

How much does a trip to La Palma cost? Obviously it depends on a lot of factors. Those who regularly read my blog know that I travel frugally, and my trip to the Canary Islands was no exception: in fact, I managed to keep to a budget of 1000€ a month, or a little more than 30€ a day all-inclusive, during my two months in the archipelago. If you’re looking for some tips on how to save money, take a look at this article.

That said, I fully realize that not everyone is willing or interested in living the backpacker life, but the good news is that the Canary Islands are still a relatively cheap destination by European standards. Prices in general are lower than in mainland Spain itself, because the islands are a sort of special region where VAT is only 7% and on many consumer goods you don’t pay it at all. To give two examples, gas costs about 1€ per liter, and a dinner at a restaurant, if you’re not too demanding, costs about 10€ or a little more. In short, they may not be Latin American prices, but by European standards you certainly can’t complain.

Since we’re talking about costs, I think it’s worth saying a few words about what is definitely a great way to keep them down: camping. Wild camping in La Palma, as on the other islands, is technically illegal, but in reality it’s widely tolerated. If you pitch your tent away from prying eyes, you shouldn’t have any kind of problem; even better if, given the very low rainfall of the summer months, you don’t pitch a tent at all.

Forest near the Refugio El Pilar.

During my stay in La Palma, on all the nights I spent “camping”, I only ever inflated my sleeping pad when it was time to go to bed. At Charco Verde beach on a Saturday night there were even a couple of local families with children. But again, it’s technically illegal, so the choice is yours.

If you want to stay on the right side of the law, there are five official campsites available. I’d also like to point out that for the two free campsites (the one inside the caldera and the one at Refugio el Pilar) you need to get a permit at the visitor center or alternatively at the Medio ambiente office in Santa Cruz.

Finally, to find places to camp I recommend the park4night app: designed mainly for people who want to spend the night in an RV, minivan or car, it’s a fantastic resource even if you simply want to find a secluded spot to pitch your tent or just put down a sleeping pad, as we often did.

Cubo de la Galga.

To reduce exchange and withdrawal fees, see my guide to the best travel cards.

Backpacking La Palma: safety

La Palma and the Canary Islands in general are an absolutely safe destination with really low crime rates, and they’re recommended for families with children too. That said, as with any other destination, you should use common sense, and following the classic safety tips never hurts.

The only two things I’d point out are, first, to be extremely careful where you swim, because this is the ocean and the currents can be extremely dangerous, especially rip currents, which can quickly drag you out to sea with potentially fatal consequences. I met a man who was dragged out to sea with his own children, and he told me how he’d already seen the end coming; not exactly a nice experience.

Playa los Cancajos.

Also, a lot of the more isolated beaches have no lifeguards, and especially in the low season you could easily be the only person there. In short, especially if you’re not an experienced swimmer, be careful. Since La Palma attracts a lot of hikers, keep in mind that the sun, especially at altitude, isn’t something to underestimate: take the necessary precautions, and depending on where you’re used to hiking, be aware that in La Palma you’ll rarely find water to refill along the trails, so plan accordingly.

Finally, if you decide to rent a car, make sure you don’t leave any valuables inside when it’s unattended. Unfortunately, broken windows in parking lots and signs telling you not to leave anything in your car are all too common.

Are you planning a trip to La Palma? Check out these posts:

Which travel backpack to choose

What to bring on your trip

Do you have any questions? Updated information? Feel free to leave a comment or message me on Instagram!

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2 Comments

  • Austeja

    Hey, I am planing to go camping in la Palma. And I was wondering is there any not to expensive shops to buy a tent?

    • ilbackpacker

      Hey! I had my own gear when I went, but you shouldn’t have trouble finding a cheap tent in La Palma. Check out local sports stores or big supermarkets; they often have affordable camping gear. Safe travels 🙂

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