The crown jewel of the Canary Islands
Located just 100 kilometers off the coast of Africa and blessed by a subtropical climate offering warm weather and very little rainfall, Fuerteventura has been over the last decade one of my favorite year-round escape when I am in a need of a quick and easy beach destination as it’s within a few hours flight of pretty much anywhere in Europe. What makes the Canary Islands so particularly attractive in general is that they are stuck in a perpetual Spring/Summer cycle benefiting from over 3000 hours of glorious sunshine per year with temperatures that vary only slightly overall between a very mild, spring like winter that rarely ever dips under 18°C and warm, sunny summers averaging around 25°C.
Besides being much quieter and less developed than the nearby islands of Gran Canaria or Tenerife, Fuerteventura presents a similar barren and volcanic terrain but what makes it really stand out compared to the other islands of this archipelago is it’s 77 KM of breathtaking and largely deserted sandy beaches found all along it’s shoreline.
My favorite beaches and areas of Fuerteventura:
Below are my selection of the best areas to base yourself in order to have easy access to Fuerteventura’s best beaches
Corralejo
Corralejo is located in the north-east of the island about 50 kilometers from the airport, this is one of the most popular resort in Fuerteventura and for a good reason. Here you will find great selection of beaches and an active nightlife. Crowd is international but the majority of the tourists in town are generally Brits.
Below is one of the beach-side bars inside Corralejo itself I usually stop to unwind at after a day at the beach. Click on the picture if you are browsing on a laptop or desktop computer to get a better perspective of the panorama view and tell me if that isn’t pretty darn nice strip of sand to enjoy a cocktail on 🙂
There is also a wide choice of hotels, residences, apartments or villas. One of my favorite is the Hesperia Bristol Playa seen here above for it’s quiet location and great pool area with bar and restaurant.
Parque Natural de Corralejo & Grandes Playas
Just south of town is where you will find the incredible landscape of the Corralejo Natural Park, an endless desert of sand dunes, very reminiscent of the Sahara Desert which curl into a cobalt-blue ocean, topped by a breathtaking backdrop of volcanic mountains and a beach stretching along the shore for more than 10 kilometers .
Camel riding through the dunes of the Parque Natural de Corralejo are available for tourists
Enjoying a little wine break in one of the “corralitos”, shelters of piled rocks commonly found on many of the beaches of the Canary islands to protect yourself from the strong winds and give some privacy to sunbathers.
Grandes Playas offers miles and miles of mostly deserted sand so finding a bit of privacy here is never a problem
Due to the strong winds present in Fuerteventura kite-surfing is a very popular sport in Corralejo, those who wish to give it a try for the first time will find loads of kite schools in town that offer courses for beginners.
Driving on the scenic road that goes through the Corralejo Dunes Natural Park
Enjoying the view and breeze
Drinking a can of Tropical, one of the local beers brewed here in the Canary islands
Playa Del Moro is one of my favorite beaches located a good 5KM walk down from Grandes Playas
El Cotillo
The small town of El Cotillo is located on the island’s northwest coast and is about a 30 to 40 minute ride by car from Corralejo. Until recently, this was but a small fishing village and luckily until now the vibe of the place has stayed very cool and relaxing. The place has only a handful of small bars and restaurants, no big supermarkets or any nightlife but it is an ideal place to hit after a day at the beach for a drink with some delicious fresh fish in any of the town’s unfussy restaurants overlooking the ocean to enjoy the sunset.
La Concha
A little north of El Cotillo, you will find and area with beautiful beaches and lagoons where the dark rocky reefs just offshore act as natural breakwaters. The fine sand and clear calm waters make it an idea area to relax and bathe.
Walking along Playa de Marfolin, just off from El Cotillo town
Colorful Moorish house next to one of the lagoons of El Cotillo
The quiet horse-shoe shaped lagoons sheltered from the rough seas are great for families with young children
Piedra Playa
Just 10 minutes walk south down the cliffs of El Cotillo lays the 1,500-meter-long stretch of Piedra Playa, one of the most popular beaches of Fuerteventura for surfers due to the very strong surge. Piedra Playa is quite the contrast with the tranquil waters of La Concha found north of El Cotillo and is not especially suitable for swimming but fine for sunbathing and a quick refreshing dip in the sea from time to time.
At the bottom of the cliff at the start of Piedra Playa
Central area is the best area to base yourself where you can watch the surfers ride
You will not find any rows of sunbeds & umbrella here so bring your own if you need a chair to sit on like this guy
Jandia
The Jandia Peninsula lies at the southernmost point of Fuerteventura. Divided into different areas, the beach here runs uninterrupted for 21 kilometers all the way from the coastal town of Morro Jable to the tranquil resort of Costa Calma.
Morro Jable
The well developed town of Morro Jable is the one of the two main tourist destinations of the island. The area is particularly popular with German tourists for it’s long and beautiful Playa del Matorral beach
Playa de Matorral offers a 3 KM long stretch of wide golden sand lapped by the warm blue waters
Sotavento Beach and Costa Calma
Besides, At 9 kilometers, being one of the longest beach on Fuerteventura it is also offers of the most postcard-friendly landscapes. The shallow waters make the area very family-friendly.
The Playa de Sotavento is also a mecca for both kite boarders and windsurfers, each year here for the last 35 years the world championship competitions have taken place here every summer
Every day because of the tide, Sotavento beach fills with water to create a beautiful lagoon
There are miles and miles of near empty beaches surrounded by stunning scenery in Costa Calma
