punta del hidalgo camping tenerife

Tenerife’s hidden gem: Punta del Hidalgo camping paradise

Camping at nature’s edge

As the sun rises over the Anaga massif, the Punta del Hidalgo campsite stirs to life in air thick with sea salt and the sound of waves crashing against the volcanic coastline, barely 20 metres away. For those seeking a holiday with these simple charms – the open air, nights under the stars – this is their own particular paradise.

“It’s like carrying your flat on your back,” says Antonia Lorenzo, one of the campers at La Punta, as she keeps an eye on a Bolognese sauce bubbling on the stove. The trouble is, in Tenerife there aren’t many options. This open-air hotel is in fact one of only two officially approved campsites on the island, and the only one run by a local council – in this case, La Laguna. What is more, recent improvements mean that this summer it is a space adapted to all needs.

‘You can no longer discriminate against motorhomes’

“You can no longer discriminate against motorhomes,” declares Julio José Plasencia, president of the ASGAN association (Friends of Nature Group), which represents the caravanning community in the Canary Islands. Standing in the campsite with its privileged sea views, Plasencia argues that there are thousands of travellers arriving on the island in search of a place that offers them a quality experience. “We don’t want to be scattered all over the street all day; we want places where we can stay with all the services,” he insists.

The day has barely begun, and with sleep still in their eyes, campers wake to the sound of seagulls. The aroma of coffee from stovetop espresso makers on gas rings, accompanied by buttered toast, fills the air. Antonia cooks while her granddaughter eats breakfast beside her, as the temperatures begin to ease inside pitch number 57.

As she talks about her travels between islands in her mobile home, she stresses that for her, this life on the move means freedom: “With the caravan, you arrive somewhere, you stay, you spend the night, and in the morning you go somewhere else if you feel like it.” She has been doing this for more than three years, to the extent that her brother has nicknamed her “snail”.

A community spirit beneath the stars

Antonia moves on to making alphabet soup, enjoying the cool sea breeze in the company of her friends. In pitch number 32, Jonay Siberio, another resident of this campsite, takes care of the morning chores for his unit: washing the breakfast dishes and hanging out the wet clothes from the puddles. For Jonay, this space fits his requirements and those of his children, not only because of its coastline with natural swimming pools, but also because of the different activities nearby. “It’s a good location: we go swimming, or head to the skatepark or the basketball court just up here,” he says, emphasising the peacefulness of his daily routine during his stay.

The facilities are spread over 24,000 square metres and include 78 pitches (with capacity for more than 300 people), most equipped with electrical hook-ups. There are also toilets, numerous showers, outdoor water points, electric boilers, parking for 89 vehicles, and accessibility for people with disabilities.

Prices for stays of between one and 14 days are €5.10 per night for a motorhome, €4.50 for a caravan, or €4.20 for a tent, plus an additional €2.10 per adult (€1.50 for children under 13), a flat fee of €1.50 for electricity consumption, €2.10 for a car and €1.50 for a motorbike. These prices decrease the longer you stay.

Recent upgrades and year-round opening

In the southern area of the campsite is the toilet block, one of the spaces that has been renovated in recent works, along with the laundry area. Carmen Rosa Hernández, an engineer and technician for La Laguna Council, says that a significant investment has been made over the past year to improve the site. She notes that a bathroom for people with disabilities has been built, catering both for those with reduced mobility and those with visual impairments.

As evening falls, the pitches begin to glow with lanterns placed among the vegetation dividing the plots. “The nights are very peaceful, nobody bothers you,” Jonay explains. “People are very respectful, they don’t make a racket,” adds someone who refers to those present at the campsite as “the community”: “We meet people from other campsites here, and the atmosphere is very family-friendly.” On special nights, when there is an excuse to do so, swimming in the sea under the starry sky has become a tradition for the residents of pitch 57. “We’ve seen in the New Year here three times,” recalls Antonia, who takes the opportunity to have her first night-time swim of the year with her family.

The changes have not only been physical – in addition to those already mentioned, the main building has been restored and new spaces created, such as a children’s activity area – but also in opening hours. The campsite is now open 365 days a year, whereas previously it only operated during specific seasons, such as public holidays or weekends, plus holiday periods like summer. “What we most asked for was that it open all year round, and in the end that has been achieved, which has been quite a success,” Julio José Plasencia concludes.

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