Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands (Islas Canarias)
Places to Visit in Fuerteventura
Corralejo
At the north tip of the island is the picturesque town of Corralejo. A rather laid-back port town it's noted for the ferry connections to nearby Lanzarote and Lobos islands. It's also a great place to shop, people watch and dine. There's a mile long stretch of shops on one street ending at the old port town with narrow alleys, restaurants and bars everyway you turn. In the evening there is live music scattered around at various restaurants & bars & clubs.
The Café Latino has a nice view of the bay, cheap eats, friendly service and DSL Internet access for the best price I found (3 Euros per hour). Along the bay are a string of restaurants and a couple of fine white sand beaches, very safe for children. You can also rent windsurfing gear right next to the Waikiki Restaurant, which serves up a very good fish lunch including a glass of Sangria for 5.20 Euros.
There are a number of supermarkets in Corralejo, so it's a good place to get beach supplies & groceries. There's an open market twice a week, on Monday and Thursday, which has mostly tourist stuff - T-shirts, shorts, towels, African art, and not a whole lot more, but it's a nice hour's browse
But the real reason for visiting or staying in Corralejo are the long streches of beach perfection just outside of town. Huge dunes of fine sand blown over from the Sahara Desert form what is now a nature reserve that includes a number of superb, uncrowded beaches. Like a magnet, these white sands draw sunworshippers from all over Europe including windsurfers, kite-sailors, and especially nudists. The water here is excellent. It's clean, clear and a beautiful turquoise color. There are rock outcrops along the shore which are good for tidepool exploration and snorkeling. There are lots of colorful fish, and even along the water's edge you'll encounter schools of small silver fish swimming around your feet.
All along the beaches you'll find meter high rock circles, which make good shelters from the constant trade wind coming from the north. Here people camp for the day, using the shelters for a bit of privacy as well as wind break. Public access to these beaches is thru the dunes. Be very careful on the stretch of road along the beach leading to Corralejo. The sandy shoulders will trap most vehicles quite easily. Only pull off where you see others have without burying their wheels in sand.
You can also park in the lot of the only Hotel along the beach, the RIU Palace Tres Islas, where access to the beach is much closer. It saves you a long trudge thru the slippery dunes and getting your car stuck. There is no sign for the hotel, but you can't miss it, as it's a huge building on the beach. There's actually two RIU hotels at this location, but one is closed at the moment.
Although most of the beach is very safe for bathing, do watch the flags on the beach for bathing conditions. Don't swim where there are red flags! Conditions can change during the day. Also no matter what your skin color, use high SPF sunscreen!
Jandia and Morro Jable
At the southern tip of Fuerteventura lies another resort named alternately Jandia and Morro Jable. Jandia is the larger region that comprises the long peninsula in the south of the island, whereas Morro Jable is the municipality including the old town. The beautiful beach that extends down the peninsula for miles is called Jandia Beach. Today the area around Morro Jable is a very developed part of the island. There's even a new mall opening soon. This area has been popular with German tourists for a few decades, predating the other tourist areas. I noticed a lot of young people here, unlike other sections of the island where the majority of tourists are older folks.
This area is full of restaurants, hotels and self-catering apartments. The beach is a long wide stretch of white sand that goes for many kilometers north. At the south end of town there's a cliff you can walk up with outstanding views of the beach & surrounding town. Morro Jable is a bit more upscale than Corralejo, and it's developed more like the mainland Spanish coast with wall-to-wall hotels, but lowrise only. Also I noticed there was no nudity in the more crowded section of beach as you get closer to the old town. More families with children here.
Caleta de Fustes
This recent development includes a large waterfront complex with self-catering apartments, lots of shops, restaurants, bars and a small marina. You'll also find here the Atlantico Shopping Centre which includes an eight screen cinema, a hypermarket, even a bowling alley. This area is more popular with English tourists. You can find DSL Internet access here at Ciao Ciao Italia Café seven days a week.
Across the main highway is the residential development of Caleta de Fustes. Most of the resorts, apartments and villas are a fair distance from Caleta's waterfront, so a car is very helpful if you stay here. Some of the best deals on self-catering apartments or villas can be found in this area. However the distance from good beaches is the main drawback.
El Cotillo
This tiny fishing village on the northwest coast of Fuerteventura boasts a couple of outstanding beaches. The first is a circular bay just north of town, where the water is very calm and the sand is as fine as any on the island. This beach is perfect for young children and snorkeling. There's an outdoor café right on the beach serving up good grub, so you needn't worry about going hungry or thirsty in this remote part of the island.
The road north continues to the Faro or lighthouse at the northernmost point of the island. Here fishermen ply the waters and people camp on the beaches to the east (many in caravans). Sadly, that is the only place I saw beach camping still allowed on Fuerteventura. If you can find your way to the south of town you'll see the sheltered marina and just beyond a huge beach, Playa del Castillo, that attracts surfers and hippie types. Here you're facing the Atlantic Ocean so the ocean swells can get rough. Just what the Kahuna ordered!
El Cotillo is the only town on the west coast of Fuerteventura so it's worth a visit to see what that rugged coastline is like. Quite a contrast to the calm waters on the east side. You'll need a four-wheel drive vehicle to explore further down the coast to the more secluded bays and beaches.
El Cotillo is being developed as a resort with more apartments and villas available for rent. Good seafood restaurants serve up the fresh catch from the village fishermen.
Puerto de Rosario
The administrative capital of Fuerteventura is a laid-back town of around 20,000 people very close to the airport. There's little reason to venture here, unless you have some official business to attend to. There's a nice promenade along the seafront, but little for the tourist to appreciate.
Fuerteventura's Wild West Coast
For those who really want to get away and explore the rest of the island, we recommend you rent a four-wheel drive or motorbike and flee the tourist centers for at least a day. All along the west coast of the island are dirt roads that lead down to isolated beaches. One of those beaches has what remains of a huge shipwreck. (Do not attempt to visit the wreck! It's extremely dangerous!)
