La Gomera
Here is an oasis of quiet in stunning natural surroundings. There is no mass tourism here, and certainly no high-rise buildings. Instead, there are small villages with friendly inhabitants, potters, fishermen and banana growers. Beautiful views of the ocean, terraced hillsides, mountains and ravines cutting through them. At the centre of the island is an ancient, foggy rainforest. La Gomera is a magical island, perfect for hiking.
Here is an oasis of quiet in stunning natural surroundings. There is no mass tourism here, and certainly no high-rise buildings. Instead, there are small villages with friendly inhabitants, potters, fishermen and banana growers. Beautiful views of the ocean, terraced hillsides, mountains and ravines cutting through them. At the centre of the island is an ancient, foggy rainforest. La Gomera is a magical island, perfect for hiking.
La Gomera's star attraction is the rare laurel forest that dominates the upper levels of the island. Fossils show that many of the species contained in this mist-enveloped jungle, known as "laurisilva", were thriving millions of years ago. These great forests disappeared from the European mainland beneath the inexorable push of ice-age glaciers. The one on La Gomera offers a tantalising glimpse of how much of mainland Europe once looked.
As well as the flora, the island's main delight is the sheer beauty of the walking and diving. Much of it is up and down, but the thrill of rounding a corner or cresting a ridge to see a new range of burnished coppers or emerald greens can be an exhilarating experience.
