La Gomera — Overview

About La Gomera

La Gomera is the second-smallest of the main Canary Islands, covering 369 km² with a population of approximately 22,000 inhabitants. The capital is San Sebastián de La Gomera. The entire island was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2012.

The island is dominated by Garajonay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, covering approximately 40 km² (about 11% of the island's area). The park protects one of the best-preserved examples of laurisilva (laurel forest), a type of subtropical forest that once covered much of Europe during the Tertiary period. The forest is typically shrouded in mist from the trade winds, creating a unique and mystical ecosystem with trees covered in moss and lichen.

The highest point is Alto de Garajonay at 1,487 metres. The island's geography is characterised by deep ravines (barrancos) radiating from the central highlands to the coast, creating one of the most dramatic terrains in the Canary Islands.

La Gomera is famous for Silbo Gomero, a unique whistled language used by the island's inhabitants to communicate across deep ravines. It was declared a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2009 and is taught in schools on the island.

The island has no international airport. Access is primarily by ferry from Tenerife (Los Cristianos) to San Sebastián de La Gomera. There is a small domestic airport near Playa Santiago serving inter-island flights to Tenerife and Gran Canaria.