The Canaries' second largest island offers a laid-back beach holiday for couples as well as families. Beautiful beaches, year round sunshine and plenty of watersports explain why it's such a hit with British holidaymakers.
But there's plenty of excursions if you want to escape your sun-lounger for the day from golfing to diving and whale-watching trips.
Getting there/getting around Fuerteventura
From Fuerteventura Airport, visitors can reach their resorts by coach. It takes 15 mins to reach Caleta de Fuste, 40 mins to reach Corralejo, 50 mins to reach Costa Calma and one hour to reach Morro Jable. Taxis are plentiful too, while a bus travels every 30 mins to Calete de Fuste too.
The best way of getting around the island is by car. Bear in mind that if you're keen to reach off the beaten track beaches via rough tracks, you may not be covered by the hire car company's insurance policy.
Beaches in Fuerteventura
The island has some of the best beaches in the Canaries, many of which have been awarded Blue Flags for safety and cleanliness.
Among the best is the horse shoe shaped gently sloping Caleta Beach on the east coast. The wild, deserted El Cotillo beaches are also worth exploring and are a mecca for windsurfers and surfers. Costa Calma's long, sandy Playa Barca is also a hit with windsurfers during the summer and is quieter compared to other resorts. The southern beaches in Jandia features plenty of lagoons and sand dunes and can be found along a 20km stretch of coast.
Corralejo's white sandy beaches are popular too as the dunes are part of a protected nature reserve. The beach here is ideal for watersports.
Sightseeing in Fuerteventura
Visit the Cueva del Llano caves in Villaverde. The new visitor centre here has 400m of accessible cave and was constructed from a volcanic pipe. Ajuy on the west coast also boasts caves, impressive cliff views and even a glimpse of a former shipwreck.
The former capital, Betancuria can be found in a valley and is a great place to learn more about Fuerteventura's past. Pirates raided the place more than 400 years ago. Today, a traditional arts and crafts centre and a musuem housing archaeological remains reveals much about the island's history.
There's a circular-shaped 18th century fort near Cotillo which was built to protect the island from pirates. Faro lighthouse siutated north of the lagoons can also be visited.
Family attractions in Fuerteventura
A glass-bottomed boat trip to the Isla de Lobos is worthwhile, it is small enough to walk around in just a few hours. But stick to some well defined paths as the island is a nature reserve. if you are feeling particularly fit and adventurous head up the summit of Caldera de la Montana for some great views of the island.
Oasis de Los Camellos is a zoo in La Lajita, a fishing village on the island's east coast. Its attractions include birds and reptiles but if it's a camel safari that you're after this is the place to head too as well. Meanwhile, there's a 10 pin bowling alley at Calete de Fuste.
Morri Jable features a quaint harbour still used by local fishermen, pretty promenade walks and a charming old village.
Day trips from Fuerteventura
Many of the resorts offers numerous options from boat trips, diving and submarine sea excursions to glass-bottomed boat rides, jeep safaris, motorbike tours and mountain biking.
From Morro Jable, it's possible to take a jet foil to Gran Canaria while Lanzarote is just a ferry ride away from Corralejo. Whale and dolphin watching trips are available from Corralejo or Caleta de Fustes.
Keen hikers can also explore the island on foot. From Morro Jable, there's a five hour trek to Pico de la Zarza.
Eating out in Fuerteventura
Many restaurants will bring a tray of the catch of the day for you to choose from and swordfish, sea bass and squid are among the popular menu items at shore-front venues.
Try Fuerteventura's goat's milk cheese, majorero. Other local Canarian specialities include mojo - a spicy chilli sauce.
Two regional soups are potaje de berros (watercress) and the hearty noodle, meat and potato-based ranchos canario. Also worth tasting is the papas arrugadas (small potatoes boiled in their skin) and mojo dips.
Nightlife in Fuerteventura
Although it lacks the hedonist vibe of other Canary islands, there's still plenty to keep young revellers busy on the island. Nightlife options include bars, clubs, kareoke as well as live music venues.
Check out Corralejo's Rock Island Bar, The Blue Rock for acoustic gigs, and Imagine Music Bar for flamenco. Calete de Fuste is lively too.
Shopping in Fuerteventura
All of the major resorts have a good range of shops to satisfy souvenir hunters. Head for Las Campanario shopping centre in Corralejo or the Atlantico Shopping Centre in Calete de Fuste which is good for jewellery, perfumes and gifts.
Both these resorts, in addition to Jandia and Costa Calma, also have weekly markets.
If you like Fuerteventura, read the following travel guides to:
