beat the brochure

The charming, second smallest island of the Canaries is La Gomera. This island is not typical of the other holiday-loving islands in this group. La Gomera sits just off the west coast of Tenerife whose visitors rarely take the trip to the island.

The usual means of transport to this little beauty is ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera’s capital of San Sebastian. The capital is on the island’s south side which gets the most sun. Only the small turboprop airplanes that fly between the islands can land on La Gomera’s airstrip. There is just one in-coming flight a day.

Wildlife not nightlife
Once you arrive on the island you realise that it is a peaceful retreat. The capital is still essentially an unspoilt fishing village. There are a few family restaurants but not much else. Nightlife is almost nil. Even the restaurants close up at 10p.m.

In fact it’s the natural beauty that visitors who do make it, come to see. Walking and trekking are the favourite pastimes for visitors to the island. There are numerous guides who will help you follow the best paths through age-old forests, high peaks, laurel covered ravines to black sand beaches.

In the centre and to the north of the island you’ll find the Garanjonay National Park. This protected area of laurel forest has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The park is named after two fated lovers, Gara and Jonay. Their story is similar to that of Romeo and Juliet in that the families disapproved and their lives ended just as tragically. The lovers jumped from the highest point to their deaths. You’ll find wooden statues of these lovers in the Park.

Just a drop in the Ocean
The island is almost circular and just 15 miles in diameter, so walking around the island on Canary Island cheap holidays is no sweat. Of course you can take the car if you want the easy life, but be aware that this hilly terrain has a number of hairpin bends to negotiate.

It’s also a mix of complete contrasts. At the heart of the island is a lush, green and dense forest with a jungle climate, whilst on the coast there are deep ravines, date palms and desert. Of course there’s the volcano which rises to about 5,000 ft above the sea and dominates much of the landscape. It is also the cause of the black sand beaches.

El Silbo, the Whistling Language
La Gomera was originally occupied by the Guanches and because of the hilly terrain, they developed a method of communication which would carry up and down the hillsides. It was a form of whistling known as El Silbo.

There are 6 basic sounds and when the winds are blowing in the right direction, this whistling language can carry as far as 3,000 metres. You can try it out like this:
• Put the middle knuckle of your middle finger (one hand) on the tip of your tongue
• Push it to the side of your mouth
• And whistle through the other side whilst cupping with your second hand

There’s obviously an art to it! As this language was dying out the government introduced it into the primary school curriculum. It is still rarely heard but you might come across a demonstration on your travels around the island.

Getting to La Gomera
Fly to Tenerife South and take a bus transfer to Los Cristianos to catch the ferry to San Sebastian. Remember to take your walking boots!