The Spanish island that feels more like Mars and flights are just £35

GRIPPING my surfboard tightly, I got ready to battle the wave heading my way.

But as the ocean swallowed me up and spat me out for the umpteenth time, I wondered why I didn’t just stay in the hotel’s adults-only pool.

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With its year-round waves, Tenerife is a haven for surfers — and I could see that my sister and brother-in-law were doing a lot better than me. They’d even managed to stand up.

It was all worth it, though. When I even­tually caught my first wave, a feeling of euphoria rushed over me as the sea whisked me at speed towards the shore.

I was so shocked at my success that I didn’t even try to stand up, much to the dismay of my instructor from Ika Ika Surf School.

A two-hour session costs 35 euros and takes place at Playa de las Americas.

Given the variety of sport on offer on the Spanish island, my partner and I couldn’t resist trying our hand at riding with Horse Riding Adventure Tenerife.

We trotted around the countryside taking in the views down to the sea.

A one-and-a-half-hour ride costs 35 euros.

We were staying at The Ramada Residences by Wyndham Tenerife Costa Adeje, which was the perfect place to relax.

The resort boasts a huge family pool with hot tub, as well as a peaceful adults-only pool, plus a restaurant and lovely rooftop bar.

Our two-bed apartment featured a huge terrace overlooking the seafront as well as a well-equipped kitchen, which meant we could keep catering costs to a minimum.

When we weren’t sipping cocktails at the bar, evenings were spent watching the sun set over the sea, while tucking into plates of home-cooked pasta.

For an exceptional sunset, head to Teide National Park, perched on the third- highest volcano in the world.

Travelling by night bus, we set off on a nine-hour excursion which would finish with a stargazing experience that truly dazzled us.

Our coach trundled up and up until we were 3,715 metres above sea level.

We made a couple of stops for people to acclimatise to the altitude, and then, eventually, we broke cloud cover to reveal a deep, blue sky.

Throughout the journey, our guide Jesper recalled tales of the Guanche people who inhabited the island before Europeans arrived.

They lived in caves while rearing animals and farming the volcanic land.

They thought the Teide volcano held up the sky — and when it erupted, they believed it was Guayota, a demon, trying to escape from his hell-like pit.

Guayota needed to be put back into the mouth of the volcano for the blackened sky to return to blue.

The volcano has lain dormant since its last eruption, in 1909, which I was grateful to learn as we reached its peak.

Big Dipper

It was hard to believe this volcanic island used to be even higher than it is, as I stared out across the sea of clouds below me.

But Jesper told us that an older and much taller volcano, Las Canadas, once stood here, but it crumbled in on itself following an eruption.

Before we got to watch the glorious sunset, we passed Roques de Garcia, where you can observe remains of volcanic activity over the years in the form of oddly shaped rock formations.

Walking up the trail surrounded by mighty rocks, I was reminded of just how small I really am.

The views across the plains and lava fields gave the impression that we had left this island in the Canaries and stumbled on to Mars.

We made our way to the northern side of the volcano for the sunset after a three-course meal at Papillon, the highest restaurant in the national park.

Standing at the edge, clutching a mint tea, I watched as the sun began its descent below the clouds.

It seemed to take a while to move down the horizon, but then in what seemed like seconds it dropped out of sight and the temperatures plummeted.

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That meant it was time for stargazing.

We all know the nursery rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but I had never actually seen the stars properly twinkle until that night.

Guide Jesper asked us where the North Star is.

Not a single one of us gave the right answer, so he pointed it out using a green laser.

He also showed us how to locate the star, also called Polaris, by using the Big Dipper constellation.

We then moved on to the zodiac constellations of Gemini and Taurus, plus Orion.

Despite the chill in the air, the evening felt magical.

Once we finished craning our necks at the sparkling sky, we were led to four telescopes so we could peer at Jupiter and nebulae invisible to the naked eye.

If the rocks had made me feel small before, the stars and planets made me feel even more minuscule.