Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands (Islas Canarias)

Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands, a part of Spain, that lies 60 miles off the coast of Morocco. Like the other Canaries, it's a volcanic island, with extinct volcanoes and cinder cones dotting the landscape in every direction. Like the nearby Sahara desert, the sun shines almost every day of the year here.

Fuerteventura boasts some of the best beaches in all Europe. Long stretches of fine white sand embrace the coastline. Crystal clear aqua water laps it's shores. The dry, mild climate makes Fuerteventura an ideal destination anytime of the year. Constant winds, and the surrounding sea act to moderate temperatures. Water temperatures vary from about 65-80 F. depending upon season.

What to See & Do on Fuerteventura

Beaches

Everyone visiting Fuerteventura come for its world famous beaches. You won't be disappointed as they are fabulous. Clean, fine white sand stretching for miles, along with clear, turquoise seas that will tempt you to linger all day at the beach. But beware of the sun! The constant breezes that keep you cool, even on the hottest days, will lull you into thinking you're not getting a sunburn. Wrong! Unless you've already got a good tan, you must use sunscreen with at least a 15 rating, especially at first. Make sure you get every inch of exposed flesh evenly covered. If you're going nude don't forget your butt and privates too. A beach umbrella is a wise investment if you plan to spend most of the day on the beach.

Nudism: Ah yes, nude sunbathing is very popular on Fuerteventura. You might even say legendary. Fuerteventura is a naturist paradise. You can go nude just about anywhere on the island, but it’s good to avoid the most crowded spots, usually in front of hotels with lots of children and parents (unless they’re nude too!). Just walk down the beach a hundred meters or so away from the crowds, and it’s cool. Women can go topless anywhere. This includes poolside at your hotel. It’s completely normal for the sophisticated European crowd that visits Fuerteventura

You'll notice rock circles about three to five feet high on many of the beaches. These are wind shelters where you can escape the ever present breeze, and get a little more privacy too. Some of these have been "improved" by visitors with driftwood benches and ledges, giving them an almost homey feel.

Shopping

Fuerteventura is a great duty-free place to shop. Whether you're looking for beach items, resort wear, electronics, or booze, you'll find great selection and values. Cheap beachwear from t-shirts to sandals to towels are available everywhere. The quality of those items might not be the best, but who's going to quibble over a 3 euro t-shirt?

Electronic items from top of the line digital cameras to tiny mp3 players, can be found at very reasonable prices. The only catch is you'll probably have to bargain a bit to get a good deal. It's all part of the game, and it's all very friendly. The island's electronic stores are owned by Indian merchants who will first test you to see if you know the prices. Since no prices are on display, you might want to try a few stores and see how low they'll go before you make your purchase. They all seem to have pretty much the same items, more or less. Be firm on what you want otherwise they will try to steer you to an inferior, no name item with a big markup.

Like Spain, wine and spirits are excellent value. A good bottle of Spanish wine runs around 4 euros, while a whole liter of excellent 10 year old Spanish brandy can be had for around 13 euros. Even the duty free shops in the airport offer similar bargains to the supermarkets. However you are still limited by customs restrictions when returning to the EU or other countries. (EU limit is one liter of spirits and two bottles of wine). But there's nothing to stop you from chugging down all you can while you're on the island.

Jewelry & perfume shops abound too, but you should know what you're buying first. Most resort towns on Fuerteventura feature a market once or twice a week. Here you can find some bargains, but again you must haggle a bit. African art, mostly wood carvings are featured at these markets. The African vendors seem somewhat aggressive, but they're actually pretty mellow and friendly.