Self catering holidays in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
First impressions of Fuerteventura are of a volcanic, bleak and rocky landscape with a large population of goats. Stay a while and one's impression of Fuerteventura changes considerably. The most easterly of the Canary islands, a mere 60 Kim off the coast of Morocco, Fuerteventura is a an island with promise and hidden depths. Its beaches are renowned and plentiful. In the distant past, the island consisted of two separate islands that joined up by enormous deposits of sand and visitors to the southern reaches of the island cannot fail to be impressed by the quality, depth and breadth of the pristine sandy beaches of Jandia.
A salt marsh area of land backs onto the beach where colonies of wild chipmunks dwell in underground warrens. There come to eat nuts, sunflower seeds and drink fresh water from the hands of tourists.
Flocks of green parrots join the feast during the afternoon much to tourists' delight.
Naturism is permitted all over the island and naked people can be spotted on all beaches. Most of them are middle aged and discreetly sunbathe at the very back of the beach although the occasional one will walk down to the water's edge. A pretty sight it is not!
In between the beach and the main coastal road is a track for walkers, cyclists and pedestrians. On the opposite side of the road are the pavement restaurants, shops, hotels and holiday apartments.
The north of the island offers equally good sandy beaches backed by sand dunes. Numerous tourist resorts have sprung up at intervals along the coast and these are lined with palm trees and exotic flowers. Inland, the terrain is arid scrub and cross-crossed by walks. People come to hike from one side of the island to another and to visit some of the remote villages.
Popular activities are diving, water sports and popular with children are camel rides at the animal park.
Shopping and entertainment in Fuerteventura
The coastal resorts are lined with hotels and blocks of holiday apartments. There are pubs and bars of all persuasions including Irish.
Various Europeans have settled in the area, running businesses that often represent their native country. The south of the island has a good number of native Germans and the north British with a sprinkling of other Europeans.
Many of the hotels offer free evening entertainment in the hope of inviting other tourists into their bars and restaurants.
There are also the usual markets that one would expect on holiday. Fake designer goods are sold openly and buyers should always haggle. Recommended purchases are: leather handbags, belts, perfumes and aloe vera products.
There is the usual array of organised day trips. Go down 30 metres to the sea bed in a submarine, take the free blanket shopping trip which provides a tour of the island with opportunities to sell you arts and crafts and even mattresses in between, a jeep cross country tour, Oasis Park zoo trip, an aquapark in the north of the island, boat trips out to sea and plenty of bicycle and quadbike hire.
The roads along the coast and to and from the airport are good albeit single lane much of the time. A four wheel drive vehicle is necessary to explore properly because the roads soon peter out into dirt tracks. Should you wish to rent a car, we found Orlando car hire good value. They offer a pick up service from the airport to the car depot and were not too fussy about minor scratches.
