Planning your trip to Fuerteventura? What are the best things to do in Costa Calma?
Here’s our complete guide to all the best places and things to do in the region, to make the most of your stay:
- Beaches and lagoons to visit in Costa Calma
- boat tours and dolphins
- excursions around the island
- fun activities in the water or on land…
This is our personal selection of the 15 must-do activities at Costa Calma.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars
Best things to do in Costa Calma
Costa Calma is mainly a tourist town with a lot of hotels.
It is not rich in historic buildings or cultural activities.
On the other hand, it’s close to some of Fuerteventura’s finest beaches, and conveniently located for exploring the whole of the island’s south.
1. Enjoy the beaches of Costa Calma
If you want to relax, beautiful beaches await you right in the center of Costa Calma, close to the hotels:
- The largest is Playa Costa Calma in the heart of the city, a long golden sandy beach with turquoise waters.
- To the south, you’ll find Playa Esmeralda Norte, smaller but with lots of charm and close to hotels such as the H10 Playa Esmeralda(see prices, photos and availability).
- And even further south and a little wilder, there’s Playa Esmeralda with its fascinating rock formations.
Our selection of Costa Calma’s most beautiful beaches
2. Admire Fuerteventura’s lagoon: Sotavento de Jandia
And of course, while in Costa Calma, you can’t miss Fuerteventura’s most famous beach(see our best-of). Especially its Risco del Paso section.
We really enjoyed the view from the mirador, where you realize just how unique it is with its shape and the lagoon that is created at low tide. It’s the picture postcard par excellence.
It stretches for several kilometers between Costa Calma and Morro Jable. At low tide, it’s gigantic and you won’t be short of space!
What’s more, it’s surrounded by sand-covered dunes and mountains, so the scenery seems to be from another planet.
More photos in our article dedicated to the lagoon.
Access from Costa Calma:
- 15min drive by car / cab
- if you come by cab, remember to book your return journey
- No access by public transport
WHERE TO STAY IN Costa Calma
Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
To the south, the beach is almost completely wild and very long. Hotel INNSide Fuerteventura – See prices, photos and availability
Close to Esmeralda beaches, all-inclusive hotel-resorts.
Hotel H10 Tindaya for families – See prices, photos and availability
In the center, around the long beach.
Hotel Cooee Taimar, if you prefer Boutique hotels – see prices, photos and availability
3. Dolphin watching
We love the whale and dolphin watching tours. We had high hopes, and were lucky enough to see a species we’d never seen before: pilot whales (also called pilot whales, but which are dolphins).
A wonderful experience with the Fuerteventura landscape in the background.
Sightings are never guaranteed, but in this corner of Fuerteventura, the chances are excellent!
There are tours in catamarans, speedboats and more traditional boats.
We chose the more classic boat for its comfort and the ability to move around on board. We enjoyed it very much:
See program and availability – and book!
Access from Costa Calma:
- departure from Morro Jable port (25min drive)
- transfer buses from hotels are included in the tour, if you don’t have a car
4. Test a water sport
The coast around Costa Calma is famous for water sports.
Playa La Barca also hosts the World Windsurfing and Kiteboarding Championship (Fuerteventura Grand Slam), one of the most popular competitions.
So there are plenty of opportunities to learn to surf or windsurf on the various beaches in the area. If it’s an idea that’s been on your mind for a long time, go for it!
Access from Costa Calma:
- Windsurfing on Costa Calma’s main beach
- or book a surf lesson: see availability
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.
5. Discover the most beautiful beaches around Costa Calma
If you love beautiful beach scenery, or if you’re looking for quieter sandy spots, the region is full of wonderful little beaches. We particularly like Playa Tierra Dorada in Malnombre, with its sand dunes and small lagoon.
You’ll need a car to discover them.
See our article on the most beautiful beaches around Costa Calma.
6. Excursion to Cofete
One of the most famous and grandiose places to see on Fuerteventura is Cofete.
If you’re looking for a more wilderness adventure, this is an excellent option (unless you have back problems).
There’s only one unpaved road to get there, and the journey is long and bumpy.
But once you reach the west coast of the island, you have this magnificent view of the impressive cliffs created by the landslide.
And you can go down to the beach, when there are usually giant waves.
Access from Costa Calma:
- Unsurfaced road from Morro Jable
- We advise you to join a 4WD tour in a small group: see program and availability – and make a reservation
- be careful, if you use a rental car, you may not be covered by insurance on this type of road.
A LITTLE MORE patience
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7. Excursion to Ajuy caves (half-day)
One of our favorite places to visit in Fuerteventura is Ajuy with its caves. If you love geology, don’t miss it!
You start your exploration on an old black sand beach. Then walk along the cliff to see the million-year-old rock that used to be the ocean floor. You can see every detail of the seabed crust. It is fascinating!
The walk along the cliff is pleasant, with beautiful rock shapes and magnificent views.
And at the end, you can descend (via a staircase) to giant sea caves with beautiful black stones. The size is very impressive.
Find out more in our article dedicated to caves.
Access from Costa Calma:
- 40min easy drive from Costa Calma
- If you don’t rent a car – book a guided tour
8. Excursion to La Pared (half-day)
La Pared is one of our other favorite spots on Fuerteventura. It’s often overlooked by tourists, but if you love grandiose cliff landscapes, don’t miss it. It’s one of our top secret spots on the island.
There are two parts:
Playa La Pared with its view of the cliffs, the waves crashing against them, the little step to climb up and the 360° views.
Playa del Viejo Reyes (pictured above): a popular beach for learning to surf, but above all the most beautiful cliffs on the island. We recommend descending at low tide to admire the different rock structures. Fascinating.
It is about 800m long.
Access from Costa Calma:
- 15 min easy drive, just across the peninsula
9. Excursion around the island: Corralejo mountains and dunes
If you’re prepared to spend a slightly longer day on the road, we highly recommend taking the time to explore the northern half of the island with:
- The panoramic mountain road with its superb views
- The ancient capital of Betancuria
- The famous Corralejo dunes: This is a fascinating protected natural park with sand dunes right next to the beach. Contrary to popular belief, sand does not come from the Sahara desert. It formed naturally on the island.
Access from Costa Calma:
- Book a guided tour: see program, availability – and book!
- or organize your own loop with your rental car: we recommend starting on the mountain roads when you’re in good shape in the morning (towards Betancuria) and finishing at the dunes of Corralejo to return via the expressway.
10. La Lajita and Oasis Park
Just 15 minutes north of Costa Calma, you can discover the charming village of La Lajita, with its church and grey pebble beach.
But La Lajita is best known for its wildlife park. If you miss greenery, this is a botanical and wildlife park where you can see a lot of green.
Save time, book your ticket
Access from Costa Calma:
- 15min easy drive by car or cab
11. Adrenaline activities on land
The Fuerteventura region is also ideal for off-the-beaten-track adventures and lunar landscapes.
Take a bandana or other piece of cloth to cover your mouth, as a lot of dust will fly around you.
But it’s great for getting your adrenalin pumping, having fun and discovering more remote corners of the island: desert hills and dry riverbeds.
The options are:
- buggy: see program and availability – book now!
- quad bikes: see program and availability – book now!
- by eBike: see program and availability – book now!
To drive a vehicle, you must be at least 18 years old, but young people can be passengers.
12. Other boat tours from Morro Jable
From Morro Jable harbor, you can experience other boat tours that last longer than the dolphin tour.
This allows you to relax with the movement of the waves and enjoy the superb views over the island (and you might even see some dolphins).
For example:
- The glass-bottom boat: great for children and adults to observe the seabed.
– See details and availability – and book! - The pirate ship, where you can learn to hoist sails, tie knots and manoeuvre the boat – an unforgettable experience.
– See details and availability – and book! - Sunset boat trip behind the mountains of Fuerteventura
– See details and availability – and book! - Schooner trip with lunch to enjoy the thrill of gliding across the water
– See details and availability – and book!
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Costa Calma
13 à 15. More cultural experiences
13. For archaeology buffs: La Atalayita
Next to the fishing village of Pozo Negro lies an ancient lava flow. And in the heart of this coulee, you can discover some of the primitive stone houses built by the island’s ancient inhabitants before the Norman conquest. The mix of geology and archaeology is excellent. Even if it’s sorely lacking in explanations when the interpretation center is closed.
See our dedicated article.
Access: 40min drive north of Costa Calma
14. Museo del Queso Majorero
One of our favorite discoveries in Fuerteevntura. In the heart of the island, an old mill and building have been renovated and now house the local cheese museum.
The museum is very well designed and interactive:
- Visit the mill
- Explanations about goats and their life on the island
- Explanations of cheese-making and traditions
- Explanations on the history of cheese and its marketing
- Cactus garden
- Possibility of testing cheeses
Access: 30min drive north of Costa Calma
This is one of our favorite museums in Fuerteventura.
15. Murals in Grand Tarajal
Finally, for something a little different, we recommend a stop at Gran Tarajal where large walls on the side of buildings have gigantic and fun street artworks.
The town is located on the east coast and boasts a beautiful black beach with colorful houses.
Access: 40min drive north of Costa Calma
Other tips for visiting Costa Calma
Access to Costa Calma
Here is a map to help you find your way:
The town of Costa Calma is very easy to get to along the expressway.
- Fuerteventura to Costa Calma airport = 1h drive
- Corralejo to Costa Calma = 1h30
- Morro Jable to Costa Calma = 20min
Events in Costa Calma
The town is famous for two main events:
- The Fuerteventura Winsurfing World Championship, where you can watch the windsurfers put on a show – in August
- Carnival, as in all towns in the Paraja region, normally takes place in March.
Where to eat in Costa Calma
The city is not very well known for its gastronomic scene. You won’t find any gourmet restaurants(you’ll have to go to Morro Jable).
Most restaurants are located in resort hotels.
And if not, you’ll find good little local restaurants serving tapas.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Fuerteventura
- Best of
Most beautiful landscapes
Best things to do in Fuerteventura
Most beautiful beaches
Cities and villages
Natural pools
Boat tours
Secret places, off the beaten track
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Fuerteventura
How to get around
How to rent a car in Fuerteventura
Driving tips
Best excursions
Itineraries: 3 days – 4 days – 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
