Hi Minxy, We own an apartment in Los Cristianos and always hire a car. It takes a little getting used to, driving on the right hand side but once you have mastered that it's not too bad. The only thing i will say is that they don't know how to use roundabouts like we do. Basically it doesn't matter which exit you are coming off on the roundabout always get in the outside lane and keep going round until you want to come off. If you get on the inside like we do over here you will be there forever just going round and round coz they won't let you off, quite comical really.
Hope this helps a little bit.

I've never had any problems, driven to Loro Parque many times from PDLA, normally takes about an hour and a half to get there. The locals tend to tailgate you on the TF, so just let them past as soon as you can and use your mirrors all the time.

The Canarian drivers maybe a little madder than the Brits but they are a lot more forgiving, there seem to be very few instances of road rage, if you make a wrong move they simply swerve around you & carry on.
As for the roundabouts, I agree they don't know how to use them. I use them just like home though & just indicate that I am turning off & then cut across the jerk in the outside lane, they always let you across (so far anyway).
We drove back from the Loro Parque last month & it took us an hour.
As for car hire we use http://www.recordrentacar.com

Thanks for that everyone, some really useful tips there, will remember the roundabout advice! Thanks for the website link Nigel, I'll forgive you for your earlier Specsavers remark. x

It can be a bit daunting at first getting used to driving on the right but after ten minutes or so you should be fine. We always hire a car and i'd recommend one with a decent size engine if you are going to venture out into the hills and air-con is a defo.

why has it ???? air con out?

Is this a posh forum and we have to type in air-conditioning, i am in work and i need to abbreviate to be quick!!!!

i hired a car around 15 years ago (last time i was there) i found gauging the kerbside a bit odd, but soon mastered the roads, by the end of my stay i was wizzing pass all the newcommers mubbling "dam tourists" lol

The first time we hired a car in Tenerife was 15 years ago when we had accommodation in Puerto de la Cruz and I decided to try the "scenic route" via Teide rather than use the motorway. With a combination of a luggage-loaded car, hairpin bends, steep drops and the fact that I could still see the airport after half an hour, I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of choosing that route however it was well worth it once we got into the crater and the views were spectacular both on the way up and on the way down to Puerto de la Cruz.
Any subsequent journeys were a piece of cake and as we stayed in Los Gigantes for a few years, cheaper than the return taxi fares. I have driven on virtually every road on the island and can recommend a trip to the north (reminds me of Wales, very different to the sun-baked South) perhaps with lunch at San Andreas near the golden sands of Las Teresistas. The road from near Guia de Isadora up to Mount Teide is an easy drive with spectacular views also the spinal road to La Laguna has very good views when the weather is clear. I would advise you to acquire a good map and get away from the main tourist centres and enjoy the experience and the changing scenery, the roads are quiet and the road signs informative, if it says 40kph there's a very good reason for it!
As Little Legs says, judging the distance to the kerb when parking is a little difficult at first, especially in a tight spot but you get used to it eventually. I have found this company very competitive and efficient in the past:

http://www.email-car-hire.com

but Travelsupermarket is quick and easy to use and worth a look too

http://www.travelsupermarket.com/travelmerge/travelsearch.aspx?package=6

This company have good prices, especially on family size vehicles.

http://www.autoreisen.es/

In Playa Americas and Airport car hire from ORCAR is cheap and good vehicles.
Do not forget to take both parts of your d/Licence, if a photo card type, they want to see the green part as well.
Be careful where you park, they will tow you away.
Sorry for going on, don't want you to ruin your holiday.
Have a great time

Thanks for all your advice on driving, we got back from Tenerife on Thursday and although we booked a hire car with Orcar we chickened out of driving and used the buses instead. After getting in the taxi at the airport and being driven well over the speed limit to our hotel we decided against driving afterall, maybe next time?

We flew back on Saturday, we hired a car as usual, not a lot has changed on the roads in the time we have been away. I still enjoy driving there and other than the motorway, I find it relaxing, especially the drive up to Teide. Stunning scenery but parking is a nightmare by the cable car. We drove from Teide to Los Gigantes and back along the coast, lovely day out.
We saw two cars being towed away from Puerto Colon Marina, it's a daily occurrence we were told.
I hired a car from Autoreisen and were upgraded to a Focus, no complaints, all inclusive, quick and efficient for an excellent price.

Don't think the OP said they hadn't driven abroad, or not. As you go onto the motorway from the airport its quite useful for breaking in the new driver (time to get used to the controls - my first time driving abroad many years ago included driving from the airport and for the first couple of hours I was using the wing mirror as a rear view and hiting the door each time I wanted to change gear :D).

Onto Tenerife. The motorway & main roads are fine, though many drivers will go round you if you dally too much (esp at junctions when you're trying to decide which is right direction). The little roads on the map can actually be quite uneven, and sometime narrow - which can be a bit daunting if its your first time driving up into the hills.

I can never work out what the traffic light colours mean! Best I get learning BEFORE I drive there!

Hi,

Green means GO!!!!
Red means, GO FASTER!!!!!!!

Cheers A1 xxx

Never mind driving, its more dangerous being a pedestrian.
Don't assume that just because someone actually stops at a zebra for you that you can cross - the driver of the 2nd car often overtakes the one thats stopped for you!!

Do you know,I totally agree with you Vivien-Marie. I was crossing at the zebra crossing,at the Parque Santiago supermarket in June and EXACTLY what you've just described happened..I've never been so close to being hit by a car in my life...missed me by inches.

Just back from two weeks hassle free driving in Tenerife Must admit i didn't do much of it myself though.

lol just drive like a local..my hubby does...but be careful of roundabouts

Sorry don't mean to be flippant...just the truth as I see it...You'll be ok and stay safe.

Regards
Ann

Just returned rom hols, we hired a car for a few days and found it hassle free too. We drove up to PDL Cruz and went to Loro Parque, had a fabulous drive up Teide and manged to go up in the cable car as only 10 minute queues - breathtaking, literally!, drove through Orotava valley (forgot how beautiful this is) to Garachico (gorgeous little place) then drove up to Masca. The road up from Garachico towards Los Gigantes is great fun!!!! We also visited Masca again - see earlier posts regarding this. Tenerife really is a beautiful and diverse island, get a car and go discover it for yourself.

Only probs we had was on the road back from Santa Cruz to PDLA, there had been an accident that blocked the road so we had to sit there for over an hour until it was cleared and we were starving