One of the main tourist resorts in Fuerteventura is Corralejo, was up until the 1970’s, a small fishing village inhabited only by the local residents.  Today, though a growing and thriving tourist industry has promoted both local and mainland developers to invest in building projects which have changed the face of  Corralejo whilst still maintaining it’s village charm.  Holidaymakers are provided with every amenity needed to enjoy their holiday to the full, including an array of bars (including some excellent live music shows), restaurants, shops, a water park, 2 bowling alleys and several nightclubs.  The pretty harbour area today is home to somewhat larger vessels than the original small fishing boats, including the Fred Olsen and Naviera Armas ferries to Lanzarote, which sail back and forth several times a day, 7 days a week.

Corralejo, situated to the north of Fuerteventura and lying in the province of La Oliva, is blessed not only with wonderful views of the mountains of Lanzarote and the nature protected island of Los Lobos (once densely populated by monk seals, but which still remains uninhabited), but also with some of the most beautiful beaches to be found anywhere in the northern hemisphere.

As you approach Corralejo from the south, you will encounter the famous nature reserve Dunas de Corralejo with its towering sand dunes. These dunes are thought to have been created from the sands carried over from the Sahara Desert, less than 200km to the East.  However, some recent analysis of the sand has revealed remnants of marine fossils, suggesting that the dunes were created from the seabed, washed in by incoming tides and blown off the beach on to the roadside by the famous north westerly winds.  However, the theory of the dunes originating from the Sahara is a little more romantic and locals like to promote this idea when telling holidaymakers about the island.

Water sports are very popular in Corralejo, including surfing, wind surfing, paragliding, kite surfing, jet skiing, sailing and yacht sailing.  However, for those who prefer to keep strictly on terra firma sports such as kite sailing mountain biking, trecking, quad biking, tennis and ten pin bowling are readily available and an 18 hole golf course is in the planning stages of development.  A new multi-cinema just outside of town is also opening and the newly opened water park offers hours of fun for children and adults alike.

Scuba diving and snorkelling are also popular and a rich and varied selection of marine life can be found in the waters, especially off the coast of Lobos, including dolphin, manta-ray, barracuda, whale shark, amberjack, marlin, turtle and smaller colourful species such as parrot fish.

Restaurants in Corrlalejo offer a vast selection of Spanish, English, Argentinian, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Indian and Mexican menus and many holidaymakers enjoy the typically Canarian tapas of cured ham (Jamon Serano), Canarian Potatoes (papas arrugadas con mojo), the local goats cheese (queso majorero) fresh prawns cooked in garlic (gambas en ajio), mussels (mejillones) and squid (chocos).  A small tip; the Canarians often cook steak on the rare-side, and so if you order one and want it juicy but not too bloody, ask for it to be cooked “tres-quatro” (three quarters) rather than “medio” (medium).

The pretty tree lined streets of Corralejo offer a wide selection of villas, apartments and duplexes giving stunning views of the beaches and surrounding mountains.  Investment in Corralejo can be a little more expensive than surrounding areas, due to it’s popularity, but prices are still extremely competitive in comparison to similar properties in other parts of Europe, including the UK.