CRUZ DEL CARMEN , only 9km from La Laguna is a good gateway to the region and easily accessed by those relying on the bus service. Though there's not much here, save a viewpoint, a visitors' centre, a bus stop (#75, #76 or #77 run from La Laguna) and a restaurant, there is a good hike (2-3hr) that begins from here - with excellent views from the outset - and leads north past the village of Las Carboneras 2km away, to the hamlet of Chinamada, a kilometre beyond.

 

CHINAMADA is known for its houses built around natural caves in the rock, but there's little to see here. More spectacular are the views from the Mirador Aguaide just beyond the village (accessed via a track off the town's plaza). From here there are dizzying views down the cliffs to the ocean and across to Punta del Hidalgo. A track branching off the path to the viewpoint heads down to Punta del Hidalgo and if you are using the bus service, you might consider heading down to the town on a steep three-hour hike taking a bus back from there (#105) to Santa Cruz. If this sounds tempting consider doing the trek the other way around - starting from Punta del Hidalgo and hiking to Cruz del Carmen (approx. 5hr) - since this will be a more rewarding climb and will give you a wider choice of bus services back to your base. For those travelling by car, it's better to retrace your steps, though it's worth deviating slightly by taking the quiet road from Chinamada to Las Carboneras before either heading back to Cruz del Carmen the way you came, or extending the hike to Taborno , the village on the opposite side of the valley, from where you can walk around the imposing volcanic rock monolith the Roque de Taborno . This adds around another two to three hours to the hike.