The island of Fuerteventura has activities to suit practically every taste and if you’re travelling with friends the options are never-ending. The distant murmur of the Atlantic Ocean, which dominates the island’s horizons whichever way you look, tempts visitors to explore the waves by every means possible: surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, SUP, scuba diving, catamaran… In contrast, the tomb-like silence of Fuerteventura’s bewitching inland plains entices you to explore nature reserves, natural monuments, volcanoes and ancient indigenous villages, in almost-constant sunshine. In addition, the history and culture of Fuerteventura, which are particularly fascinating due to the island’s historic isolation, shine through in every village and city, ready to be appreciated and discovered just as they were by writer Miguel de Unamuno during his months of banishment on the island. The spirit of Fuerteventura is difficult to pinpoint with words, but incredibly easy to capture with experiences. That’s why below we’re recommending three plans for groups of friends in Fuerteventura that are perfect for making some wonderful memories.
Buggy tour across the Corralejo sand dunes
One of the most original ways to explore the landscapes of Fuerteventura is to head deep into its wild terrains by dune buggy or quad bike. Today there are several companies that organise this type of activity with routes across the whole island. One of the most interesting is probably the excursion across the Dunas de Corralejo, the largest sand dune system on the Canary Islands archipelago.
The company Dune Buggy organises 80-km excursions which give you the chance to explore dunes and paths that don’t even appear on the maps. The journey lasts three hours and departs from Corralejo to head straight into the dunes. After travelling across the desert, the route continues along roads, tracks and through villages, stopping at various points such as the farming village of Villaverde and residential area Parque Holandés, where the excursion ends. A monitor joins passengers along the whole route as a guide and to provide assistance with driving the vehicles. To fully enjoy this excursion, it’s a good idea to wear old, dust-proof clothes, a bandanna to protect your nose and mouth and, of course, a decent pair of sunglasses.
If you’d prefer to do the route by quad bike, Quad Adventure Excursions organises a similar tour for people without much experience at driving this type of vehicle.
Catamaran excursion to the Island of Lobos
In addition to discovering its beaches and coves, we strongly recommend going one step further and heading out into the deep blue waves around Fuerteventura. Among the many available options, a trip to Lobos Island is always a sure bet. This small island, which owes its name to the presence of sea lions (lobo marino means ‘sea lion’ in English) until mass hunting led to their disappearance at the end of the fifteenth century, has been a Natural Park or nature reserve since 1982.
Oby Catamarán organises half-day trips to the island. The boat departs from Corralejo dock but you can request transfers from other points on the island. During the journey you can enjoy unlimited drinks and paella, salad and fruit.
After mooring at the dock, you’ll be taken around Lobos Island by motorboat so you can see some of its main attractions: La Caldera mountain, the highest point on the island at 127 m; Las Lagunitas, an isolated beach consisting of small natural pools; and the Martiño lighthouse. In addition, before returning to Corralejo, you can even do your favourite sports off the shore such as kayaking, scuba diving or fishing.
Live music in Fuerteventura
Despite Fuerteventura’s adventurous spirit that challenges you to take part in daring sports activities, its villages and cities also offer visitors more relaxing, cosmopolitan experiences. In fact, the island’s cultural and nightlife options have been very clearly affected by the heavy presence of European residents (especially the British and Germans).
Virtually all the island’s bars and nightclubs are based in Corralejo, perhaps because it’s the most tourist-oriented and visited city on the island. Each bar has its own strong personality and they often have live music for customers to enjoy. So, you could drop into McCarthy’s Irish pub (Antonio Hernández Paiz), which specialises in rock, pop and Celtic music; or visit Flicks karaoke bar (Avenida Nuestra Señora del Carmen, 48) to belt out tunes from its wide selection of musical hits. Or, if you’re looking for a more “sophisticated” evening out, El Piano de Cola (Lepanto, 7) has a Bohemian vibe with a stunning piano by the entrance that is free to be played by any budding musicians. This same piano is used every night—Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 PM onwards—by different musicians booked by the bar. Classical music, jazz and show tunes, among others, liven up an evening where you can meet people of every nationality while enjoying snacks with a glass of wine or champagne.
However, if you’re planning a night out in Fuerteventura in a different area of the island, below is a varied selection of interesting spots. The main street in Lajares, a small inland town halfway between Corralejo and El Cotillo is home to Canela Café (Coronel González del Hierro, 30), a bar and restaurant that has live music every night: mainly acoustic and jam sessions.
And if you’re in the south in holiday hotspot Costa Calma, you can head to Los Piratas de Costa Calma (Punta de los Molinillos, no number) and enjoy everything from a salsa night to house music, depending on the day.
