César Manrique was a hero in Lanzarote, a local visionary artist and architect, who worked closely with local authorities throughout the late 20th century to prevent his homeland from resort ruination, and whose many architectural masterpieces built into lava you can visit. Indeed, to visit Lanzarote without understanding Manrique is like doing Barcelona without Gaudí. Manrique’s statue ‘El Diablo’ is the symbol of Lanzarote’s Timanfaya National Park, overlooking all the Canary Islands as if to remind us that we need to keep the badness at bay. And these vulnerable volcanic gems do still have their demons when it comes to responsible tourism.

Water is a big issue on the Canary Islands, although when you look at the proliferation of well watered golf courses and resorts overflowing with swimming pools you would be forgiven for thinking that all is well. Which is an unfortunate pun, because when it comes to water, all is not well. Due to their remote nature, ecosystems and volcanic geology, the islands’ life giving resources have to be very carefully monitored. The islands source their water in two ways: in general, the western ones source theirs from ground water, and the eastern ones through desalination of sea water. So, when you see a sign asking you to be really careful about water usage, they mean it. We can enjoy these all year round gorgeous temperatures, but the impacts on water resources can be serious.

What you can do
All common sense, really. Don’t shower three times a day, don’t insist on your bed linen and towels being washed all the time, don’t leave the tap running when you brush your teeth, and seek out places to stay that are environmentally aware, with smaller pools and an ethos that encourages you to use the much bigger, natural pool nearby: the Atlantic.

At Responsible Travel, we do not support keeping whales or dolphins in captivity. Tenerife has one prolific dolphinarium, with performing dolphins, sea lions, and even six orcas. The most recent orca to be brought to this water park, Loro Parque, is Morgan, in 2011, despite worldwide appeals from leading conservationists such as the WWF. These mammoth mammals, used to perform tricks for our entertainment, are social creatures that are always on the move, and so in our opinion, being cooped up in tanks, away from their mothers or social group is not only cruel, but extremely harmful. Many tourists are now becoming aware of the impacts, and indeed some holiday companies are removing the park from excursion lists. And we encourage our responsible travellers to do the same.

What you can do
Go see whales in the wild instead, which you can actually do in the Canary Islands, particularly off La Gomera between March and November. For more information on our stance on orcas in captivity, and on where to see these marine mammals in the wild, take a look at our Dolphin watching guide and our Whale watching guide.

You can also read more about our campaign to stop the orca circus, and sign our petition here.

With the proliferation of all-inclusive resorts on the Canary Islands, most of which direct tourists away from local activities, local culture and most definitely the local economy, it is easy to forget that there is a wealth of Canarian culture on the islands, all different, and all fascinating. Seek and you will find, however. You can buy Europe’s only home grown coffee on Gran Canaria, for example, where in the Valle de Agaete coffee has been grown since the 18th century. On this island, there is a general revival of the Canarii culture as well, one that goes back to the Berber people who predate the Spanish, who conquered the islands in the 15th century. Indeed, it is thought that the Berber people came here as long ago as 1000BC. Or long Before Charters. Check out the caves on Gran Canaria, once home to many of the Berber people, many of which are now being restored. Cenobio de Valerón on Gran Canaria is a fine example of these ancient lifestyles.

On the other islands, the original Berber inhabitants are referred to as guanches, and although it is thought that most people with Berber roots are actually now a mix of Berber and Spanish, the ancient traditions live on. On La Gomera, you can still hear Silbo being used, the whistling language that enabled messages to be sent, literally, across the wind, from one valley to another. Fiestas such as Fiesta de Charco, on Gran Canaria every September, when over 15,000 people dive into La Marciega lagoon to catch as many fish as they can with their hands, are a sight to behold. Or Fiesta de la Rama in Agaete, an ancient tradition of local people heading to the Atlantic from the inland peaks or Tamadaba Natural Park in August, to beat the waters with palm branches as an act of prayer for rain. Although these days, the branches are offered to the Virgin Mary instead of the traditional rain dance. Given the lack of water issues on the islands, some might think that the original version might be more appropriate.

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Photo credits: [El Diablo - Timanfaya NP: Paul Stephenson] [Loro Parque: bea & txema] [Local traditions: Jose Mesa]