Fuerteventura travel guide: three winters on the island

Updated September 2026.

3 full winters I've spent in Fuerteventura. Mostly in my van exploring every corner. I've also hiked across the islands and sailed in and out a couple of times. I may have been to literally every town. Slow travel style. To feel the vibe and explore what's around the corner. I've spent months in El Cotillo, Corralejo, Sotavento and in the more quiet corners. Many of you are asking me where to go, where to stay and what to do.

Here's a compilation of my tips and exploration to help you make the most out of your visit, not just for yourself but also for the island. And so you can actually live the place rather than tick it off. The towns I'd send you to and the ones I'd skip. The surf, the kitesurf, the hike across the island, the inland beauty. When the wind is bearable and when it isn't. How to eat well, shop local and leave the place lighter than you found it. And if you're thinking of doing it with a van, a section on that too.

Prices, ferry times and camping rules in this guide were last checked in September 2026. If you find something that has changed, tell me in the comments and I'll update it.

Fuerteventura at a glance

A mental map before the place names start. North: surf, Corralejo, El Cotillo, Lajares, Lobos. East: easier beaches, less swell, offshore wind, resorts, and a few hidden gems Centre: mountains, villages, Betancuria, the hiking heart. South: Sotavento, kitesurfing, Cofete, Morro Jable. West: wild Atlantic, Ajuy, surf, fewer people.

Is Fuerteventura for you?

Fuerteventura is not for everyone. It's dry, it's windy, it's exposed, and not much greenery. No lush forests, not much nightlife outside Corralejo if that's your thing. Rough, wild, sandy, salty. I love it partly because of all of that.

It's the second largest of the Canary Islands and the closest to Africa. Kilometre after kilometre of empty coastline. Volcanic, dry, the kind of landscape that looks like nothing until you slow down and see what's actually there. You better love shades of blue, white, brown, and yellow. If that list made you smile, keep reading. If you want lush green and a different postcard around every corner, I'd send you to another island.

The weather is mild year-round, 18-28°C most of the year. December and January still reach 20°C+ on a normal day. You can be on a desert beach with no one in sight thirty minutes after leaving any town.

The surf, kite and hike trio is rare to find on one island. North and west coasts get serious Atlantic swells October to March. The Sotavento lagoon is a world-class kite spot. There are 255 km of marked trails most people never walk.

And the rhythm is slow. Smaller towns. Less curated. More space to actually arrive in your body. If slow travel is what you're after, this island has the room for it.

One thing about the wind: it can be relentless. I'll come back to that in the When to go section.

When to go: wind, weather, and the best months

Fuerteventura literally translates to strong winds. So why do most experienced travellers plan their trips around September to Decemeber? Because it are the least windy days.

Quick data (multi-year averages): July is the windiest month, average 27.4 km/h. The windy season runs early June to early September. October is the calmest at 19.3 km/h. September and October are the outlier. The trade winds often die for stretches, and both fishermen and surfers love it because the swell is suddenly clean and the noise is gone.

When is the best time to visit Fuerteventura?

For winter sun and slow living: December to February. Calmer winds, 20°C and up most days, long quiet stretches. This is when most Northern Europeans come.

For surf: October to March. The North and West coasts light up. Water rarely below 19°C.

For kitesurfing: May to September peak. July-August are full-power for advanced riders. May, June and September are the gentler sweet spots.

For the calm window: late September to early October. My favourite. The wind dies, the water is still 22°C, the summer crowds have thinned. The island rests. So do I.

Even in the calm months, expect cool mornings (12-15°C in winter). Wind makes 22°C feel like 16°C. Layers, every month.

How many days do you need in Fuerteventura?

A week covers the highlights. Two weeks lets you check out the north and south. A month is when you really get to feel the place. Here's how I'd spend each.

One week. Split it between El Cotillo and somewhere south (probably Costa Calma or Ajuy). One Cofete day, one Lobos morning, one surf day, the Pajara to Betancuria drive, and slow mornings by the lagoons for the rest.

Two weeks. The same, slower. A full week in the north with cafe days in Lajares and a Majanicho surf mission, then the south for the lagoon and Cofete, with a night or two in Ajuy or Pozo Negro for the quiet. El Puertito in the far south is also worth a visit.

A month or more. Don't make an itinerary. Pick two or three bases and stay in each for a week or longer. That's when the island starts giving you the good stuff: the market people know you, you know which beach works for which wind and swell, and you stop checking the map.

Where to stay in Fuerteventura: the best areas (and the ones I'd skip)

Winter books out early here.

Most guides tell you to base from Corralejo. Corralejo is fine. It is not my favourite. Here's how the towns actually feel after spending real time in them, ordered roughly north to south so you can plan.

Drag the map to the area you fancy. It pulls live prices from Booking, Agoda, Hotels.com, Expedia and more into one view, so you can compare without opening ten tabs.

El Cotillo (NW)

A small fishing town on the northwest coast. Slow. Old buildings, a little harbour, easy walking, and a small organic biofarmer market for fruit and veg that I do all my shopping at. The lagoons north of the village are calm and family-friendly. The beaches south are powerful and good for surf. This is my main winter base. I love this town. If I could only pick one, this would be it.

When friends or family come to visit, I've rented a little house here with them. Plenty of small holiday homes a short walk from either set of beaches. Have a look at what's available in El Cotillo if you're not in a van.

La Concha

Right on the beach, smaller and quieter than Corralejo. A good lower-key alternative if you want to be near the water without the crowd.

Lajares

Inland, central, café life. A surf hub with the kind of slow village rhythm that makes you stay longer than you planned. The downside: you need a car or van for everything. The upside: the community here is warm and chill. The casitas around the village book out in winter (see what's free in Lajares).

Corralejo (NE)

Walkable, lots of restaurants, lots of options. Ferry to Lobos in the morning, ferry to Lanzarote in 25 minutes if you fancy a day trip. The family-friendly beaches around the Corralejo Natural Park dunes (Parque Natural de Corralejo) are some of the calmest on the island. Best for a first trip or a shorter stay where you want everything within reach. No need to rent a car. If you're staying a month, I'd pick El Cotillo or Lajares instead: Corralejo is built around visitors, El Cotillo still feels like a place where people live. What's on around Corralejo if you want a hotel base.

Hotels and apartments around Corralejo and the dunes, compared across booking sites.

Puerto del Rosario (E)

The capital. A working town rather than a holiday town: the shops, the services, the main port. Most travellers only pass through, and that's mostly what I do too, errands and ferries. Fine for a night. You won't need a week.

Caleta de Fuste (E)

The purpose-built resort town ten minutes from the airport. Golf courses, all-inclusive hotels, holiday villas, a sheltered family beach. It's convenient, and for a resort week with small kids it does the job. But you won't feel much of the island here. Lots on Indian restaurants here though, as well as an Asian supermarket. Rare finds in my nomadic life in Spain. If resort kind of holiday is what you're after, browse stays in Caleta de Fuste. Otherwise, keep exploring.

Pozo Negro (E)

Almost no phone signal. Special. I once stayed in waterfront accommodation here with my mum and we both slept better than we had in a year. There's one little lunch restaurant. If you want peace and quite, this is it.

Ajuy (W)

The other side of the island. Quieter, less visited, dramatic black sand and the sea caves nearby. Worth a few days of contrast if you've been on the east-coast circuit too long. A handful of simple places to stay in Ajuy too. It's a pretty place.

Costa Calma (S)

Wide sandy beaches at the neck of the Jandia peninsula, with the Sotavento lagoon at its doorstep. It's a tourist zone, undeniably, with not much in the way of local feel. But the beaches are spectacular, the kite scene is the busiest on the island, and rates here are typically cheaper than Corralejo. Reasonable trade-off if the lagoon is what you came for. The wind is usally offshore which makes beach time more pleasant. Also the colour of the water and lagoon are so pretty turqoise blue.

I've stayed in apartments here a few times with friends and family, when they wanted the beach within walking distance and didn't want a van. Plenty of options around Costa Calma if that's you.

Morro Jable (S)

The southern town. Mix of local and touristy, with the gateway to Cofete at its back. Stay here if you want easy access to the south end of the island. Browse places in Morro Jable.

The south at a glance, from Costa Calma and the Sotavento lagoon down to Morro Jable and Jandia. Prices compared across the booking sites.

El Puertito (S)

A slow southern spot where I've spent a lot of van time. A small Atlantic town that hasn't been remodelled for tourism. A very cool anchorage also for sailing.

The inland route: Pajara to Betancuria

Don't miss this drive if you have at least a week. Inland Fuerteventura is mountains, not sand. Betancuria, founded in 1404, is the oldest town in the Canary Islands. The road from Pajara up over the central mountains and down to Betancuria is one of the most scenic drives on the island. What a road.

For the actual GPS pins of where I park, where I refill water, and the lesser-known spots that don't make it into public posts, I've pinned my van spots inside the Ocean Nomads community map. It's member-only, and it's where the working list lives.

Things to do beyond the obvious

You're here. Now what?

Surfing

The North and West coasts light up from October to March when the Atlantic gets serious. Water rarely drops below 19°C. El Cotillo is the main town break, friendly for beginners on small days, fierce on a big swell. Majanicho is a 15-minute drive east, a friendly reef break with a long right-hander when the NW swell shows up. Mid-to-high tide only. The reef sits very shallow at low tide and a late take-off will hurt. La Pared on the west coast is intermediate to advanced.

Pop into any of the local shops in El Cotillo or Lajares for a paper surf map. They're around €5 and far better than anything online. Buy from the little shops, not the big ones. The maps and the people who sell them are how you actually learn the island.

If you want to book lessons, GetYourGuide has them across the island. The El Cotillo schools are the most beginner-friendly.

Kitesurfing

The Sotavento lagoon on the southeast coast is a world-class flat-water spot. On a full moon spring tide it's another planet. Best months May to September. If you're new, skip July and August. 25-35 knots is too much when you're learning. Go in May, June or September instead.

Hiking

Underrated, and barely covered in any travel guide I've read. Fuerteventura has 255 km of marked trails.

Pico de la Zarza is the highest peak (807m). 13-14 km return from Morro Jable, 4-5 hours, moderate. Mostly dirt and gravel, with some sandy slippery sections near the top. The wind on the summit is real, even on a 22°C day below. Bring a jacket.

On the top of La Zarza:

Calderón Hondo is the easy one. An extinct volcano crater just outside Lajares, 2.6 km loop, 30 minutes from the carpark to the rim. Lovely as a sunset walk for non-hikers.

The Lobos circuit is a half-day or full-day from Corralejo. 15-minute ferry, then a loop around the islet taking in lagoons, salt marshes, the lighthouse, and the Caldera summit. Visitor numbers are capped now, so book the ferry before you turn up.

I've also hiked the GR 131 across Fuerteventura, north to south, with Wingo. 2022, a backpack, a tent, wild camps all the way, refilling water in the towns. Sweet, slow and simple. My favourite stretch was the mountain section around Betancuria. It wasn't all romantic either: Wingo got injured when loose dogs went for him along the way, so keep your dog close around the farms. The trail isn't as famous as the Gran Canaria stretch but it's a beautiful way to see the island the way it ought to be seen. For navigation and offline maps, my guide to the best hiking apps covers what I use on trail.

You may like reading: my guide to hiking the GR131 across Gran Canaria, the next island over. And if you want the route on paper, the Cicerone GR131 guidebook covers the island-hopping route across the archipelago.

Cofete day trip

The 20 km of dirt road from Morro Jable is the catch. Most rental car insurance won't cover off-tarmac driving, so check your policy. Sunnycars includes all insurance by default, and even there, read the off-road clause. Drive slowly and skip it in heavy rain. The alternative is Bus Line 111 from Morro Jable, which leaves twice a day (10:00 and 14:15 on the current timetable) and costs €8.70 each way, paid to the driver. Fills up fast in high season. Get there 10-15 minutes early.

You can also walk to Cofete from La Pared. I did that once and wow what a trail. Super beautiful, raw and wild. But not for those with vertigo. Also it's quite a distance. Bring a tent or start really early and then take the bus back.

When you get there: walk far. Take everything you brought back with you. The dunes there are fragile and the wind moves litter for miles.

The beach can't get much wilder in Europe

Lobos boat trip

Half-day or full-day from Corralejo. Nature reserve since 1982. Book ahead because of the visitor cap. Worth it for the small perfect beach (Playa de la Concha) and the lighthouse hike.

If you only have a week, do this: one Cofete day, one El Cotillo surf day, one Lobos morning. The rest can wait for a longer trip.

Vanlife in Fuerteventura: if that's your thing

Lots of people come to Fuerteventura specifically to do it in a van. There's a real community here, a mix of holiday-vanlifers and people who've made the island home. There's a reason I spent 3 winters here in my van :)

Fair warning from experience: van life here is rough, wild, sandy and salty. Some nights the wind rocks the van like a boat at anchor.

You may like watching: island van days over on my YouTube.

Bring your own van or rent on the island?

Most travel guides skip the bring-your-own option entirely. They assume you'll fly in and pick up a rental. But the Canary Islands are reachable by ferry from mainland Spain, with a vehicle. For long-stay vanlifers it often works out cheaper than renting once you do the maths.

A Cadiz to Las Palmas ferry with your own vehicle and one passenger costs roughly €450-700 one way.

Daily campervan rentals on the island typically run €50-100/day. At €70/day you pass the bring-your-own break-even point at roughly 30 days.

The money is only half of it. Bringing your own means your bed, your cooking setup, your gear, your dog, and the two folding Bo Camp chairs that live in my boot for exactly the kind of sunsets you see in these photos. For winter long-stayers, that adds up.

Renting a campervan in Fuerteventura: hire, prices and pickup

If you're flying in for a few weeks, campervan hire on the island is the way to go. Most pickups are near Fuerteventura airport or Puerto del Rosario, and the vans range from small converted vans to fully equipped motorhomes with everything you need to sleep, cook and shower on board.

Solid local operators to message directly:

• Treevangang
• Fuertecampervan
• Vans and Sands
• Caravamos
• Ventura Van

Ask around when you arrive, or compare across them in one place. The marketplace I use is Outdoorsy, which has a Puerto del Rosario page now.

The quickest way to see what's available is a price-comparison site that pulls in the local operators at once. Camperdays compares campervan and motorhome rentals across the Canary Islands, so you can see what it costs to rent a campervan in Fuerteventura before you commit to one operator.

Reading this from the Netherlands? Goboony, the Dutch peer-to-peer platform where you rent campers from private owners, lists campers in the Canaries too.

A few things worth checking before you book. Winter is high season for vans too, so December to February books out months ahead. Almost every rental contract excludes off-tarmac driving, which rules out the Cofete road (see above). If you travel with a dog, ask first, policies differ per operator. And compare a direct quote from a local operator against the marketplace price for the same van. Sometimes direct is cheaper, sometimes the platform insurance is worth the difference.

For the full breakdown of the mainland ferry, see my guide to reaching the Canary Islands without flying. If you're looping with Morocco, my Morocco vanlife guide covers that side. Tarifa, on the southern Spanish coast, is the natural mainland departure base if you want to combine: my Tarifa travel guide is here.

Where to sleep, and the new ordinance

Heads up: the rules just changed and most online guides are out of date.

In November 2024 the Cabildo de Fuerteventura passed the first formal camping ordinance in the Canary Islands. It marks 32 zones across the island and splits them into three types: camping zones, tourist campgrounds, and dedicated spaces for caravans, motorhomes, and campers. Three were approved straight away, no strings: Playa El Jablito, Playa del Matorral and Playa de Tarajalejo. The rest still need environmental assessments.

In practice, enforcement on van travellers is still rare, because there's no real alternative yet. Wild camping is still the working answer. But the rules are tightening and how we behave matters more than it used to. The legal alternative is a private-land pitch through Campspace. Coverage on the islands is still thin, but check it, it grows every season.

The best for dogs and vans

More nights like this on Instagram.

The practical day-to-day

Water and filtering

Diesel and petrol run €1.40-1.60 per litre, cheaper than mainland Europe because the Canary Islands have a separate tax regime (IGIC instead of VAT). Up to €0.30/L variation between stations on the same day. Worth comparing.

For the dry side of waste, my full guide to compost toilets for vanlife covers what I run and why I stopped fighting the cassette toilet.

For internet, Movistar has the widest coverage, Orange wins in the remote areas, Vodafone is fastest in the tourist hubs. A multi-network eSIM through Airalo auto-switches and saves you the first-day faff. If you work from the van and stay put for a while, Starlink covers the dead spots the local networks miss, worth it only if you really need to be online off-grid.

Eat local, shop local, travel lightly

The island is small and the supply chains long. A surprising amount of what's sold in the supermarket has been shipped from mainland Spain. The fruit you eat in the supermarket is sometimes worse than the fruit you buy at a small market five minutes away. Worth knowing.

The El Cotillo organic bio market. A small farmer-run stand for fruit, veg, eggs and bread. Open most weekday mornings. I do most of my shopping here. Tomatoes, papayas, bananas, leafy greens, all grown on the island.

Lajita Sunday market. Every Sunday 09:00-14:00 inside Oasis Park in La Lajita. Local fruit and veg, pottery, woodwork, traditional Canarian embroidery. Touristy in flavour but fun.

Local goat cheese. The island is famous for its goat cheese. Buy it at the markets or from small local shops, not the supermarkets.

Restaurants. Local family-run places (papas arrugadas with mojo verde, fresh fish, simple plant-based options) over the chain places near the resorts. Local food is cheaper, fresher and stays on the island economically.

Sun protection. Standard sunscreen contains chemicals (oxybenzone, octinoxate) that bleach corals and mess with hormones. The Canaries are reefless but the rest of the marine life pays the price too. Reef-safe formulas (non-nano zinc oxide) are easy to find and far better. Or make your own. My picks include Suntribe (Spanish-made) and Badger. While you're at it, the same logic applies to hair products and soaps. Anything you wear into the sea ends up in the sea.

Reusable basics. A water bottle, a spork, a coffee cup, a fabric bag. The island has no good recycling infrastructure for what tourists bring in. What you carry, you take home.

Souvenirs. Skip the airport magnets. Buy something from the artisan stalls at the Sunday market or the small shops in El Cotillo and Lajares. Pottery, woven baskets, local olive oil, aloe vera products, goat cheese to take home. Money stays in the community and the souvenir actually means something.

Leave the natural stuff where it is. No stones, no sand, no shells. Especially: do not take the “popcorn” from Popcorn Beach (Playa del Bajo de la Burra, on the north coast between Corralejo and El Cotillo). What looks like little popcorn pieces is rhodolith, a slow-growing calcareous algae. Each piece takes 50+ years to form. Tourists take roughly 1,000 kg of it home every month, which is exactly why the beach is disappearing. Spanish natural heritage law bans collection. Fines run €150 to €600 for small amounts, up to €3,000 if you're caught with a lot. Most get caught at airport security. Take a photo. Leave the rocks. Same goes for sand from the dunes and shells from the beaches. The island isn't a souvenir shop.

If you want to dig into the wider framework, my full guide to conscious travel and the 7 R's lays out how I think about all of this on the road.

Combining Fuerteventura with the other Canary Islands

You're here. Lanzarote is 25 minutes away. Tenerife and Gran Canaria are a longer ferry but doable.

Lanzarote. The Corralejo to Playa Blanca ferry runs 20+ times daily, year-round, takes 25-35 minutes. €17 for foot passengers, €21 for a car, €23 with a camper van.

Gran Canaria. A larger ferry from Las Palmas. The thru-hike across Gran Canaria (GR131) is one of the most underrated trails in Europe. My guide to the GR131 across Gran Canaria is here.

Tenerife. Worth it especially for kitesurfers. El Medano is the spot. My El Medano Tenerife travel guide covers the kite scene. And the GR131 crosses Tenerife too: my GR131 Tenerife guide has the stages, where to stay and the map. I've also pinned my Tenerife vanlife spots inside the Ocean Nomads community map, alongside the Fuerteventura ones.

If I had one extra week, I'd add Lanzarote. If I had two extra, I'd add Gran Canaria for the GR131. Tenerife works as a kite-only side trip when the Sotavento lagoon isn't enough.

Frequently asked questions

El Cotillo or Corralejo?

Corralejo if it's your first trip, you want restaurants and options within walking distance, and day trips to Lobos and Lanzarote. El Cotillo if you want quiet, surf, the lagoons and a town that still feels like itself. They're 20 minutes apart, so you can base in one and visit the other. I choose El Cotillo, three winters running.

Corralejo or Caleta de Fuste?

Corralejo if you want town life, surf shops and the ferries to Lobos and Lanzarote. Caleta de Fuste if you want a quiet resort base near the airport with a sheltered family beach. They're different holidays: Corralejo is a town that happens to have tourists, Caleta was built for them.

Should I stay in the north or the south of Fuerteventura?

North for surf, town life and the El Cotillo lagoons. South for kitesurfing, the huge Sotavento beaches and Cofete. First trip: north. Kite trip: south. With a van or two weeks, do both.

What are the best hotels in Fuerteventura?

I'm the wrong person to rank hotels, I sleep in my van. When family visits we rent a small holiday home in El Cotillo, Ajuy, or somewhere wild instead. If you want a hotel, pick your area first (the table above), then see what's live: the boutique places cluster in Corralejo and El Cotillo, the big all-inclusive resorts in Caleta de Fuste, Costa Calma and along the Jandia coast.

Is Fuerteventura nicer than Lanzarote?

Different, not nicer. Fuerteventura has the better beaches and more empty space. Lanzarote has the volcanic art-and-architecture side and feels more curated. For surf, kite and sand, I'd pick Fuerteventura. The ferry between them takes 25 minutes, so you can taste both in one trip.

What should I be careful of in Fuerteventura?

The wind and the ocean, mostly. The west coast beaches have serious currents, so swim where locals swim. The sun is stronger than the mild temperatures suggest. If you rent a car, check the off-tarmac insurance clause before driving to Cofete. And leave the popcorn at Popcorn Beach: taking it is banned and fined.

Where is the best place to stay in Fuerteventura?

El Cotillo for slow travellers and surfers (my base three winters running), Corralejo for a first trip with everything walkable, Costa Calma for kitesurfers by the Sotavento lagoon, Morro Jable for exploring the south. Book winter stays early: December to February fills up with Northern Europeans escaping the cold. The maps above compare live prices across Booking, Agoda and the rest, handy for pinning down a base.

When is the best time to visit Fuerteventura?

Late September for the magic calm window when trade winds often die for two or three weeks, or January to March for winter sun without the wildest winds. Summer (June-August) is for kitesurfers willing to handle 25-35 knot trade winds. Spring (April-May) is also lovely.

Is Fuerteventura good for adventure travel?

Yes. Surf October to March, kitesurf May to September, hiking year-round, plus empty beaches everywhere and 255 km of marked trails. The island is small enough to cross in 2.5 hours by car and varied enough to keep you busy for weeks.

Can a campervan handle the road to Cofete?

Physically yes (the dirt road is well-maintained), but most rental insurance excludes off-tarmac driving. If you're in a rental, check your policy. If you're in your own van, drive slowly and skip it in heavy rain. Alternative: Bus Line 111 from Morro Jable, €8.70 each way, currently departing 10:00 and 14:15.

Is wild camping legal in Fuerteventura?

Strictly, no. A November 2024 ordinance designated 32 zones with three approved unconditionally (Jablito, Matorral, Tarajalejo). Enforcement varies and the rules are tightening. Park where others already park, move on after a night or two, never enter protected areas, and check current local guidance.

Can I take my dog to Fuerteventura?

Yes, easily. Fuerteventura is broadly dog-friendly: many beaches, restaurants, and rentals welcome pets. If you're bringing your van and dog from mainland Spain, Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas allow pets on the ferry, and Fred Olsen now offers a small number of pet-friendly cabins where your dog can stay with you overnight. My dog Wingo has done multiple winters here without issue.

Is Fuerteventura good for families with young kids?

Yes, if you pick the right coast. The lagoons north of El Cotillo are shallow, calm and sandy, and the beaches around the Corralejo dunes are some of the calmest on the island. December to February gives winter sun without the summer wind. The west coast surf beaches are wild and not for little swimmers.

Is Fuerteventura good for older travellers?

Very. The seafront towns (Corralejo, Morro Jable, El Cotillo) are flat and walkable, winters are mild, drives are short, and there are gentle walks like the 30-minute Calderón Hondo crater loop. You can have a full week here without ever needing a hiking boot.

When is the best time for surfing, kitesurfing and hiking?

Surf: October to March. Kitesurf: May to September, gentler in May, June and September. Hiking: October to April, before the summer heat. The late September calm window is the all-rounder.

Where can I dump grey/black water in a van?

Disposal points cluster on the East Coast: Corralejo, near the airport, Tarajalejo. Plan a dump run every three to four days. See the vanlife section above for details.

Is there reliable internet for remote work?

Yes in Corralejo, Caleta de Fuste, Morro Jable, and Puerto del Rosario. Movistar has the widest coverage, Orange the best in remote areas, Vodafone the fastest in tourist hubs. A multi-network eSIM (Airalo or similar) auto-switches to the strongest signal.

Three winters in and still in love with the place. If I had to give one piece of advice to a first-timer, it's this: don't try to do the whole island in a week. Pick two towns. Stay in each long enough that you start recognising people at the morning bakery. The rest you can come back for.

This public guide tells you where to go. How to actually do it, the GPS pins of my van spots, the water refills, the cafés that serve real coffee, lives on the Ocean Nomads community map, alongside pins from 250+ other nomads. It covers Fuerteventura and Tenerife so far, with Lanzarote and Gran Canaria coming as I add them.

If you'd rather travel with company, I run a few guided expeditions a year. Some pass through the Canaries.

Hope to see you out there. Travel light, leave it lighter.

Stay wild, Suzanne

This post contains some affiliate links. If you book accommodation, an activity, an eSIM or a piece of gear through one of them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps me keep writing posts like this one.