Escape to Tenerife

Hannah Stephenson revisits the popular Canary Island twenty years since she worked there as a holiday rep. The main resorts may have changed dramatically, but the sunshine and space still attract thousands of British buyers.

In barely two decades, the island of Tenerife has been turned into a major tourist destination for the British - and its reputation has sometimes been tarnished both by the speed of development and the sight of Britons having too much to drink. All-year-round sunshine, beautiful beaches and the friendly atmosphere of the largest of the Canary Islands, situated 200 miles off the coast of North West Africa, entice nearly two million British visitors a year, more than Florida or the Balearics.

Everything has changed beyond recognition since the early 1980s, when I worked in the south of the island as a tour rep and the number of British visitors barely amounted to about half a million a year. But when I returned to a timeshare development near the small village of Las Galletas at the southern tip of the island, it was plain to see that Tenerife still has much to offer. The north is greener and lusher than the south because it has more rain, but it's in the southern region that you'll find a lot of the holiday atmosphere that appeals to so many. Along the south west coast is Los Cristianos. Once a quaint fishing town, with picturesque square and quiet harbour, its biggest ship used to be the ferry to the neighbouring island of La Gomera. Now, it's busier and livelier, the old square where the fishermen gathered long gone. But the harbour is still pleasant and the beach well maintained and safe for young children.

"The north is greener and lusher than the south because it has more rain, but it's in the southern region that you'll find a lot of the holiday atmosphere that appeals to so many."

You'll find plenty of apartments for sale and timeshares in and around Los Cristianos and there's enough to keep the return visitor occupied. There is a pocket of British ex-pats living here all year round enjoying a good social life.

Independent estate agents Tenerife Properties have studios in Los Cristianos starting at around £55,000, with a new luxury four-bedroom villa close to the resort on the market for approximately £465,000. As with the UK, you get what you pay for and a good location and internal specifications always hike up the value.

Younger folk seeking nightlife travel a couple of miles up the coast to the almost infamous Playa de las Americas. The tourism boom means the two towns are virtually joined by a long coastal walkway, seafront hotels and apartments, and the pubs advertising full English breakfast, burger joints in between the souvenir shops.

It may sound like a nightmare to buyers seeking real Spanish ambience, but a property near here has a good chance of earning a rental income – although be aware that there are many owners trying to lease villas and apartments in the summer and competition is fierce. New developments are springing up all the time, and sell out quickly. With whole 'villages' of apartments offering good deals for off-plan investors with payment plans in place – many of them are set further in-land away from the seaside fray.

You can always travel further afield by car, for a taste of how Tenerife once was and still enjoy what it has to offer. Into the hills of Arona you'll find Las Aguilas ecological park, a deceptively large zoo which has a open-air arena where every day falconers give a fantastic show with some amazing birds of prey including condors.

Many properties around here enjoy peace and seclusion. One opportunity on the market with local agents Horizon Property Group is for a restored rustic house with four chalets and a meditation centre, sold as a going concern for around £878,000. These kinds of investment opportunities on the island can provide the means to relocate and live off earned income. Further inland, the volcano Mount Teide, the highest point in Spain at 3,716 metres (more than 12,000ft), is much as I remember it with its lunar landscape, rock formations and incredible views. Looking across its vast expanse of dry, huge boulders of rock, you could be a million miles away from the commercial south.

Tenerife's biggest industry has long been tourism but bananas are also exported and you see banana plantations along the roadside in many parts of the island, their huge leaves shaded under thick netting. Some 20 years ago one of Tenerife's main attractions, the tropical wildlife gardens of Loro Parque, in Puerto de la Cruz in the north of the island, did exist, but not on as big a scale as it does today – complete with tigers, gorillas and a host of parrots. The resort itself is a bustling holiday location, with plenty to amuse several generations within families. Holiday rental markets here are strong, although you'll need to set your property apart and find good letting agents. Prices for buyers start around £90,000 for a smart and spacious one-bed apartment with sea views and some outside space. Explore the small villages away from the coast you will find a selection of restaurants and tapas bars that are cheap and friendly. Look a bit further and you might find a traditional property in one of the back streets. A small cottage or villa inland would be ideal for those wanting to get away from it all, who still want to be able to access the holiday amenities when they have visiting relatives.

Foodies should head for Los Abrigos, a short drive from El Medano, near the southern airport. The one main waterfront street is dominated by fish restaurants, all offering a selection of locally caught pescado. Restaurateurs invite you to choose from the vast array of molluscs and big fish in their fridges or to dip a net in their tanks to fish out a fresh lobster. Here properties have the added advantage of being near to the airport for getting back home, and you're well placed for exploring. Horizon offers a fourbedroom villa in between Los Abrigos and El Medano with two bathrooms, large gardens and a garage for around £257,000.

Property agents and developers Eden Villas, who specialise in mainland Spain, are developing an apartment block in San Isidro, close the airport, which is a residential area. The company says this sought of investment project is ideal because it taps into the Spanish residential rental market, rather than holiday lettings. "This project is ideal for someone with spare cash who is looking for a way to see their capital grow. We're developing a block which we'll sell in its entirety, with apartments to rent out on 5-year leases. The development should appeal to a British buyer, as borrowing rates out here are fantastic. The location is up and coming and there is shortage of long-term rental properties on the island. Many holiday home owners want to visit in the winter and let out in the summer and there is generally a greater supply than demand."

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INFORMATION

Hannah Stephenson travelled to Tenerife, courtesy of Avro 0870 458 2847 or www.avro.co.uk which offers scheduled and charter flights to Tenerife from 12 UK airports.

Eden Villas can be contacted on 01382 55107

Tenerife Properties can be contacted on 00 34 922 724 110 or by visiting www.tenerifeproperties.net

Horizon Property Group sell and lease properties all over the Canary and Cape Verde Islands. For more information phone 0871 717 4100 or visit www.horizonpropertygroup.com

For destination information about Tenerife visit www.webtenerife.com or call 020 7431 4045

Colour brochures on the island are available from: Tenerife Tourist Development Bureau, 421a Finchley Road, London. NW3 6HJ