Fuerteventura's West Coast - Caution!

Fuerteventura has its own special appeal. Here you can find some of the best beaches in the Canary Islands, but what about its west coast? Fuerteventura's west coastline is comprised of very high cliffs which give you a beautiful sea view where you can watch breathtaking sunsets.

A word of caution, though!
Although there are many places where you can do some fishing or snorkeling below the cliffs, I recommend you go with someone who who is experienced in these parts. Some people have unwisely gone on their own and never returned! Why?

The tide on the west coast of Fuerteventura changes at a stunning speed and if you venture out on the rocks and start fishing, you must keep an eye on the tide at all times. When the tide goes up, you can be left stranded on a rock with no way of getting back ashore due to the fierce waves that beat against the coastline.

El Naufragio - A Sight to See
At the 'Playa de Garcey' in Pajara, you can see 'El Naufragio' (the shipwreck), where the "American Star" made its final stop.Originally christened as the S.S. America in 1939 by First Lady, Eleanore Roosevelt, this ship was the largest of its kind at the time. It could reach speeds of 24.5 knots and measured 220 metres from bow to stern and 28 metres from starboard to portside.

Its maiden voyage was postponed due to the war and in 1941, the ship was dressed for battle with a new look, anti-aircraft guns and re-christened as the U.S.S. Westpoint. The 8,000 man crew nicknamed it "The Grey Ghost". It's cruising speed was so fast that it could outrun submarines and other war ships of the era.

1946-64 was the golden age of the vessel, which was given back to its real owners and restored back to its original luxury status. In 1964, the Greek firm, Chandris Lines bought it and re-christened it as the S.S. Australis. It was modernized and could take 2,300 passengers.

After changing hands and being re-christened again as the American Star, the ship spent 16 years in the Greek Harbour of El Pireo. In 1993, Chaophraya, a Thai firm, bought the ship for $2,000,000 with the intention of renovating it and using it as a floating luxury hotel in Bangkok or Phuket Island.

The ship needed to be towed to its new Asian destination and the Suez Canal was not an option due to its being closed, so it visited the Atlantic Ocean once more. It was during this trip that the ships encountered a fierce storm and the "American Star" ended up becoming a part of the Fuerteventura seascape since then.

Fuerteventura for Rest and Relaxation

The Canary Islands are composed of 7 main islands: Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, Lanzarote, El Hierro and Fuerteventura.

Compared to Tenerife, Grand Canaria and Lanzarote; Fuerteventura has less tourism history. The first impression this island gives off to the Northern European tourist is a sense of barrenness. It gets very little rainfall, and most of the year there is plenty of sun and its beautiful sandy beaches are in constant contrast with lava rock coastline.

Fuerteventura is the the flattest island in the chain, so there are very few obstacles to break the gentle breeze which is ever present, and sometimes (in spring and autumn mainly) even quite heavy, to cool you down when soaking up some sun. For this reason, tourists need to be extra careful, because you don't realize how much sun you're really getting and can get sunburn very easily.

Temperatures year round rarely exceed 30ºC, with an average daytime temperature in summer of 25ºC, and 21ºC in winter. The hottest month is September. Being that Fuerteventura is a dessert island, the temperatures at night do experience quite a change as sand and rock are incapable of preserving heat for very long, so it is advisable to always have a jacket or pullover handy if you're going on a day trip or taking an evening stroll.

One of the best things the island has to offer are its varied beaches and vast unpopulated spaces. Here you can hire a car and look for your own private spot and have no one else there to bother you while you are soaking up some sun. Or if you prefer, you can go to the more frequented beaches like the ones in 'Las Dunas de Corralejo' (the Corralejo sand dunes) in the north, Caleta de Fuste (centre); Gran Tarajal, La Lajita, Costa Calma (towards the south), or the vast extensions of beaches in Jandia and Morro Jable (on the south tip of the island).

Many people return year after year to the island because it is a welcome change to the overpopulated Grand Canarian and Tenerifan beaches and resorts. Many come on package holidays offered by My Travel, Thompson and many other tour operators, yet other tourists who know the island a little better are more the do it yourself type. These often look spend their holiday doing water sports like surfing (wind and kite surfing also), snorkling, scuba diving and sailing.

Attractions for the family include the Baku water park in Corralejo, the Oasis Park (wildlife reserve), and day trips to inland towns to get to know what the island is traditionally about. Take a scenic camel ride if you want to enjoy the great outdoors in a unique way. Trike and quad and motorcycle rental is also popular.

Puerto Del Rosario, the capital city is not very touristy at all, but offers a large shopping centre (Las Rotondas) and other shops in the town centre for things that you may not find where you are staying.