Insider tip Tenerife: the banana plantations

Insider tip Tenerife: banana plantations

Our insider tip for Tenerife: Holidays away from the tourist strongholds near the banana plantations. How do bananas grow Tenerife? Tenerife bananas are smaller than the ones we know from the supermarket! There are bananas on terraces. Bananas also grow on mountainsides. Bananas in fields sloping towards the sea. The banana plantations on Tenerife can be found in all sorts of locations in the southwest of the island. With a view of mountains. Clinging to slopes or fields that flatten out towards the sea.

There they stretch their leaf fronds towards the sun like tin soldiers. It's been a few years since we were in Tenerife, but we still remember the banana fields between Los Cristianos and Los Gigantes. You impressed us. Especially because some farmers grow their perennials on terrain that is so impassable that it is still a mystery to us how they can harvest the banana bunches there. After all, they weigh up to 50 kg.

 

 

 

Banana cultivation in Tenerife Banana plantations

There are many banana plantations on Tenerife where the delicious fruits are grown. The banana trees are usually planted in special banana plantations and require a lot of care and attention to grow optimally. Due to the mild climate and fertile soil, Tenerife is a perfect place to grow bananas. Banana cultivation is an important source of income on Tenerife and many families make a living from this tradition. If you visit Tenerife you should definitely try the bananas and visit a banana plantation to see how the fruit is grown.

 

 

Where do bananas grow in Tenerife?

How do bananas grow in Tenerife? We mainly saw the plantations in the south, but also in the north of Tenerife they grow the plants. Bananas are delicate. Therefore, they are often covered with tarpaulins to protect them from the winds and the sun. Tenerife's bananas are smaller and sweeter than the bananas we buy at the grocery store. 90% of the annual harvest is sold to Europe. Thus, the value of bananas for the economy of the island is very high.

 

 

The banana harvest in Tenerife

If you visit Tenerife in summer, you have the chance to experience the banana harvest on the island first hand. Harvest time is an exciting time because this is when the sweet and juicy bananas are harvested by hand. Harvesting is hard work and requires a lot of skill and experience. The harvesters move carefully between the tall banana plants and pick the fruit. Bananas are packed in special boxes and taken to the processing plant, where they are washed and sorted. Some of the bananas are sold on the island, while others are exported and available in many European countries. Banana harvesting is an important tradition and an important industry in Tenerife. If you have the opportunity to visit a banana plantation, be sure to take advantage of it to learn more about banana cultivation and the island's way of life.

 

 

Why do they harvest bananas in Tenerife when they are still green?

The island's bananas taste best when you eat them shortly after they are harvested. You won't harvest a ripe banana. Bananas are still green when you cut them. They are then left to lie until their shell has taken on an even, yellow color. This is the reason why bananas can now be transported even to regions that are far away. There they are delivered fresh to the end customer despite the long trade routes. On board the ships the growth of the fruit is slowed down. This is done by storing them at 13,2 degrees. The temperature is only increased again in the banana ripening factories in the destination destinations. This starts the travel process of the bananas again. To support this, the fruits are injected with ethylene, a gas that the fruit itself produces.

 

 

What do they do with bananas in Tenerife?

Only ten percent of the banana harvest stays in Tenerife. Here they are processed into banana liqueur, among other things. Banana cake is often sold in the island's cafes. The small, squat bananas can also be bought in supermarkets. You should definitely try these once. They taste completely different to the ones we know from local supermarkets. Much more intense and sweeter! By the way, it's also worth taking a look at Tenerife's kitchens. Here you can find out more about what to eat in Tenerife.

 

 

Our insider tip for Tenerife: the views of banana plantations in Tenerife.

 

 

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Travel Arrangements

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival to the Tenerife banana plantations

For example, book your arrival by flight here*. There is an airport in the north and in the south of the island.

Rental car to the banana plantations on Tenerife:

Cheap Car Hire - Book Fast and Easy! *

Hotels in Tenerife

If this article makes you want to visit these plantations, then booking.com offers an extensive selection of hotels in the region *.

 

 

 

The outdoor activities are also interesting on Tenerifethat Paulina put together. Check it out.

 

 

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Source banana plantations on Tenerife: own research on site. In any case, our opinion remains our own.

Text insider tip Tenerife banana plantations: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline