Fuerteventura is the wind island of the Canaries: reliable trade wind almost all year, plus the famous Sotavento lagoon , flat water made for beginners and freestylers. The perfect winter-sun spot without a long-haul flight.
Profile
| Best time to visit | all year, windiest May to September |
| Wind | north-east trade wind, very steady |
| Water | Atlantic, mild (approx. 18–22 °C), thin wetsuit |
| Level | all , flat water for beginners, waves for the experienced |
| Area | Sotavento lagoon (south), plus wave spots |
The area
The flagship is the Sotavento lagoon in the south: as the water comes in, a huge, flat standing area forms , ideal for learning and for freestyle. At low tide it narrows and the open side brings waves. Around the island there are also classic wave spots for the advanced.
Who & when
For winter escapees from northern Europe it’s almost unrivalled: sun, a thin wetsuit and guaranteed trade wind while it storms and freezes back home. Beginners love the lagoon, the advanced the waves , it blows strongest from May to September.
Good to know
In the lagoon the tides run the show , check the times, or you’ll end up on dry sand or in the deep channel. Parts of the Jandía peninsula are a nature reserve, so stick to the marked areas.
Our impression
When the Baltic is hibernating, Fuerte is the most honest short trip for guaranteed wind. The lagoon on an incoming tide is a beginner’s dream , and in the evening you sit on the beach in shorts.