Best part of Fuerteventura: North or South?

The Sotavento lagoon or the Corralejo dunes? The cliffs of Cofete or the villages of the volcanoes?
Here’s our guide to help you choose the best part of Fuerteventura for your vacation: north or south. We compare beaches, activities, cities…

This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.

Content

Fuerteventura North or South: quick response

Best part of Fuerteventura: North vs South – the battle

Getting around and exploring Fuerteventura

North Fuerteventura

Southern Fuerteventura: Jandia Peninsula

Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars

Fuerteventura North or South: quick response

To be honest, there’s no winner between north and south. We really enjoyed both sections but..:

If you’re looking for long sandy beaches, choose the south.
If you want to explore the island and have more variety, choose the north.

Our favorite towns to stay in are:

To the north, Corralejo, lively and charming
See our article on the best hotels
To the south, Morro Jable, lined with sand
See our article on the best hotels

But you can see our article on the best towns to stay in Fuerteventura.

Best part of Fuerteventura: North vs South – the battle

Best beaches: in the south, we find the beaches more spectacular – but if you have young children, the northern beaches are more convenient.
Best city: the north, with Corralejo because it’s easier to get around everywhere, and almost all hotels have easy access to the center and the restaurant.
Best villages: the north
Best landscapes: equal – different but fascinating landscapes in both cases
Ease of circulation: equal, good road network throughout the island
Activities: equal – both regions offer water sports and land-based activities such as buggy riding. The north offers access to theisland of Lobos, but the south offers more dolphin watching tours.

CHOOSING A HOTEL IN Fuerteventura

Choosing where to stay:

Choose by hotel type:

Our favorite: Hotel INNSide – See prices, photos and availability

Select by city:

Getting around and exploring Fuerteventura

The island isn’t very big, but it’s long.
Even if you’re staying at one end, it’s possible to visit the opposite side of the island, just by driving a little further.

Here’s a map to help you find your way, with route times:

If you’re staying at the southern tip of the island, in Morro Jable, this is the place to be:

1h10 to see Betancuria and the mountains,
1h35 to see the Corralejo dunes
1h30 to see the lagoons at El Cotillo

If you’re staying at the northern tip, in Corralejo, this is the place to be:

1h30 to see the famous Sotavento lagoon in the south
1h35 to Morro Jable and start exploring the southern tip with Cofete (unpaved road)

In all cases, we recommend renting a car.

OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Fuerteventura

Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
A small car is all you need.
But you can also choose a larger one if you wish, as the parking spaces are rather large.
Demand is high, so book early.

See available cars ->

Read our tips

North Fuerteventura

Description

The north of Fuerteventura is wider, with easy access to both the east and west coasts.
The main town is Corralejo.
But two other places to stay are Caleta de Fuste (more central) and El Cotillo (quieter).

What to do – main attractions in the north of the island

Corralejo Dunes Natural Park
Ferry to explore Lobos Island
El Cotillo lagoons
Several museums: Salt marsh, Ecomuseo de la Alcogida…
Popcorn beaches
Volcanoes, including Calderon Hondo
charming villages such as Puertito de los Molinos

Benefits

Variety of landscapes
Variety of activities: surfing, windsurfing, boat tours, buggies, 4WD tours…
Corralejo is a lively town with many restaurants.
Possibility of staying in smaller, quieter villages
Easy access to the nearby island of Lanzarote

Disadvantages

Flatter landscapes
Less wild
Very far if you want to see Cofete in a day

Beach types

In the north, you’ll find a wide variety of beaches:

In Corralejo you’ll find small sandy coves with fairly calm waters.
At the Corralejo dunes, you’ll find long sandy beaches with gentle waves.
In El Cotillo you have a mix of lagoon beaches and surf beaches.
Caleta de Fuste has a fairly large beach with shallow waters.

Where to stay – best hotels

In Corralejo:

Boutique-Hotel: La Marquesina, in the heart of the old town
See photos, prices and availability
5-star: Secrets Bahia Hotel, east of town with coral beach
See photos, prices and availability
Family: Barcelo Corralejo Sands with easy access to the whole town
See photos, prices and availability
Aparthotel Island Home, a little further from the beach, but very practical
See photos, prices and availability

See our article on the best hotels in Corralejo

In Caleta de Fuste (more central but less charming):

5-star: Hotel Elba Palace, for golf lovers
See photos, prices and availability
Family: Barcelo Royal Family Hotel
See photos, prices and availability
Adults-only: Hotel Barcelo Royal adults-only
See photos, prices and availability
Boutique-Hotel: La Casita, adorable little 2-star hotel
See photos, prices and availability

See our article on the best hotels in Caleta de Fuste.

Southern Fuerteventura: Jandia Peninsula

Description

To the south of Fuerteventura, you’ll find the Jandia peninsula and its nature park.
The isthmus is covered in sand and the mountains rise to 814m above sea level with the Pic de la Zarza.
The main town is the long Morro Jable.
But it’s also possible to stay at Costa Cala (quieter).
Only the east coast is developed. The west coast is accessible by an unpaved road.

What to do – main attractions in the south of the island

4WD access to the Cofete wilderness area
Lots of boat tours to see the dolphins: read our tips.
Jandia’s famous Sotavento lagoon
Lots of beautiful beaches
The cliffs of La Pared
Oasis Park

Benefits

More spectacular scenery (in our opinion) with mountains close to the sea
Beautiful beaches and very long
A wide variety of hotels
A wilder look

Disadvantages

You don’t have to drive far to visit many places: Betancuria and the mountains, the dunes of Corralejo, the lagoons of El Cotillo, the natural pools…
Less variety in landscapes and activities

Beach types

Many of our favorite beaches in Fuerteventura are to the south:

Very long sandy beaches at Morro Jable
Small coves with lots of character such as Playa Tierra Dorada
The giant lagoon of Sotavento de Jandia

Where to stay – best hotels

In Morro Jable (more or less near the old town):

Boutique-Hotel : Hotel XP Palacete, just above the beach
See photos, prices and availability
5-star: Hotel Iberostar Palace, a large, fully serviced resort
See photos, prices and availability
Family: Hotel Playa Gaviotas with plenty of activities for all ages
See photos, prices and availability

See our article on the best hotels in Morro Jable.

In Costa Calma, quieter:

Boutique-Hotel: Hotel INNSide, our favorite in Fuerteventura
See photos, prices and availability
Family: Hotel H10 Tindaya with pirate ship in the pool
See photos, prices and availability
In the center of town: Hotel Bahia Calma Beach, near the main beach
See photos, prices and availability

See our article on the best hotels in Costa Calma.