Fuerteventura
Coming to Fuerteventura by ferry from Lanzarote, it was an impressive sight to see at least a dozen surfers and windsurfers and kitesurfers enjoying the wind. While cycling, we came across chipmunks and on an electric sloth bike I got to cycle through a Star Wars landscape. The Playa Cofete pictured above is the most beautiful beach I’ve ever been on, and fine sand without crowding could be found all over the island. Those are only few of the things to do in Fuerteventura. It’s really a great island for active people.
Like Lanzarote, Fuerteventura is a little rugged, but beautiful. But for those looking for warmth, the Fuerteventura beaches or a variety of sports activities, this is a paradise. If it’s nightlife or shopping you’re after, Gran Canaria is probably a better option.
For some reason, Germans have a particular preference for Fuerteventura. When I sent a message to the host of a room booked via booking.com, I received a reply directly in German. 🙂 At the end of the trip, when I was left alone for a few days in Lanzarote, I headed for the next nice-looking village, where I could have practised my very rusty German, as the language options in many shops were only English and German.
The sand on the island is very fine and white. Fuerteventura is also characterised by stronger winds than the other Canary Islands, especially in the west of the island. The island’s name may come from the words viento fuerte, meaning strong wind. Animals were found, especially on the bike rides. We encountered chipmunks, which came to cavort in search of a treat, on several occasions.
Our basic hire car started to give us trouble early on in the trip, so we got a Cabriolet (a sports car with a convertible roof) to replace it, which made it a pleasure to roll around southern Germany with the roof up and the elbow out and visit the aforementioned Playa Cofete, half an hour from our base in Morro Jable. It might be worth the money some day to put your hand a little deeper in your pocket and upgrade your car to something a little better in scenery like this.
5 OF MY FAVOURITE PLACES
#1 Corralejo
A lively little seaside town with ferry links to Playa Blanca in Lanzarote. A great base for water sports or cycling enthusiasts, it also has shops, chic restaurants and bars, and equipment hire shops for snorkelling. Corralejo has a steady wind, making it especially suitable for different types of surfing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a young and sporty crowd in any other place in Spain before or since.
We went mountain biking in the south on Playa Larga and the dunes of Corralejo. Very few people, really nice sand and clear water. The picture shows Lanzarote in the background, which is now behind us.
In February, the weather was perfect for cycling. Even though the Canary Islands don’t have summer heat, at least not on the scale of Spain, the sun beating down in the absence of any scenery could make you miss the autumn sun. Along the way, we also bumped into chipmunk companions, who came over for a treat. Sympathetic little guys, no wonder they’ve made it into so many cartoons.
#2 Jandía natural park
Two hours in the Canary Islands without seeing a single person! I rented an eFat Bike from the German paradise of Costa Calma for a few hours and went for a ride in the desert. Without the electric assist, it would have been far too heavy to pedal even on the trails. It was a great feeling to cycle all alone in a really barren landscape with the Atlantic visible on both sides of the desert.
Quite a bit of wind there, but not too much. I should try a bike like this on snow sometime.
“Solo: A Star Wars Story” was filmed here. A bit strange that I still haven’t seen the movie even though I am a scifi nerd..
#3 El Cotillo
A small and pretty beach village, the Playa de Esquinzo to the south is particularly popular with surfers. Closer to the south, Playa del Castillo is great for sunbathing and swimming. The slightly rougher beaches to the north (see video below) are also good for swimming, but also for walking along the beach. In the village, there were a few nice little restaurants with terraces along the seafront.
On the way to El Cotillo, we stopped unplanned to admire the animals and the windmill. I think it’s important when travelling to have enough time to make extra stops. Which we have plenty of, especially if there are plenty of places to see along the way 🙂
#4 Morro Jable
Slightly larger and more varied, Morro Jable, popular especially with Germans, is located at the very southernmost point of Fuerteventura, at the tip of the cape, with excellent views of both sunrise and sunset. Between the village and the beach is a protected area, across which you can walk along a path to a large, fine sandy beach, where you will also find a lighthouse, providing a small glimpse of light for both sea visitors and basic tourists.
A nice seaside boulevard with restaurants, fine sand, classic Canary Island architecture and menus typically in about a dozen languages, including Finnish. That’s what Morro Jable is made of. In the background you can see the lighthouse in the previous photo.
#5 Playa Cofete
Miles of sand, big waves, a really gently sloping beach and the sun setting over the Atlantic. Of course, getting here requires a car and a half-hour drive from the nearest village, Morro Jable, but especially as the trip over the mountains alone would have been worth the effort, it’s hard to believe there were hardly any people around. Sure, because of Korona there were few people in the Canary Islands in general, but still.
There were also a couple of good viewpoints on the way to the beach.
It is definitely worth packing your own lunch, as there was not a single café or kiosk on the beach. When you’re used to waves bringing water to the beach maybe two or three metres, it’s exciting to watch the water wash up along the beach for tens of metres.
