Coastal Canary Life · Van Life
Van Life in the Canaries
Wake up next to the sea, follow the sun, and explore a whole island in a week.
Honestly? Doing the Canaries in a van is one of the best ways to see them. You’re somewhere different every morning, the sun shows up basically all year, the distances are tiny, and the fuel is some of the cheapest you’ll find in Europe.
But let me be straight with you before you fall in love with the idea: it’s not a total free-for-all, and these islands aren’t kitted out for vans like mainland Spain is. So here’s the real lowdown — where you can actually sleep without trouble, where to fill up and empty the tanks, what fuel really works here, where to grab wifi — and then I’ll point you to the route for each island.
Your van life cheat sheet
The stuff you’ll actually need out there. Good news: the same rules and services work across every island, so learn it once and you’re set.
The one rule to remember Sleeping in your van is fine. “Camping” is not. Park up and sleep inside wherever normal parking’s allowed — no problem. But the second you pull out a chair, a table or an awning, it counts as camping and that’s when you get a fine. Keep it all inside, leave the spot exactly how you found it, and you’ll be welcome almost anywhere. The hard no: never sleep inside a national park (Teide, Timanfaya, Garajonay, Caldera de Taburiente). They check.
Where to sleep
Pull in wherever parking’s allowed and there’s no “no overnight” sign — that’s your spot. Plenty of coastal towns let you stay up to 72 hours in marked zones. The 2026 rules treat vans like any other vehicle, but here’s my tip: the little council sign on the lamppost always wins, so give it a read before you settle in.
Campsites & service areas
I’ll be honest — there aren’t many, and some islands barely have any. Your reliable service areas are Corralejo & El Cotillo (Fuerteventura), San Isidro & Los Realejos (Tenerife) and Tinajo & Tahíche (Lanzarote). For a proper campsite, go for Nauta (Arona) or Montaña Roja in Tenerife, or El Pinillo in Gran Canaria (around €15 a night). The good news: a new regional law is opening up more official 72h spots.
Fuel — and the gas question
Here’s a nice surprise: fuel is cheaper than the mainland (the islands pay a 7% local tax instead of VAT). Your van will run on diesel (or petrol), plus a butane/propane bottle for the kitchen. Rough prices right now:
| Fuel | ~ Price / litre |
|---|---|
| Diesel | €1.40 – 1.63 |
| Petrol 95 | €1.30 – 1.46 |
| LPG / autogas | €0.74 – 0.86 |
A heads-up: LPG/autogas exists but is rare, and methane/CNG you can basically forget — there’s nowhere to fill it for a camper.
Where to actually find LPG
If your van runs on autogas, plan ahead — there are only a handful of stations, and only on the bigger islands:
| Island | LPG stations |
|---|---|
| Gran Canaria | 14 |
| Tenerife | 10 |
| Lanzarote | 4 |
| Fuerteventura | 1 |
| La Palma / Gomera / Hierro / Graciosa | none |
Water & emptying tanks
Fill up with fresh water and dump your grey/black tanks at certain DISA / BP stations — usually just €1–3, sometimes free. Keep an eye out for the new S-128 sign that marks dump points. Solid spots to know in Tenerife: Taco (Santa Cruz), near El Médano, and close to Puerto de la Cruz.
Wifi & staying online
Free wifi lives in bars, cafés, shopping centres, libraries and a few town beaches (Las Canteras, Corralejo, Maspalomas). But if you’re working or just want to be reachable, do yourself a favour and grab a data eSIM — 4G/5G is great along the coast, but it drops off fast up in the mountains (Anaga, Teide, Garajonay).
Eating along the way
Do yourself a favour and skip the resort strips. What you want are the guachinches (rustic family kitchens, especially up in north Tenerife), the little fish places by the harbour, and the village bars. Cheaper, tastier, and exactly where the locals are actually eating.
Pharmacies & the basics
You’ll spot a farmacia (green cross) in every town, and the bigger ones take turns staying open 24h. For restocking: Mercadona, HiperDino, Lidl, Spar. Some service stations even have a laundry. And keep this one in your phone — emergencies across Spain: 112.
Apps to download first
Get these before you go: Park4Night for overnight spots and honest reviews, Campercontact for service areas, and iOverlander for water, dumps and wild spots. And grab your offline maps before you head into the hills — signal vanishes up there.
Now pick your island
Every island is its own road trip, with its own rhythm. I’m putting together a full route for each one — starting with the ones made for van life.
One thing: La Graciosa has no cars and no paved roads, so that one’s a ferry-and-bike island, not a van trip.
Sort the rest of your trip
A few things that make life on the road here a whole lot easier.
Heads-up: some links here are affiliate links — booking through them costs you nothing extra and helps keep Coastal Canary Life going. The campervan and eSIM partners are being set up right now, so hang tight.
A friendly reminder: rules, prices, fuel spots and overnight zones do change, and every council sets its own signs. Always check the signage in front of you and official sources before you settle in for the night — and never sleep inside a national park.
see you on the road ✦
