WATERSPORTS ON FUERTEVENTURA
Fuerteventura is a sports lover’s paradise. The numerous beaches and warm waters lend themselves well to water activities such as windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving and fishing. There are many rental places that offer lessons along with equipment. You can even improve your sailing skills aboard a catamaran on a dolphin- or whale-watching expedition.
Surfing, Windsurfing and Kite boarding
Fuerteventura has a very long coastline in relation to its area. Nowhere is very far from the sea, which has a fairly constant temperature, and as the trade winds are a feature of life on Fuerteventura, watersports are very popular.
The strong surf around some parts of the island make Fuerteventura one of the best spots in the world for surfing. The reliable winds and a variety of water conditions mean that the needs of wind and kite surfers of any level of ability are catered for.
There is surf to suit all standards of surfer from the novice to the most experienced and adventurous surfer. Lessons are available for any of the disciplines at various centres around the island.
Every year hundreds of surfers, windsurfers and divers descend on Fuerteventura and during July the island is host to the P.W.A world windsurfing speed and slalom event at Sotavento in the south.
Fuerteventura also hosted the Windsurfing Kiteboarding World Cup, from 21st July to the 5th August 2006.
Other special events include an annual kite-flying contest in November, week-long Carnival celebrations in February or March.
Diving
The Canaries stream is responsible for the fairly constant sea temperature, and this results in an abundance of sea life, that makes diving such a pleasure.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is a popular activity that is suitable for everyone. The clear pure waters around the island means that there is an abundance of sea life. There are snorkelling excursions that take you to the best sites.
Sailing
To go sailing you need wind and water (and a yacht!). Fuerteventura has an abundance of these. There are lots of harbours around the island and some offer sailing and fishing trips.
GOLF ON FUERTEVENTURA
Golf is a very popular sport on Fuerteventura. We are fortunate to have a really excellent course in Caleta de Fuste, which hosted the Spanish Open in 2004. Quite an achievement for a course which only opened in Spring 2002.
Despite Fuerteventura's almost constant sunshine and little rain, the golf course has beautiful greens. The winds provide a challenge for all golfers.
The golf course also boasts a 5 star clubhouse, the Elba Palace Golf Resort Hotel, which also has a pro shop, a resident PGA professional, a driving range, chipping area, practice bunker and putting green.
This course is designed around luxurious villa complexes many of these villas being available for rental, there are plans for several more golf courses on Fuerteventura in the future.
A second golf course is due to come online before the end of 2006, and as this is also located in Caleta de Fuste, the resort will then boast 2 courses that have been completed, and this will allow a little variety for those who need more than one challenging course to make a golfing holiday worthwhile.
There is also a new golf course in the south of the Island at Morro Jable.
MOUNTAIN BIKING IN FUERTEVENTURA
Since most of the UK trails are usually water-logged and muddy until August (and perhaps beyond) why not try Fuerteventura?
You can either bring your own bike or hire out from one of the shops in your resort.
Many of the trails are on Fuerteventura dry, dusty and demanding but great fun and you probably won't come across anyone else on the tracks.
Jeep hire is a great idea if you want to get to the huge volcanic hills in the centre of the island. - or get yourself on to one of the organised trips with any of the local mountain bike companies on Fuerteventura for some breathtaking downhill runs.
The downhills can last half an hour in this moon-like landscape and with careful planning you can find great lunch stops in villages that tourists rarely manage to find.
WALKING IN FUERTEVENTURA
Fuerteventura is probably not the most ideal destination in the World for a Walking Holiday, that is not to say that there are no good walks, it is just that the conditions are very Hot, Dry, Dusty (especially when the wind comes from the Sahara) and Windy. While it is not the best place for a week's walking, there are definitely a few enjoyable walks that could occupy 1 or 2 days of your holiday, especially in Winter when the conditions are less windy and cooler.
It is essential that you use adequate Sun Protection (Sun Screen, Headgear etc.), have good footwear suitable for very rough ground, some light snacks and enough water for your trip. It is also very important to note local weather conditions, especially around Pico de Zarza which can be extremely windy and is virtually always covered in cloud making it quite dangerous in the wrong weather. Finally, Valuable Items should not be left in your car, no matter how unlikely robbery may seem!
ATTRACTIONS
Fuerteventura is really more of a laid-back, family vacation destination. All resorts have at least a few bars or clubs, but these tend to be pretty quiet during the low season.
The mostly German resort of Morro Jable, located on the southern tip of Fuerteventura, has two main entertainment venues. The Centro Comercial de Jandia, located on the main strip, has some good bars and discos upstairs. There is also the Plazoleta de Cirilo Lopez, which houses cocktail bars, pubs, and acoustic live music.
In Caleta de Fuste, you will not find much entertainment besides what hotels provide in-house, though there is a commercial center along the main avenue. One good place to spend the evening is Piero’s Music Café, which has live entertainment and four big-screen TVs for watching sports games.
Much of the natural beauty of Fuerteventura lies off the main automobile roads. One company recognized this and started the Off-Road Motorcycle Tours to show tourists the lesser-known attractions of the island, only accessible by bicycle or motorbike. Depending on the tour, sights may include curiosities such as a camel farm or the shipwreck of the SS American Star.
A few of the smaller neighboring islands may also be of interest. Lanzarote, the producer of the popular local Malvasía wine, is also famous for its Mars-like volcano landscape, which has been featured in several science fiction movies. There is a tour company that offers camel rides into the volcanic Montañas del Fuego, starting from the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya. Also try the submarine safari while you are on Lanzarote to get a scuba diver’s view of the Canaries. Submarines leave daily every other hour between 10a.m. and 4p.m.
The tiny island of Los Lobos, under the jurisdiction of La Oliva in the north, also has some amazing scenery and wildlife. El Majorero glass-bottom boats, docked in the harbor at Corralejo, will ferry you to or from the island in 20 minutes. A few hours should be enough to explore Los Lobos, but make sure to leave time for the lighthouse, which offers an excellent view of the island.
There are several nature reserves in Fuerteventura where endemic flora and fauna flourish. The largest are the Parque Natural de Jandía, which spreads over 35000 acres on the southern peninsula, and the Parque Natural de Corralejo, which has excellent beaches and is home to numerous protected species. The Islote de Lobos, located just north of Fuerteventura, is also worth a visit. There are no accommodations on-site, though, so only day trips by boat are available.
