The Atlantic island of Tenerife draws visitors in droves each year thanks to its vibrant nightlife scene, with events like the Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife serving as a popular event for lifelong locals and first-time visitors alike—but there’s a fascinating world to be discovered beyond the island’s shores as well. All throughout the year, Tenerife offers a diverse array of fauna for visiting wildlife aficionados to discover, with whale watches taking place all along its southern coast. Though the island may not boast the turquoise waters found across regions like the Caribbean, it certainly makes up for it with its impressive roster of oceanic fauna both large and small.

For a close-up look at Tenerife’s aquatic wildlife, visitors can choose from multiple different ports, with destinations like Los Cristianos and Puerto Colón both offering their fair share of wildlife experiences alongside lavish resorts and high-end restaurants. During a typical excursion, guests can spot common, bottlenose and rough-toothed dolphins surging through the surf, while smaller cetacean species span from the false killer whale—a social animal that’s known for forming huge pods—to the short-finned pilot whale, a warm-water mammal that uses echolocation to hunt for squid deep beneath the surface of the ocean.

Alongside these species, visitors may have an opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of the largest organisms to ever call earth home, with the fin whale being a particular highlight for those fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of one during a tour. While this titan clocks in as the second-longest extant whale on the planet, the longest of them all—the blue whale—can also be spotted by extraordinarily lucky voyagers. And beyond baleen whales, the sperm whale is another king-sized species that may make an appearance for guests. Known for their ability to dive to incredible depths in search of giant squid, these toothed whales are typically spotted during the springtime.

And of course, it’s not just cetaceans that thrive in the waters surrounding Tenerife. Passengers might catch a glimpse of a sea turtle bobbing along the ocean’s surface as it catches its breath, while fish species range from the Atlantic bluefin tuna to the barracuda, a formidable species that’s equipped with needle-sharp teeth and the ability to move at incredibly high speeds. And for birdwatchers in particular, the island plays host to all sorts of marvelous seabirds, inviting species like the European storm petrel, Barolo shearwater and Bulwer’s petrel to hunt along its waters.

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Long renowned for its vibrant culture and culinary contributions ranging from mojo verde to papas arrugadas, Tenerife has made a name for itself within the realm of both gastronomy and nightlife—and this scenic island is no slouch when it comes to ecotourism, either. Although it may be lacking in mainland Spanish species like the brown bear and Iberian lynx, Tenerife more than makes up for it with its rich bounty of aquatic species, harboring colossal whales and curious dolphins swimming side-by-side. As you plan your next journey to the shores of Tenerife, be sure to save some room on the itinerary for a deep dive into the wide world of Canarian fauna.