Read This Before Traveling to Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Read This Before Traveling to Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
This article may contain compensated links. Learn more in our disclaimer.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]re you traveling to Fuerteventura anytime soon? Or should I ask – do you know Fuerteventura? Because many people seem not to know anything about this island, which is the second largest of Canary Islands. Yes, Fuerteventura is that island. It is the second largest of Canary Islands, after Tenerife. Politically it’s a part of Spain, but geographically closer to Africa than to Europe.
Situated just 100 kilometers off the East coast of Africa Fuerteventura has consistently warm temperature year-round and a lot of sunshine. And perfect beaches. And unique natural setting. And all of it just a 3-4 hour flight away from most of the European capitals. Does it sound like a perfect holiday destination? For me, it definitely sounds like one.
Yet still all tourists go to Tenerife. But do you know, where people from Tenerife go on holidays? They go to Fuerteventura. Because it’s the same as unique. It has the same as good or even better beaches. But weather in Fuerteventura is slightly warmer. And it’s not crowded with tourists.
In 2015 we lived 4 months on Fuerteventura, and we loved it!
Getting to Fuerteventura, Canary islands
Most convenient and also the cheapest way to get to Fuerteventura is by plane. Fuerteventura has an international airport. And there are direct flights to Fuerteventura from 19 European countries. Low cost airlines, like Ryanair, are flying to Fuerteventura.
Some time ago there were also ferries going from Morocco to Fuerteventura, but this service has been stopped. And there are no direct ferries from anywhere else, except from other Canary Islands, to Fuerteventura.
If you want to travel by ferry to Fuerteventura, you can take one going from port of Cadiz or Huelva (mainland of Spain) and travel to Gran Canaria, Lanzarote or La Palma first, all of which are worth a separate visit.
Rental Car Is the Best Option for Getting Around in Fuerteventura
There are public buses in Fuerteventura. But they are pretty expensive. I will not go into the details, but overall the situation is like this – bus ride across the island (about 60 kilometers) costs about 10 euro. So going and coming back will cost you 20 euro. If you are two, it will be 40 euro. And that’s only to get to one place. While you can rent a car in Fuerteventura for about 30 euro per day, including insurance.
Traveling by car you will be able to see the West coast of the island as well, something you wouldn’t be able to do if using a public bus. And it will save you money at the end.
If you plan on staying more or less in one place, then you will be fine with public buses as well. Otherwise, having a car will help you a lot to explore the beauty of this island. It is possible to hitchhike in Fuerteventura. We did it several times, twice also all the way across the island.
Read more about public buses in Fuerteventura on the site of the local bus company!
Guest houses of our friends at www.AlternativeHouse.es (see below)
Where to Stay in Fuerteventura?
In the South of Fuerteventura or in the North?
Most popular place in the North is Corralejo and the area around it. What’s the best about this part of the island is its long and perfect white sand beaches. It’s not too far from the airport either. And famous sand dunes of Fuerteventura are just outside the town. Downside – living in the city you will always be among many other tourists, mostly British and Italian.
Germans on the other hand love South of Fuerteventura. Costa Calma, one of the hotspots there, looks almost like a German town. German shops. German pharmacies and clinics. German bars. Area of Costa Calma is also a popular spot among windsurfers and kitesurfers. And it’s a great place for long walks. Because beach there seems to be never-ending, going all the way until the very Southern tip of the island. Another option in the South – Morro Jable.
It will not be a problem to find a hotel or apartment in any of these towns.
Another good option, especially for all of you willing to experience more authentic Canarian lifestyle, would be an ocean side town Gran Tarajal. See our photos of Gran Tarajal.
Aren’t afraid to stay a bit away from towns? Then rent a holiday house from our friends at Alternative House. Owners, Heinz and Elvira, are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. And their houses, 5 kilometers away from fishing village Tarajalejo, are really good. Similar like their apartments in Tarajalejo, and now also in Gran Tarajal.
To find a hotel in Fuerteventura go to booking.com.
Do check out also Airbnb, if you want to stay in an apartment or house instead and live like a local in Fuerteventura! Register using my Airbnb link and you will get a discount for your first booking. I’ll get a discount, too.
Food in Fuerteventura
If there is one dish I will always remember, when thinking about our time spent in Fuertenvetura, then it’s “papas con mojo picón“. That’s oven-roasted potatoes, usually whole, small, unpeeled potatoes, served with spicy mojo sauce. There is green mojo and there is red mojo. We mostly ate red. Sometimes we ate mojo with white bread. I could eat whole baguette with mojo.
Papas arrugadas is another specialty of Fuerteventura. That’s small unpeeled potatoes steamed in super salty water. Served with mojo.
Fresh wish, for example, tuna fish, see bass and shark, is widely available in the restaurants of the island, too.
They still eat quite a lot of goat meat and local goat milk cheese. And local tomatoes here are so good!
Kaspars hiking in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Where to Go and What to Do in Fuerteventura
There are white sand beaches and there are black sand beaches on the island. One third of all the beaches here are black volcanic sand beaches. Looking for the best white sand beaches head to Corralejo. Nice black sand beach you will find in Gran Tarajal. Tarajalejo has a long black sand beach, but it’s quite a rocky one. Further South is La Lajita, which also has a rocky beach, but because of nearby cliffs it’s interesting for snorkeling and diving.
Sand dunes near Corralejo are great place for an hour or few hours. You can wander around there. You can go up the dunes. You can jump there and simply have fun in this mini desert, made from sand brought here by wind, blowing from Sahara desert. There is one similar mini desert not far from Costa Calma, at the most narrow part of Fuerteventura.
Windsurfing, surfing and kite surfing is possible in several places in Fuerteventura. Most of windsurfers and kite surfers tend to go to Costa Calma. Most of the surfers that we saw were surfing near Corralejo, as well as on the West coast, near La Pared, where ocean is more wild and waves bigger and stronger.
West coast is an interesting place, where to go, even if you aren’t into surfing. Just because of waves crashing on cliffs and beautiful coastline. Go to La Pared and walk to the North for a while. You will not regret it. Hikers and nature lovers, you have just so many choices. If you aren’t afraid of harsh environment, which here mostly means rocky ground, then there are countless possibilities for you where to go. Just get off the tarmac and head up to the top of some mountain, for example! Beware of sharp and loose volcanic rocks!
Una is ready for bodyboarding
If you still have some questions about Fuerteventura, you can contact us!
Disclosure: some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means – if you choose to book accommodation through these links, we may earn a small commission. This has no effect on the price for you.