Fuerteventura is one of the bigger Canary Islands and boasts some of the best beaches in the world. It is also an idyllic destination for families, thanks to the sandy beaches, water sports, family attractions, stunning scenery and promise of good weather. What can you do with your family during your stay? This list compiled by cheapflights.co.uk highlights some of the best activities and places on offer.
Corralejo beaches
Fuerteventura is well known for its beautiful beaches, some with sand of pearl white, others with sand as black as night. The most appropriate for young children are the Corralejo beaches on the north eastern tip of the island, just to the south of Corralejo which are so beautiful they often feature as a back drop for fashion photo shoots and television adverts. Thought by many to be the best in the Canary Islands, these idyllic beaches of white sand are clean and safe for young families and back onto miles of dunes which are part of a protected nature reserve. All of the larger beaches have life guards in attendance with clearly marked areas for safe swimming. The beaches slope gently, making them perfect for wading with no sudden drops. If you choose the area closer to the town of Corralejo you will also find plenty of restaurants (and hence toilets).
The Baku Water Park in Corralejo
This splendid water park has large swimming and wave pools, state of the art swirling water slides and jacuzzis. There are sea lion shows and a life size wrecked galleon in a large lagoon stocked with seals for when you are ready to come out of the water, an 18 hole mini golf course as well as restaurants and shops. 255 for adults, 199 for children, reductions after 3 pm, open 10am-6pm over the summer. There is an arts and crafts street market on Mondays and Fridays.
La Lajita Zoo
This glorious zoo is located further down towards the south of the island, five km north of Costa Calma. It is set in an enormous tropical garden with over 6,800 exotic species of plants from all over the world. As for the animals, there are reptiles, flamingos, otters, giraffes, cheetahs, racoons, lemurs, emus, crocodiles and more. You can go on a camel safari to visit the elephants’ path in the Great African Savannah and when you have travelled enough, watch the sea lions, birds of prey, parrot and reptile shows. There is also a playground for young children, a farm and the usual restaurants and shops. Open 9.30am 6pm 255 adults, 12.500 children.
Dolphin and whale safaris
What family would not want to watch pods of beautiful bottlenose dolphins as they cavort around your boat or get the chance to see pilot and sperm whales? The Atlantic Ocean is home to these fantastic creatures and there are many companies that offer boat trips to see them. Whale and dolphin watching trips leave from Morro Jable, Calete de Fuste and Corralejo.
Quad bikes, jeep safaris, water sports
There is a wealth of outdoor activities for older children in Fuerteventura. Try quad biking or jeep safaris which will take you around some of the most beautiful and more remote places on the island. Of course, the Canaries are well known for fantastic water sports such as body boarding, kite surfing and snorkeling. You will find that many companies offer sessions in a number of sports for all age groups.
