Montaña Amarilla is a natural monument on the south coast of Tenerife, at Costa del Silencio in the municipality of San Miguel de Abona. Protected since 1994, it covers about 28 hectares around a volcanic cone whose yellow rock gives it its name, which means 'yellow mountain'. The area takes in rugged volcanic rock formations along the shore, a shifting sand dune and low scrub where kestrels hunt. It is known for the walk around the crater rim and for snorkelling off the rocks.
Montana Amarilla Natural Monument
Yellow volcanic cone on Tenerife's south coast, with a crater-rim walk and rock ledges above the sea.
- Entrance
- Free; there is no ticket.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible parking or entrance; the paths cross uneven volcanic rock, with loose stones on the steeper slopes.
- Parking
- The two nearest mapped car parks, about 720 m and 750 m away, are private; finding a space nearby is easy.
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate: ten minutes at most to the top for anyone in reasonable shape, but some slopes are steeper with loose stones, and walking poles help.
- Transport
- Buses from the Los Cristianos area; stops Jose Antonio Tavio (about 560 m) and Costa del Silencio (about 615 m).
- Advance booking
- No booking needed.
- Hours
- Open at all hours, every day.
- Address
- C de la Te, 2C, 38630 Costa del Silencio, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
What makes it special
The colour stops you first. The rock is a pale sulphur yellow, laid down in layers and worn by the sea into ledges and shelves, and it takes a moment to work out what you are looking at. Up close it feels like a patch of desert that happens to run straight into the Atlantic.
The climb to the top takes ten minutes at most for anyone in reasonable shape. From there you can walk the whole rim of the crater with the ocean below, then come down and circle the foot of the slopes. The water off the rocks is good for snorkelling, and the flat ledges make sunbathing spots; some people sunbathe nude. Kestrels hang over the scrub, and a shifting sand dune lies within the protected area.
Good to know
- No toilets and no drinking water at the monument or nearby. Bring water: the bare rock gives no shade.
- Some slopes are steeper, with loose stones underfoot. Walking poles help, and so do shoes with real grip.
- There is no easy way into the sea. Swimming and snorkelling start from slippery rock.
- Costa del Silencio has supermarkets, restaurants and cafés for supplies before or after the walk.
- Some sunbathers on the rocks go nude.
Getting there
Montaña Amarilla stands on the edge of Costa del Silencio, and buses run here from the Los Cristianos area. The nearest stops, Jose Antonio Tavio and Costa del Silencio, are about 560 m and 615 m away in a straight line, and the rest is on foot.
By car, the two nearest mapped car parks, roughly 720 m and 750 m away, are private; finding a space nearby is easy. Information boards stand within a few hundred metres of the cone, and from the base paths lead up to the crater rim and around the foot of the slopes.
Best time to visit
Best: early morning or late afternoon, on a day when the sea is calm.
Avoid: the middle of the day in summer, and days when swell is breaking on the rocks.
The bare rock has no shade and the site no water, the low sun warms the yellow of the cone, and getting in and out of the sea from slippery rock is only sensible when the water is quiet.
Sun & daylight
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Montana Amarilla Natural Monument on the map
Getting into the sea means slippery rock where Atlantic swell breaks, so swim only when the water is calm and never turn your back on the waves. The steeper slopes carry loose stones: wear shoes with grip.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you swim at Montaña Amarilla?
Yes, and the water off the rocks is good for snorkelling, but there is no easy entry: you get in and out from slippery rock. Go in only when the sea is calm.How long does it take to walk to the top?
Ten minutes at most for anyone in reasonable shape. Some slopes are steeper with loose stones. From the top you can walk around the crater rim, and another loop circles the foot of the cone.Can you get to Montaña Amarilla by bus?
Yes. Buses run from the Los Cristianos area, and the nearest stops, Jose Antonio Tavio and Costa del Silencio, are about 560 m and 615 m away.Are there toilets or anywhere to buy water?
There are no toilets and no drinking water at the monument or nearby. Costa del Silencio has supermarkets, restaurants and cafés, so stock up there first.