Things to do in Fuerteventura: the best places from north to south

Fuerteventura is the beach island of the Canaries: eight in ten visitors head for the sand and half of them stay all-inclusive. If you're looking for things to do in Fuerteventura beyond the sunlounger, they're spread along some 100 km from north to south, and that's where the most common mistake lies: underestimating the distances. Corralejo to Morro Jable is about two hours by car, and there's no direct bus.

It's the oldest island in the archipelago and the second largest, with around 131,000 inhabitants and a desert landscape: dunes, heavily eroded volcanoes and enormous beaches. The whole island has been a Biosphere Reserve since 2009 and is one of the three Starlight Reserves in the Canaries. It suits you if you want beach, wind and waves. It isn't your island if you're after forests, nightlife or getting around without a car: only one visitor in five uses public transport.

Best places to visit in Fuerteventura: 20 sights from north to south

Grouped into three zones, so you don't cross the island twice in one day. Almost all the museums run by the Cabildo (the island council) open only Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 16:00.

The north: dunes, Lobos and El Cotillo

• Corralejo dunes (Dunas de Corralejo). A 2.5 × 10.5 km natural park, the largest dune field in the Canaries, with sand made of shells and Montaña Roja (about 300 m) to the south. More in Corralejo and the dunes.
• Lobos Island (Isla de Lobos). A road-free islet 2 km off the coast. Free Cabildo permit at https://lobospass.com/ (released 5 days ahead; two 4-hour slots, with no more than 200 people at a time) and a boat of about 20 minutes from Corralejo with Naviera Nortour or Ferry Isla de Lobos, €17 return. A 7.4 km circular trail. Step by step in Lobos Island.
• Popcorn Beach (Playa del Bajo de la Burra). West of Corralejo. The "popcorn" is rhodoliths, a calcareous algae: taking any away is banned.
• Calderón Hondo. A crater next to Lajares; the SL-FV-2 trail (5 km, 1 h 30) climbs to a viewpoint at 278 m. The island's easy volcano.
• El Cotillo. A fishing village with the La Concha and Los Lagos lagoons, the Torre del Tostón (1700) and sunsets from the restaurants by the old harbour.
• Montaña de Tindaya. The sacred mountain of the Majos, the island's pre-Hispanic people (400 m), with more than 300 foot-shaped rock carvings. Climbing it without Cabildo authorisation is banned, and damage carries fines of €150,000 to €600,000.
• Casa de los Coroneles (La Oliva). A restored 17th-century mansion with a permanent exhibition and an arts programme.

The centre: Betancuria, Ajuy and the cheese

• Betancuria. The island's first capital, founded in 1404 by Jean de Béthencourt: the church of Santa María, the ruins of the Franciscan convent and the free Archaeological Museum (Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–16:00).
• Vega de Río Palmas and Las Peñitas. A viewpoint and a dam, next to the SL-FV-27 trail that starts from the village.
• Ajuy caves (Cuevas de Ajuy). The oldest rocks in the Canaries, ocean sediments 100 to 150 million years old, with a fossil dune, lime kilns and a black-sand beach.
• Ecomuseo La Alcogida (Tefía). Seven traditional houses with craftspeople at work; €5, children free.
• Majorero Cheese Museum (Museo del Queso Majorero, Antigua). In 1996 majorero became the first goat's cheese in Spain with a Denominación de Origen. A tasting costs €4 with a shot of honey rum. The published opening times contradict each other: call +34 928 878 041.
• Salinas del Carmen. 18th-century salt pans still in production, next to Caleta de Fuste, with a Salt Museum and a whale skeleton. Daily, 10:00–18:00.
• Faro de la Entallada. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 16:00, free.
• Caleta de Fuste castle. A round defensive tower from 1743. More in things to do in Caleta de Fuste.

The south: Jandía, Cofete and Sotavento

• Oasis Wildlife (La Lajita). Zoo and botanical garden, daily from 09:00 to 18:00; adults €41.50, children €27.50. Our review: Oasis Wildlife.
• Mirador de Sicasumbre (Pájara). The island's first astronomical viewpoint, with information panels and telescope mounts. More in stargazing in the Canary Islands.
• Sotavento lagoon. A tidal lagoon at Playa Barca that only fills on big tides; the René Egli school publishes its calendar at https://www.rene-egli.com/.
• Cofete and Villa Winter. A wild beach of about 14 km, with no lifeguards and strong currents: for walking, not swimming. Dirt track or bus L111 from Morro Jable. Villa Winter isn't a museum, and the Nazi base story is a legend. Guide in Jandía and Cofete.
• Pico de la Zarza. The island's highest point (807 m); the PR-FV 54 trail takes just over two and a half hours to reach the summit.

What's closed right now

Five Cabildo sites are closed at the same time, and plenty of guides still recommend them.

Check each one at https://museosfuerteventura.com/ before you go; note that the Morro Velosa page still shows Tuesday-to-Saturday opening hours.

Where to stay in Fuerteventura: which area suits you

One base for each half of the island, or accept that the far end is a full-day trip.

Fuerteventura has the lowest average hotel rate of the four big islands: good for a cheap week on the beach, less so if you like eating out (only half of visitors pay for a restaurant meal at all, against three in four in Tenerife).

FuerteventuraCorralejo & the dunesCorralejo attractions: the dunes and the FV-104 road, the €17 boat to Lobos, fishing trips from €95, surf schools and the days Acua Water Park is closed.from €17 FuerteventuraCaleta de FusteCaleta de Fuste excursions: a wave-free beach 7 km from the airport, trips to Lobos and Oasis Wildlife, boats from €13 and a trike tour at €85 for two.from €15 FuerteventuraLobos IslandLobos Island ferry from Corralejo at €17 return, the free Cabildo permit (opens 5 days ahead; slots 10:00–14:00 and 14:00–18:00) and the 7.4 km loop trail.from €16 FuerteventuraSurfing in FuerteventuraSurf lessons in Fuerteventura from €50 a day at the Corralejo schools: waves from October to April, wind in summer, plus the best spots and kitesurfing.from €44 FuerteventuraJandía & CofeteThings to do in Jandía: Morro Jable, Playa del Matorral, Sotavento and Cofete. How to reach Cofete by car, on foot or on bus 111 (€8.70, at 10:00 and 14:15).from €49

Things to do in Fuerteventura with kids and for couples

With kids

• Acua Water Park (Corralejo), the island's only water park. It opens from late March to early November, and in spring and autumn it closes on Wednesdays and Thursdays: calendar in Acua Water Park.
• Oasis Wildlife, with shows included; the camel ride (25 min, €15–18) takes children from 18 months.
• Caleta de Fuste: a beach sheltered from waves and currents, and a floating water park in the harbour (€13 an hour, from age 6 and 110 cm).
• Playa de la Concha, on Lobos: shallow water; under-4s travel free on the boat.
• Calderón Hondo (1 h 30 on a cobbled path) and La Alcogida, free for children.
• Morro Jable turtle centre: free visits on Thursdays from 10:00 to 13:00, booked through the Cabildo.

For couples

• Lobos in the afternoon: the 14:00–18:00 slot is easier to get than the morning one.
• Sunset in El Cotillo and stars at Sicasumbre, Starlight Reserve skies without climbing to a cold summit.
• Catamaran from Caleta de Fuste with paella and drinks (€64).
• A trike for two: €85 per trike (two people) for two hours, always with a driver, as self-drive tours are suspended. We review them in trike tours.

Fuerteventura excursions and island tours: our picks

The excursions that genuinely save you effort are the ones that take you, without a car, to Cofete or to the far end of the island. On the wildlife-watching boats, outside Tenerife and La Gomera dolphins are what you'll usually see: nobody can promise you whales.

Our pick

1

Lobos on your own

Return ferry for €17, the same as at the quay. Get the free permit first.

Fuerteventura

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Fuerteventura: Lobos Island Ferry from Corralejo (Return)

4.7 (3,649 reviews)

from €17Check availability

2

Cofete without driving the track

Half a day to Cofete and Villa Winter without the dirt track or the queue for the L111.

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide4 hours

Fuerteventura: Cofete Beach and "Villa Winter" Tour

4.8 (1,905 reviews)

from €57Check availability

3

The north from the south

Dunes, Corralejo and El Cotillo for anyone staying in Costa Calma or Jandía.

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide7 hours

Fuerteventura: Wild North and Corralejo Tour From the South

4.8 (1,113 reviews)

from €77Check availability

4

Oasis Wildlife

Same price as the official website (€41.50), which only sells online up to the day before.

Fuerteventura

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Fuerteventura: Oasis Wildlife Entry Ticket

4.6 (3,815 reviews)

from €41.50Check availability

5

Surfing in the south

A lesson for anyone staying far from the Corralejo schools.

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide3.5 - 13.5 hours

Fuerteventura: Surfing Lesson in the south of Fuerteventura

4.8 (452 reviews)

from €51.30Check availability

The boat to Lobos costs €17 (€11 for ages 4 to 11) on every channel: what makes or breaks your day is the permit, not the ticket.

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Fuerteventura: Lobos Island Ferry from Corralejo (Return)

4.7 (3,649 reviews)

from €17Check availability

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide2 hours

Morro Jable: Dolphin & Whale-Watching Cruise, Drinks & Swim

4.2 (5,394 reviews)

from €49Check availability

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide3.5 - 13.5 hours

Fuerteventura: Surfing Lesson in the south of Fuerteventura

4.8 (452 reviews)

from €51.30Check availability

Fuerteventura

Tiqets02:45

Fuerteventura: Guided Buggy Tour + Hotel Pickup

5.0 (2 reviews)

from €119Check availability

Fuerteventura

GetYourGuide4 hours

Caleta de Fuste: Catamaran Sailing Experience

4.7 (823 reviews)

from €64Check availability

Fuerteventura

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Corralejo: Isla de Lobos Return Ticket with Park Entry

4.7 (1,381 reviews)

from €17Check availability

See all options on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 2 October 2026

Fuerteventura in 3, 5 or 7 days

In 3 days, stay in the north: the dunes and Grandes Playas; Lobos with your permit booked; Calderón Hondo in the morning and El Cotillo at sunset.

In 5 days, add the centre (Betancuria, Vega de Río Palmas and Ajuy, Tuesday to Saturday) and a day in the south for Oasis Wildlife or Sotavento.

In a week, switch bases: four nights in Corralejo or Caleta and three in Costa Calma or Morro Jable, so you can do Cofete on the L111 and the Saladar de Jandía, a Ramsar salt marsh with a boardwalk. Lanzarote is 25–35 minutes by ferry from Corralejo.

Getting around: airport, buses and ferries

The airport (FUE) is 5 km from Puerto del Rosario and 7 km from Caleta de Fuste. Almost half of visitors hire a car: the buses link the resorts and the capital, but don't reach most of the places on this list.

The buses (guaguas, as Canarians call them) are run by Tiadhe (timetables at https://tiadhe.com/todas-las-rutas/):

• L3 Puerto del Rosario – airport – Caleta de Fuste – Las Salinas: €1.45 to Caleta, every half hour Monday to Saturday, last services from the airport around 23:00.
• L6 Puerto del Rosario – Corralejo: €3.40, every 30 minutes on weekdays and hourly on Sundays; some Monday-to-Friday services stop at the airport (€3.90 from Corralejo).
• L1 and L10 Puerto del Rosario – Morro Jable (€10 and €9.70); L8 Corralejo – El Cotillo (€2.05 on the direct service); L111 Morro Jable – Cofete (€8.70, no booking).

You pay in cash (no notes over €50); the BTF card costs €5 and takes 10% off.

By ferry, Corralejo–Playa Blanca (Lanzarote) takes 25–35 minutes with Fred. Olsen, Baleària Canarias or Líneas Romero; as a foot passenger, Romero charges €20.50 against Baleària's €31. From Morro Jable you can sail to Las Palmas in 1 h 45–2 h. The cheap fares you see advertised are for Canary Islands residents only. The full picture is in island hopping.

When to go: weather, sea and wind

It's the driest island in the Canaries: 98 mm of rain over about 16 days a year. In January, highs of 20.6 °C and lows of 14.7 °C; in August, 27.8 and 21.5 °C. In winter it is, along with Lanzarote, the driest and sunniest choice (Canary Islands in November), although the calima, the Saharan dust haze, has its longest spells in January and February.

The trade wind blows mostly from the north and picks up in spring and summer; at Sotavento it sometimes tops 50 knots, and the windsurfing and wingfoil World Cup is held there in the second half of July. The schools' rule of thumb: waves from October to April, wind in summer (surfing in Fuerteventura).

Frequently asked questions