Charco Los Chochos, the natural pool in Los Silos (Tenerife): how to get there, tides and tips

If there's one thing I love about the north of Tenerife, it's the charcos: natural rock pools where the sea comes in just enough for a calm swim while, right behind you, the waves crash against the rock.

Today I'm taking you to a small one with bags of charm: the Charco de los Chochos, also known simply as Charco Los Chochos, in Los Silos, in the heart of the Isla Baja. Coming along?

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What Charco de los Chochos is and what it's like

It's a small, beautiful pool, one of those half natural, half built ones: a wall of volcanic rock separates it from the open sea, so inside the water stays calm and clear while outside the waves crash in. It must be about twenty metres long. You get in down a short flight of steps with a handrail and, in and around the pool, there are a few flat platforms where you can leave your towel and sunbathe.

The atmosphere is very local: families from the village, people who have spent every summer of their lives here. When you're here, the world seems to stop. You forget the stress of the week, your phone, the rush… Without a doubt, one of the best therapies I know.

On clear days you can see the La Culata cliffs and even Mount Teide from the pool.

The swim

The pool isn't deep. According to Tenerife's official tourism website, the deepest part is about two metres. When the sea is calm it's a lovely swim, with clear, cool water and no waves.

The tide: you can swim at high tide or at low tide, but we like it best at low or mid tide. The water tends to be calmer and you have a bit more room around you to leave your things. Before you go, I'd check the tide table and, above all, the sea conditions. It costs nothing, and it saves you turning up to find the sea too rough.

And something I'd recommend bringing, especially for the little ones, is a pair of water shoes. The volcanic rock is sharp and slippery, and there are spots where getting in and out is a bit awkward. With good water shoes you'll be far more comfortable.

Charco de los Chochos with kids

Our daughters love this pool. Because it isn't deep, they have a great time and we can relax. That said, with little ones who can't swim well yet, I'd only go when the sea is calm, and with an adult right beside them in the water. Remember there's no lifeguard and that wet rocks are slippery.

There's no shade at Charco Los Chochos, so bring a parasol, water and something to eat, because at the pool itself there's nothing but a small kiosk about five minutes' walk away.

What's nearby: the Los Silos whale, Playa de Sibora and the Boreal kiosk

A few minutes' walk away is the skeleton of a sei whale, the famous Los Silos whale. More than sixteen metres of bones mounted along the Charco de la Araña promenade, part of a town-council project called Esculturas de la naturaleza (Sculptures of Nature) that pays tribute to the whales and dolphins of the Canaries. It's seriously impressive up close. If you're with little ones, don't miss it; I'm sure they'll love it.

That whale gave its name to the Festival Boreal, held in Los Silos every September since 2008, with music, accessibility and sustainability as its hallmarks.

The Los Silos whale is just bones, but if it leaves you wanting to see living whales and dolphins, Tenerife is one of the best places in Europe to do it: pilot whales and dolphins live off the south-west coast all year round. We've done it several times and tell you all about it in our post on whale and dolphin watching by catamaran.

Right next to the pool, before you reach the whale, is Playa de Sibora, a little beach of black sand and pebbles where you can have another dip or let the kids play for a while, best at low tide. And for a drink, the only thing there is a small kiosk, also called Boreal.

Other natural pools in Los Silos (and Garachico's)

Los Chochos isn't the only rock pool you'll find around here. Charco de la Araña, next to the municipal pools and the whale promenade, is probably the easiest to visit.

If you keep walking along the coast you'll reach Charco de Don Gabino, a bit more out of the way and quieter, precisely because you have to walk a little further to get there.

And if you follow the coast road towards La Caleta de Interián you come to Playa de Agua Dulce, pebbles on the outside and black sand underneath, which hosts a surf festival every September.

And if what you're after are the most famous natural pools of the Isla Baja, those are Garachico's, El Caletón. They're ten minutes away by car, bigger and better known, but far busier.

If you'd like to visit Garachico, there's a free walking tour of Garachico that's a good way to discover this lovely town in the north of Tenerife.

How to get to Charco de los Chochos, where to park and when to go

By car: from the TF-42 you drive into Los Silos and head down the El Puertito road towards the coast. The pool is in the Sibora area, at the end of the promenade (here it is on Google Maps). My advice: park in the free area next to the Boreal kiosk and walk along the seafront for a few minutes to the steps.

You can also leave the car at the Puertito de Los Silos and follow the little coastal path along the Sibora; it's about five minutes.

By bus: Titsa's route 363 links Puerto de la Cruz, Icod de los Vinos, Garachico, Los Silos and Buenavista del Norte. Bear in mind the bus drops you in the village, and you'll have to walk a couple of kilometres down to the coast. Downhill on the way there, uphill on the way back.

If you're without a car and don't want to rely on the bus, you have two options: hire a car for a few days (for the Isla Baja it's by far the easiest) or join an organised day trip that takes in Teide, Icod, Garachico and Masca in one day, with pick-ups in both the north and the south.

It's free, there are no opening hours and nobody controls access. The best time is when the sea is calm and, if possible, at low or mid tide. In summer, the earlier you go, the fewer people.

Is Charco de los Chochos worth it? Our verdict

Yes, without a doubt. It's a small, beautiful pool with bags of charm. Driving up from the south of the island just to visit Charco Los Chochos, I wouldn't do it. But if you're doing a route around the Isla Baja (Garachico, Los Silos, Buenavista del Norte and, if you fancy it, Punta de Teno), it's a fabulous stop for a quick dip, a look at the whale and the little beach, and then on with your route.

Who isn't it for? Anyone after facilities, shade or a sandy beach.