Hi,
If you're looking for a bit of peace and quiet then La Gomera is a wonderful place to visit and the following is a website run by a German couple who run a travel agency in Valle Gran Rey and will gove a good picture of what the island looks like.
http://www.gomera.info/index.htm
I have used them to book SC accommodation there and found them very helpful. The website is in English and both speak English very well if you have need to phone them. But there in lies a clue as to what you can expect. Very few English tourists do anything other then visit La Gomera on day trips from Tenerife and the majority of visitors are either from mainland Spain or Germany with British visitors being very much in the minority. Don't go expecting anything like the British orientated resorts of the Costas or other islands in the Canaries. This for me is a big part of the appeal of the island and I always breathe I sigh of relief when I see Los Christianos disappearing in the wake of the ferry.
You'll see from the maps on the website above the Valle Gran Rey (VGR) is the name of the whole of the barranco (the name for the steep sided, ravine-like valleys that are typical of the island) rather than a specific town. Within the valley there are a number of villages and hamlets, some clustered around the bottom of the valley right on the coast and then spreading up the valley inland. La Puntilla, between Vueltas where the harbour is and Calera where the road up the valley starts, would always be my preferred spot but the nearest thing to a 'strip' is along at La Playa.
The most developed resorts (ncluding VGR) are in the south and southwest of the island which enjoys the sunniest, driest weather but even these are very small and relatively under-developed. The towns on the rest of the coastline are even smaller and even less geared up to tourists. The north and northeastern coasts are also wetter and cooler which probably accounts for why there is very little tourist related development on that part of the island. What nightlife there is centres on small cafes and bars - I've seen nothing that would merit the title of 'nightclub' or 'disco' anywhere else, even in La Playa! The Castello del Mare right on the coast at Hermigua does offer live music and entertaiment of an evening but it's more of a cultural/arts centre and the music and dancing at the events they put on is great for Salsa/Latin Amercan fans music fans but it's more Buena Vista Social Club than Munumission :-) It too incidentally is owned and run by a German sculptor.
The majority of visitors go for the superb walking to be had in one of the last great temperate rainforests in the world and this probably accounts for why there is no roaring nightlife. It is possible to arrange both guided walking holidays and guided walking day trips. Again expect the majority of your companions to be German. On our last trip there in October my father and I were the only non-Germans in the party on our guided walk. The guides were all German and/or Spanish speaking and had very little English. We didn't mind because I have enough German to get by and get by we did between us.
Public transport on the island is almost non-existent - the few bus routes that are running at the moment are geared up to local workers who need to get and out of the capital San Sebastian each day. The southern ports are well served by the locally owned passenger catamaran service which does an almost continuous shuttle throughout the day from Los Christianos (LC) to Valle Gran Rey via San Sebastian (SS) and Playa de Santiago and back. There is also a big car ferry which runs just between LC and SS. If you want to see more of the island then hiring a car is the only viable option but you need to bear in mind that the geography of the island (which is basically an extinct conical volcan!) means that everytime you want to go elsewhere you'll have to drive up one 'barranco' or steep side valley, up over the central plateau which is higher than Ben Nevis and back down the 'barranco' your destination is in! The views are fantastic but the roads are narrow, twisting and steep.
Finally, the beaches are far from attractive, the sand being coarse and black and the sea rough. As a result don't expect much in the way of facilities on the beaches. Nobody goes to La Gomera for a traditional beach holiday so its worth nobody's while to provide sun loungers etc. Unless you are very confident about sea bathing with big breakers ensure that you book to stay somewhere with a pool.
There are only a few hotels on the island and most visitors stay in smallish sef-catering complexes. The best of these are heavily contracted out to German tour operators for most of the year but Corona Holidays and Travellers Way will book you an individual package at one of them including car hire etc and Casas Canarias and Walking Gomera act as letting agents for local owners for more individual villas and apartments. But that's about it - I don't know of anything on offer from any of the big package TOs. I've always gone DIY bcause I think that the bespoke packages offered by Corona and Travellers Way are expensive. I've always looked for the best deal on flights to Tenerife and then booked the accommodation either via a letting agent or direct with the owners. A reasonable 1 bedroomed apartment sleeping up to 3 can be rented for around 40-45 Euros per night in Valle Gran Rey right on the coast but rents getter cheaper the higher up the valley and farther from the sea you go but if you do that you'll need to then factor in the cost of a hire car too or else be prepared to use taxis a lot. And on the whole taxis will need booking and you'll need enough Spanish to beook them over the phone etc. Or else make friends with the waiters in your nearest bar who will then do it for you which is my usual tactic :-)
Be warned that the 'best deal' for flights is not necessarily the cheapest. Unless you want to spend at least one nights at either the beginning or end of your holiday (or possibly both ends) sleeping at the airport or incurring the extra cost of a nights B&B in Los Christianos you need to ideally book as early a morning outward flight as you can and a late afternoon or early evening flight back in order to fit in with the ferry sailings. I would never book a flight that was scheduled to arrive in Tenerife later than mid-afternoon. Just a few hours delay could mean that you miss the last ferry of the day over to La Gomera. Likewise I'd never book a flight that left much before midday because you'll never get to LC in time for the 2 hour check-in of most charter flights. There is a small airport but there are no direct flights to La Gomera from the UK. Flights to La Gomera operate out of Tenerife North only - a long and/or expensive journey from the south of the isalnd depending on whether you do it by public transport or hire a taxi. Most flights to Tenerife North are from the Sanish mainland only. Both BA and Iberia offer connecting services changing in both Madrid and Tenerife North but they are expensive and no more convenient than flying to Tenerife south from your local airport and getting the ferry over.
There in lies the secret of why the island is so relatively under-developed and 'undiscovered'. I'm not sure how long this will last though. When I was last there (October 2004) the harbour at Valle Gran Rey was being extended and looking at it I would estimate that this will make the harbour accessible to the larger car ferries (the catamaran takes foot passengers only). This will make it possible for the larger TOs to run quicker coach transfers via LC than is currently possible and might mean that they will start including it in their brochures. However, I would expect that without direct flights it will never become a major package destination and I really cannot see where they could build a big enough runway for the sort of jets that would make that financially viable. There simply is not enough flat land available accept on the central plateau but given that this is entirely within the Garajonay National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I cannot ever see the Canarian authorities destroying the main attraction that brings visitors to the island for the sake of the package holiday trade.
I'm a big fan of La Gomera - it suits me for the 'nothing-much-to-do-except-enjoy-the-scenary-and-perhaps-do-a-bit-of-salsa-dancing-after-an-evening-meal-of-tapas-or-grilled-fish' sort of holiday that I enjoy but for anybody who likes the popular resorts elsewhere in the Canaries then I think it would be their idea of the holiday from hell! Overall, I think the TV reporter last night got it right when he hinted that it would suit aging hippies like me but perhaps few others :-)
If there's anything else I can help with let me know.
SM
If you're looking for a bit of peace and quiet then La Gomera is a wonderful place to visit and the following is a website run by a German couple who run a travel agency in Valle Gran Rey and will gove a good picture of what the island looks like.
http://www.gomera.info/index.htm
I have used them to book SC accommodation there and found them very helpful. The website is in English and both speak English very well if you have need to phone them. But there in lies a clue as to what you can expect. Very few English tourists do anything other then visit La Gomera on day trips from Tenerife and the majority of visitors are either from mainland Spain or Germany with British visitors being very much in the minority. Don't go expecting anything like the British orientated resorts of the Costas or other islands in the Canaries. This for me is a big part of the appeal of the island and I always breathe I sigh of relief when I see Los Christianos disappearing in the wake of the ferry.
You'll see from the maps on the website above the Valle Gran Rey (VGR) is the name of the whole of the barranco (the name for the steep sided, ravine-like valleys that are typical of the island) rather than a specific town. Within the valley there are a number of villages and hamlets, some clustered around the bottom of the valley right on the coast and then spreading up the valley inland. La Puntilla, between Vueltas where the harbour is and Calera where the road up the valley starts, would always be my preferred spot but the nearest thing to a 'strip' is along at La Playa.
The most developed resorts (ncluding VGR) are in the south and southwest of the island which enjoys the sunniest, driest weather but even these are very small and relatively under-developed. The towns on the rest of the coastline are even smaller and even less geared up to tourists. The north and northeastern coasts are also wetter and cooler which probably accounts for why there is very little tourist related development on that part of the island. What nightlife there is centres on small cafes and bars - I've seen nothing that would merit the title of 'nightclub' or 'disco' anywhere else, even in La Playa! The Castello del Mare right on the coast at Hermigua does offer live music and entertaiment of an evening but it's more of a cultural/arts centre and the music and dancing at the events they put on is great for Salsa/Latin Amercan fans music fans but it's more Buena Vista Social Club than Munumission :-) It too incidentally is owned and run by a German sculptor.
The majority of visitors go for the superb walking to be had in one of the last great temperate rainforests in the world and this probably accounts for why there is no roaring nightlife. It is possible to arrange both guided walking holidays and guided walking day trips. Again expect the majority of your companions to be German. On our last trip there in October my father and I were the only non-Germans in the party on our guided walk. The guides were all German and/or Spanish speaking and had very little English. We didn't mind because I have enough German to get by and get by we did between us.
Public transport on the island is almost non-existent - the few bus routes that are running at the moment are geared up to local workers who need to get and out of the capital San Sebastian each day. The southern ports are well served by the locally owned passenger catamaran service which does an almost continuous shuttle throughout the day from Los Christianos (LC) to Valle Gran Rey via San Sebastian (SS) and Playa de Santiago and back. There is also a big car ferry which runs just between LC and SS. If you want to see more of the island then hiring a car is the only viable option but you need to bear in mind that the geography of the island (which is basically an extinct conical volcan!) means that everytime you want to go elsewhere you'll have to drive up one 'barranco' or steep side valley, up over the central plateau which is higher than Ben Nevis and back down the 'barranco' your destination is in! The views are fantastic but the roads are narrow, twisting and steep.
Finally, the beaches are far from attractive, the sand being coarse and black and the sea rough. As a result don't expect much in the way of facilities on the beaches. Nobody goes to La Gomera for a traditional beach holiday so its worth nobody's while to provide sun loungers etc. Unless you are very confident about sea bathing with big breakers ensure that you book to stay somewhere with a pool.
There are only a few hotels on the island and most visitors stay in smallish sef-catering complexes. The best of these are heavily contracted out to German tour operators for most of the year but Corona Holidays and Travellers Way will book you an individual package at one of them including car hire etc and Casas Canarias and Walking Gomera act as letting agents for local owners for more individual villas and apartments. But that's about it - I don't know of anything on offer from any of the big package TOs. I've always gone DIY bcause I think that the bespoke packages offered by Corona and Travellers Way are expensive. I've always looked for the best deal on flights to Tenerife and then booked the accommodation either via a letting agent or direct with the owners. A reasonable 1 bedroomed apartment sleeping up to 3 can be rented for around 40-45 Euros per night in Valle Gran Rey right on the coast but rents getter cheaper the higher up the valley and farther from the sea you go but if you do that you'll need to then factor in the cost of a hire car too or else be prepared to use taxis a lot. And on the whole taxis will need booking and you'll need enough Spanish to beook them over the phone etc. Or else make friends with the waiters in your nearest bar who will then do it for you which is my usual tactic :-)
Be warned that the 'best deal' for flights is not necessarily the cheapest. Unless you want to spend at least one nights at either the beginning or end of your holiday (or possibly both ends) sleeping at the airport or incurring the extra cost of a nights B&B in Los Christianos you need to ideally book as early a morning outward flight as you can and a late afternoon or early evening flight back in order to fit in with the ferry sailings. I would never book a flight that was scheduled to arrive in Tenerife later than mid-afternoon. Just a few hours delay could mean that you miss the last ferry of the day over to La Gomera. Likewise I'd never book a flight that left much before midday because you'll never get to LC in time for the 2 hour check-in of most charter flights. There is a small airport but there are no direct flights to La Gomera from the UK. Flights to La Gomera operate out of Tenerife North only - a long and/or expensive journey from the south of the isalnd depending on whether you do it by public transport or hire a taxi. Most flights to Tenerife North are from the Sanish mainland only. Both BA and Iberia offer connecting services changing in both Madrid and Tenerife North but they are expensive and no more convenient than flying to Tenerife south from your local airport and getting the ferry over.
There in lies the secret of why the island is so relatively under-developed and 'undiscovered'. I'm not sure how long this will last though. When I was last there (October 2004) the harbour at Valle Gran Rey was being extended and looking at it I would estimate that this will make the harbour accessible to the larger car ferries (the catamaran takes foot passengers only). This will make it possible for the larger TOs to run quicker coach transfers via LC than is currently possible and might mean that they will start including it in their brochures. However, I would expect that without direct flights it will never become a major package destination and I really cannot see where they could build a big enough runway for the sort of jets that would make that financially viable. There simply is not enough flat land available accept on the central plateau but given that this is entirely within the Garajonay National Park which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I cannot ever see the Canarian authorities destroying the main attraction that brings visitors to the island for the sake of the package holiday trade.
I'm a big fan of La Gomera - it suits me for the 'nothing-much-to-do-except-enjoy-the-scenary-and-perhaps-do-a-bit-of-salsa-dancing-after-an-evening-meal-of-tapas-or-grilled-fish' sort of holiday that I enjoy but for anybody who likes the popular resorts elsewhere in the Canaries then I think it would be their idea of the holiday from hell! Overall, I think the TV reporter last night got it right when he hinted that it would suit aging hippies like me but perhaps few others :-)
If there's anything else I can help with let me know.
SM
Thanks for all the information, sounds great to get away from everything to recharge your batteries.
Hi,
That's exactly right which is why I love it. I've stayed in Valle Gran Rey in both the upper valley and right down on the coast and if you decide to give it a go and I can help with any further info just ask.
SM
That's exactly right which is why I love it. I've stayed in Valle Gran Rey in both the upper valley and right down on the coast and if you decide to give it a go and I can help with any further info just ask.
SM
Agree with all that SM has said in his comprehensive reply! Would endorse that it is a very special little getaway and still very much unspoilt.. And the walking must be some of the best you can get to reasonably cheaply and quickly and with the distinct advantage of very temperate winter weather. In fact after March it gets a bit too hot for wallking as it can be very strenuous. There are now some excellent walking books around - especially Walk! Gomera and its accompanying map which is by far the best map available and has GPS references too. I have been going to La Gomera every winter for 15 years or so and until recently there was not a decent map available.
I also book independently and always stay in Valle Gran Rey. There is in fact a nightclub/disco in La Playa and some years there is also one in Vueltas but they have the atmosphere of a village hop rather than anything 'cutting edge'. Plus two late night bars - Cacatua and Bar Tasca in Vueltas with excellent cheap cocktails and in the latter a bizarre collection of board games. This must be the only bar in the world with a set of Connect Four on every table. I think the Germans must like it.
The public transport has improved in recent years with cheap regular modern buses from VGR to San Sebastian (about four a day). But they do get crowded - especially in the morning with many walkers trying to get up into the mountains. Once nearly missed a flight home as we couldn't get on the bus even though we were first at the stop. A stampede of walkers (whose nationality I will not name) pushed past us as we struggled with our luggage and despite pleading no-one would give up their place for us. Cost us about £40 for a taxi and even that was damn difficult to get in a hurry. Buses all start and end at San Sebastian (eg you can't get from VGR to Valhermoso without going to San Sebastian and changing) so getting anywhere can take a long time. Hitch hiking is a doddle though with both locals and tourists willing to give lifts.
Stop me or I will go on for ever...... in short if you fancy somewhere warm and spectacular away from English speaking people with good simple food and friendly locals giver Gomera a try. But don't spoil it. Or laugh at the occasional Lederhosen wearer you may come across. Contact me if you want more.
I also book independently and always stay in Valle Gran Rey. There is in fact a nightclub/disco in La Playa and some years there is also one in Vueltas but they have the atmosphere of a village hop rather than anything 'cutting edge'. Plus two late night bars - Cacatua and Bar Tasca in Vueltas with excellent cheap cocktails and in the latter a bizarre collection of board games. This must be the only bar in the world with a set of Connect Four on every table. I think the Germans must like it.
The public transport has improved in recent years with cheap regular modern buses from VGR to San Sebastian (about four a day). But they do get crowded - especially in the morning with many walkers trying to get up into the mountains. Once nearly missed a flight home as we couldn't get on the bus even though we were first at the stop. A stampede of walkers (whose nationality I will not name) pushed past us as we struggled with our luggage and despite pleading no-one would give up their place for us. Cost us about £40 for a taxi and even that was damn difficult to get in a hurry. Buses all start and end at San Sebastian (eg you can't get from VGR to Valhermoso without going to San Sebastian and changing) so getting anywhere can take a long time. Hitch hiking is a doddle though with both locals and tourists willing to give lifts.
Stop me or I will go on for ever...... in short if you fancy somewhere warm and spectacular away from English speaking people with good simple food and friendly locals giver Gomera a try. But don't spoil it. Or laugh at the occasional Lederhosen wearer you may come across. Contact me if you want more.
We are staying in PDLA in August this year but I would really like to see the unspoilt island of La Gomera. I have read that it is easy to get a ferry there from Tenerife but wondered if anyone has done it and if so, where the ferries leave from and the approximate cost? Many thanks. 
I've never been over to La Gomera myself, but last time I was in Tenerife I'm sure there was a regular ferry service from Los Cristionos harbour over to La Gomera. Not sure of the cost. Fred Olsen is the major ferry company.
I'm sure you'll find all the information you'll need on their website:
http://www.fredolsen.es/english/index2.htm
Darren
I'm sure you'll find all the information you'll need on their website:
http://www.fredolsen.es/english/index2.htm
Darren
hi , last time i went las america was in november and we went on the jeep sarfari tour , its a full day its €70 and that includes being picked up from a the medertrainan hotel , ferry , and a meal at a restraunt . its a great day and you get to see everything and some great points to take photos, its well worth it , or if you want to do it yourself its €30 return for a car , but i advise taking a very good map hope this helps .
Hi,
Getting to La Gomera is very easy from the port at Los Christianos - there are three ferry companies on the route. Both Fred Olsen and Armas run car ferries to San Sebastian (SS) only and Garajonay Express run a catamaran service for foot passengers only that serves not only San Sebastian but also carries on to both Playa de Santiago (PdS) and Valle Gran Rey (VGR). The following URL is for the website of a local travel agency on La Gomera which gives the tariffs and departure times for all 3 ferries.
http://www.gomera.info/faehre.htm
Foot passenger tickets are quite cheap - between 15-20 Euros one way depending on which company you use and whether you get off in SS or carry on to VGR. Expect to pay between 115 to 130 Euros return for a car and 2 adults depending on whether you get the express Olsen ferry or not. Crossing times vary - the fastest crossing takes about 35 mins to SS and around 90 mins to go right round to VGR. You don't need to book in advance, you can just buy tickets on the day from the ticket offices in the booking hal at the quayside but you can make reservations on the Net.
Before taking hire car over from Tenerife you'd be well advised to check that you'll still be insured. The roads can be steep, narrow and twisty, especially on the north of the island and having your own transport does mean that you get to see a lot more, especially of the centre of the island but you could easily spend a very pleasant day just going over as foot passenger to SS and getting one of the local buses across the island or negotiating with one of the taxi drivers at the quayside. Expect to pay about 40 Euros to get from SS to VGR. There are also a number of local tour companies on the island which do tours and which you could probably pre-book on the Net before you go or else just take a chance once you get to SS. Either way it's worth aiming to get the first ferry of the day over to make the best of your time on the island.
There is no road around the island - every journey from one barranco (valley) to another requires you to drive up over the central plateau and back down again. As the central plateau is around the same height as Ben Nevis you'll appreciate that the scenery is fairly spectacular!
La Gomera is now more commercialised than it was even 10 years ago but compared to PDLA it will be like another world. Now is definitely the time to go before it gets even more built up. It would make a great day trip but to really enjoy the island at its best you need to spend a few days there at least and a self-catering apartment sleeping up to 3 can be had for around 35 Euros a night if you can arrange things so that you stay over.
There is a longer thread on La Gomera in the 'Other Destinations' forum that would be worth your while looking at for an idea of what to see and and do once there.
SM
Edit to add link to La Gomera http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=19564
Getting to La Gomera is very easy from the port at Los Christianos - there are three ferry companies on the route. Both Fred Olsen and Armas run car ferries to San Sebastian (SS) only and Garajonay Express run a catamaran service for foot passengers only that serves not only San Sebastian but also carries on to both Playa de Santiago (PdS) and Valle Gran Rey (VGR). The following URL is for the website of a local travel agency on La Gomera which gives the tariffs and departure times for all 3 ferries.
http://www.gomera.info/faehre.htm
Foot passenger tickets are quite cheap - between 15-20 Euros one way depending on which company you use and whether you get off in SS or carry on to VGR. Expect to pay between 115 to 130 Euros return for a car and 2 adults depending on whether you get the express Olsen ferry or not. Crossing times vary - the fastest crossing takes about 35 mins to SS and around 90 mins to go right round to VGR. You don't need to book in advance, you can just buy tickets on the day from the ticket offices in the booking hal at the quayside but you can make reservations on the Net.
Before taking hire car over from Tenerife you'd be well advised to check that you'll still be insured. The roads can be steep, narrow and twisty, especially on the north of the island and having your own transport does mean that you get to see a lot more, especially of the centre of the island but you could easily spend a very pleasant day just going over as foot passenger to SS and getting one of the local buses across the island or negotiating with one of the taxi drivers at the quayside. Expect to pay about 40 Euros to get from SS to VGR. There are also a number of local tour companies on the island which do tours and which you could probably pre-book on the Net before you go or else just take a chance once you get to SS. Either way it's worth aiming to get the first ferry of the day over to make the best of your time on the island.
There is no road around the island - every journey from one barranco (valley) to another requires you to drive up over the central plateau and back down again. As the central plateau is around the same height as Ben Nevis you'll appreciate that the scenery is fairly spectacular!
La Gomera is now more commercialised than it was even 10 years ago but compared to PDLA it will be like another world. Now is definitely the time to go before it gets even more built up. It would make a great day trip but to really enjoy the island at its best you need to spend a few days there at least and a self-catering apartment sleeping up to 3 can be had for around 35 Euros a night if you can arrange things so that you stay over.
There is a longer thread on La Gomera in the 'Other Destinations' forum that would be worth your while looking at for an idea of what to see and and do once there.
SM
Edit to add link to La Gomera http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=19564
Thanks so much for your replies - I'm really looking forward to seeing La Gomera and will definitely try to stay overnight. I love seeing the 'real' side to any destination that I visit and La Gomera sounds beautiful.
Were going to go here this time for a day out. As there is 8 of us what is the best way to get around the island.
Does anybody know if there is a mini bus company that will take us round all day to see the sights. Or do we have to take 2 taxis.
Apollo or vvv maybe you know about this.
Does anybody know if there is a mini bus company that will take us round all day to see the sights. Or do we have to take 2 taxis.
Apollo or vvv maybe you know about this.
hi wickedcris.
Cheers and thanks for that.
Its not a cheap option to take the car over. Coach or Jeep tour is the cheapest
WC
Admiral Travel do an all day jeep tour with a meal and all the sights.
Not done it myself (cant get Margaret on a boat) but have talked to others who say its a great day out.
Pete
Admiral Travel do an all day jeep tour with a meal and all the sights.
Not done it myself (cant get Margaret on a boat) but have talked to others who say its a great day out.
Pete
Done the trip to Gomera a couple of years back and thoroughly enjoyed it. Definately different to touring round Tenerife as you have to go across the high centre of the island no matter where you go as there is no road that around the perimeter of the island. We got lunch and a demonstration of the Gomeran whistling thrown in. If you go try the soup!
If you are nervous of the narrow roads the just close your eyes the drivers of these buses are amazing what they can get the bus to do. On the tour they have plenty of photo opportunities at various stops on the trip,. I just hope the the weather is good as some of the views of the valleys are great.
If you are nervous of the narrow roads the just close your eyes the drivers of these buses are amazing what they can get the bus to do. On the tour they have plenty of photo opportunities at various stops on the trip,. I just hope the the weather is good as some of the views of the valleys are great.
Hi,
You'll find another thread about La Gomera a bit farther down in this forum plus a couple in the 'Other Destinations' forum which will give you more of a flavour of what to see and do plus fuller details about how to get there from Los Christianos.
I'm always a bit torn about whether to answer questions about La Gomera because I'd really rather keep it a secret :-) I do keep wishing and hoping that it never becomes more built up but alas all the signs are that while it will probably never get as developed as the bigger islands the winds of change are definitely blowing over the island. I have to admit that I'm glad I first went before the latest developments took place. See it now before it changes too much.
SM
You'll find another thread about La Gomera a bit farther down in this forum plus a couple in the 'Other Destinations' forum which will give you more of a flavour of what to see and do plus fuller details about how to get there from Los Christianos.
I'm always a bit torn about whether to answer questions about La Gomera because I'd really rather keep it a secret :-) I do keep wishing and hoping that it never becomes more built up but alas all the signs are that while it will probably never get as developed as the bigger islands the winds of change are definitely blowing over the island. I have to admit that I'm glad I first went before the latest developments took place. See it now before it changes too much.
SM
Hi we are seriously thinking of going to La Gomera. But i have a few quiestions, how are the roads when your in the jeep. Just that a few of my firends have things like a bad back, bad knne and one can't walk to far. Would they be thrown about in the jeeps. Or is everything smooth.
Hi Chris,
By now I thought that someone who had been on one of the jeep safaris might had replied to your query but it appears not! I've never been on one so can't advise comment directly on them but in my experience the roads on La Gomera are well maintained and there would be little scope for going off road - the locals appear to use donkey's for all off-road purposes! In my experience anything that isn't a metalled road (albeit twisty and narrow) isn't going to be that suitable for even a 4X4 because it's goig to be a narrow donkey track. So I wouldn't expect them to be jolting around over potholed mountain tracks etc. However, jeeps, if that is what they use, aren't aren't known for their cushiony soft suspension so could still be a bit of an uncomfortable ride.
SM
By now I thought that someone who had been on one of the jeep safaris might had replied to your query but it appears not! I've never been on one so can't advise comment directly on them but in my experience the roads on La Gomera are well maintained and there would be little scope for going off road - the locals appear to use donkey's for all off-road purposes! In my experience anything that isn't a metalled road (albeit twisty and narrow) isn't going to be that suitable for even a 4X4 because it's goig to be a narrow donkey track. So I wouldn't expect them to be jolting around over potholed mountain tracks etc. However, jeeps, if that is what they use, aren't aren't known for their cushiony soft suspension so could still be a bit of an uncomfortable ride.
SM
Chris.....................Canarian Law stipilates absolutely no off roading. The reason they use the jeeps is for a more personal tour and also to get you to places you couldn't normally get to.
vvv
vvv
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- Fred olsen-la gomera
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Anyone with recent experience of travel to La Gomera?
Posted by SMa in Spain - Canary Islands - All Other Islands
- Somewhere on Fuerteventura like Valle Gran Re on La Gomera?