La Gomera is part of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and is only 29 km (18 miles) away from Tenerife's west coast. It is the smallest island in the group, with land area of 378 square km (146 square miles) and its northern shore demonstrates a volcanic past with unique basalt columns that were created as lava pipes that slowly cooled and contracted at the same time.
Approaching La Gomera
We first climb (actually drive up) about 1.2 km (4000 feet) to an overlook.
Looking out, Tenerife in the distance
Looking inland
We next visit the Garajonay National Park museum to view the history of the Canary Islands and of La Gomera and views of its structure and fauna. The national park was created in 1981 to protect the best examples of the Canarian Laurisilva (laurel forest) within a 3.986 hectare (9.84 acre) park. The Canarian Laurisilva are a wide variety of subtropical evergreen trees that require high humidity and mild temperatures that can only be found in these forests.
Canary Islands
La Gomera
One interesting note is that the majority of the islands are underwater. Tenerife is the third largest volcanic edifice in the world, more than 7,000 meters (4.3 miles) high, with about 3,600 (2.2 miles) of it submerged. Ninety percent of La Gomera is under water - we are in the 10% that has emerged.
Islands mostly under the sea
The museum offers a walkway up to a view point with an expansive overlook across the park to the sea..
Views across the park
Wine press
Local fauna
From the national park museum we drive to a local park to view more of the forest and how the locals relax and play.
Laurel forests
Walkway through the forest to the park
Small, local park
Bay leaves growing wild along the path
View on descent
