Furteventura

Fuerte could in fact be four islands, not one. The difference between the different parts is so big that they could as well be in different countries.

East (middle)

The middle section near the airport and Caleta de Fuste is simply not somewhere I would like to spend a holiday. There is nothing interesting as far as nature is concerned. It is "Package Holiday Land". McDonalds?, Chicken Curry, take-away Chinese with some golf for some extra spice. Loads of moskitos which breed in the golf ponds and the derelict salt works complete the picture.

Actually not all of it is so bad. There are some nice quiet places near the old fishermen villages down the lava fields between Caleta de Fuste (nowdays Costa Caleta) and Costa Calma. They do not have a proper beaches because the lava field finish abruptly into the sea.

North

This is the part around Corralejo as well as from Corallejo to Cotillo. There is still some Spanish food to be found and some good beaches.

Unfortunately it is growing at a very high rate. As a result it is likely to become something similar to Maspalomas on Gran Canaria in less than 10 years. Fortunately, even if this happens, there will still be the island of Lobos.

It is as a nice place to go and it is a national park so nothing is likely to be built there for the time being.

South

South is essentially German territory. Standard attire is sandals, hat and a backpack. Just sandals, hat and a backpack. In fact only sandals, hat and a backpack. As a result while most of my pictures are from there, very few of them pass British decency criteria. In fact I prefer not to remember the way the lady at the photo lab looked at me after I printed the last lot.

The area is also the best part of the island.

There is 30km of beach on one side, some rocks and again beach, rocks and again beach all the way to the south tip From there on the West side of the island there are nearly 60 km of beach as well.

Nearly all of the South is a national park with no permission to build anything. However, that is on paper. In reality all it takes to kill the national park is to give the Franko lovers right to rule for a while longer. The Hose Maria Asnar government allowed one of the best portions of the South East Coast to be vandalised and turned into a 5 star sprawl. Thankfully, they have gotten the boot and if I understand correctly the rants I last read in the Canaries local rags their opponents' platform is very clear on the fact that "no further building should take place as there is no resource available".

All roads in the national park proper are no longer maintained (the road to Morro Hable is the only exemption). They were tarmacked 50 years ago before the area was declared a national park. The tarmac has completely fallen apart now in most places. The roads are bulldosed down to an even surface from time to time so it is still possible to get around in a normal vehicle if you want to risk your tires (driving on these roads is not covered by normal road assistance and normal rental insurance).

West

It is a desert. It is as Sahara-like as anything outside Sahara can possibly get.

The only way of getting around is in a small 4x4 with a short wheelbase. While the ones that are "improved" for good road ride may get along well on the desert plain, they will get stuck the moment one tries to cross any of the ravines that come from the mountains to the sea. Something small and short like a Fourtrack is the only way to get around because it can squeze between the boulders that litter the bottom of the ravines. Unfortunately there is no way to rent them any more. The last time I went there I found out that all rentals that used to rent out small 4x4s with insurance for offroad use are now closed.

Entertainment

Wildlife Parks - La Lahita

We have been to La Lahita when it was nothing but a small aviary with a crocodile enclosure tucked onto it. We have also seen it grow over the years into the biggest wildlife park on the Canaries. While it has gained a lot of extra animals including ones you can hardly see anywhere but the biggest zoos it has also lost some of its original charm. Namely, the aviaries are no longer maintained as well as they used to be and there are much fewer birds inside. The cafe food which was never particularly good has degenerated into totally horrid.

Out of the new things there it is definitely worth to see the see lion show. However, if you feel scared from a 200kg male sea lion licking your cheeks you should not sit on both sides of the middle isle. The bird of pray show is a "mee too" and the "reptile show" should probably be renamed as "tourist abuse show".

Windsurfing and KiteSurfing?

The south eastern side of Fuerteventura off Playa Jandia is the ultimate speed junkie dream for any wind or kitesurfer. There are practically no waves as it is protected by the island from the rest of the Atlantic ocean and the straights between Fuerte and Africa are not wide enough for waves to reach a reasonable size. At the same time throughout most of the year there is a very steady north-easterly wind which can often exceed 20 knots. This unique combination allows wind and kitesurfers to reach some really scary speeds.

Morro Hable and Dunas Resort.

A good subtitle to this section can be "Crested Cranes and Flaccid dicks".

We have been to Morro Jable many times in the past, but we have not stayed there until 2010. The one week we had there was quite entertaining and deserves a special honourable mentioning.

We stayed at the Dunas resort. It is everything only a place that is NOT catering to the Health And Safety obsessed British tourist can be.

It shares the grounds with a small zoo which lets all the less dangerous animals live more or less free range. As a result they casually stray into the hotel grounds and onto the beach in front. There they mingle with the tourists which chase them with cameras trying their best to ensure that not too many German naturists make it into the frame.

As an end-result, you are sharing the beach with flaccid dicks and crested cranes which have not undergone a mandatory Health And Safety assessment, your kids feed peacocks on the patio in the morning and chase them when they get bored, ibises and little egrets sit on the laundry drier on your balcony and it is all supplemented by a large horde of cats. In addition if you feel really bored you can go to the actual zoo and get for 5 Eu a picture of pulling a crocodile by the tail (real 3 meter florida alligator) or a picture with a real eagle owl sitting on your hand. Overall, it is an environment which will freak out any Health and Safety obsessed Anglo-Saxon puritan in a matter of seconds.

Crested cranes (one of the few shots I managed without german naturists)

Kids feeding a BIG Chickin...:	BIG Chickin on a patio