Corralejo is a small town at the Northern tip of Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canary Islands. A former fishing village which expanded to accommodate visitors, Corralejo is known for its fabulous beaches and plentiful water sports. So it can be busy in high season, which runs from December to February and again from around mid-June to August. I went in mid-May for a family birthday celebration with no knowledge of the seasons and realised we’d inadvertently booked low season. We were very happy we had, and here’s why.
The weather is perfect
One of the great bonuses about the Canary Islands is that they are a year-round destination. That’s why winter is one of the high season periods. But while it’s a lot warmer than most of Europe then, you can still get cooler and sometimes rainy days. In May, it was perfect. Warm and sunny, but not as hot as the height of the summer season. There are plenty of beaches to choose from in Corralejo; those closest to the harbour didn’t have sunbeds to hire, but from Playa de Corralejo Viejo onwards, we found there were always plenty available.
It’s also great weather for walking along the beach. My brother’s family had a holiday villa with direct access to a beach path, so they walked into the centre along it. After a visit there, I walked back via lunch at the Palm Beach Club. Getting a table was easy, service was quick, and the food and view were both great. The footpath on Paseo Marítimo Bristol that goes around the headland and down to the harbour is also a lovely walk.
You’ll have the Acua Water Park to yourself
A Corralejo attraction that brings people from around the island is the Acua Water Park. In low season, it doesn’t open every day, so in May, it was closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but that still left plenty of days to go. And when we did, we found we had the place almost to ourselves. There were no queues to use the attractions, or any need to rent a float, as they were always available when needed, and dozens of sunbeds were available to use. The park has a range of slides with varying degrees of scariness, but there’s also a very slow lazy river for when you want a more relaxing interlude. A great fun day out.
Roads and ferries are quiet for day trips
Fewer people means fewer cars, so we found the roads were quiet and it was quick and easy to get around. The gorgeous El Jable dunes are just a short drive from the centre of Corralejo. The stretch of golden sand along the coast here is perfect for sun lovers, or you can just take a walk through the dunes and stop for a drink at one of the cafes.
Another easy day trip from Corralejo is to El Cotillo, a small village with a pretty harbour and some great fish restaurants. We had lunch at Restaurante La Marisma de Mariquita Hierro which is a locals’ favourite overlooking the sea. After lunch, we walked around the harbour and shops and out to the Castillo de El Toston, a small tower that’s home to a gallery with exhibitions from local artists. El Cotillo also has a lovely beach and dunes, so it’s a great place for a short visit or a whole day out.
Another popular day trip from Corralejo and vice versa is to take the ferry to Lanzarote. The two islands are just eight miles apart, so it only takes 25 to 35 minutes, depending on which ferry you take. Check the Fred Olsen website for details of this trip and other ferry journeys you can take between the different Canary Islands.
Water-based activities are available and negotiable
As I mentioned, Corralejo is known for its water-based activities like scuba diving, snorkelling and kayaking. For my brother-in-law’s birthday, my sister was able to book a private catamaran with Fuertecharter for 30 people at a very reasonable rate. The four-hour trip took us from Corralejo harbour out to sea before dropping anchor in a lagoon off Isla de Lobos, a small uninhabited island not far from the mainland.
Once there, we could get into the water to swim or go snorkelling, paddle-boarding or kayaking. All of the equipment needed for the activities was available to use, including life jackets for those (like me) who were not fully confident in deep water. The trip also included a paella lunch and an open bar serving beer, wine and soft drinks. The crew were great, and a bonus was that one of them took photos the whole time, which were available for us to download for free later that day. If you’re not in a large group, you can book places on a shared boat.
There’s no need to book restaurants
My sister had visited Corralejo previously and found it was impossible to get into popular restaurants without booking. In May, we had no problem walking into great places to eat, only booking once when 16 of us decided to eat together! Recommendations include Restaurante Gregorio El Pescador, where we had amazing salted fish that was set alight before being served to us.
We also had excellent pizzas at Trattoria and a really interesting Spanish/ Polish fusion meal at Restaurante Me Gustas Tu. For tapas, you probably can’t do better than Tapas Oscar and we had a great lunch at Bossa Beach Bar, which was also the venue for the birthday party. My sister was able to arrange this when she arrived just two weeks before the event. We had exclusive use of a raised section that was perfect for drinks, buffet food and a relaxed vibe.
We also found that we could get into bars without any problem, and they were very accommodating to our large group. Kactus is a great place for cocktails, especially in Happy Hour, and the waitress seemed to magic seats out of thin air as more of our family and friends arrived. When they closed for their low-season break, we found Bouganville across the street to be just as welcoming, with very good value drinks. Theirs was the best Manhattan I had, but the prize for best free snacks definitely went to Eskina. All of these bars are in Calle Iglesia in Corralejo’s old town, which has a great selection of places to eat and drink and is just around the corner from Music Square, if you fancy some live entertainment after dinner.
Shopping is a relaxed affair
There’s plenty to buy in Corralejo and in May, shopping was a relaxed affair. The artisan market at the Campanario Centre opens on Thursday and Sunday mornings and it was great to browse without the jostle you often get at markets. There were some lovely products on sale, including silver jewellery made by a couple who emigrated to Fuerteventura from a Scottish island and brought their skills with them. There are also plenty of cafes and bars in the centre for a drink or bite to eat after browsing.
Corralejo’s main street, Avenue Nuestra Señora del Carmen, also has lots of shops to wander in and out of. And I was quite surprised they weren’t just the tourist shops you find in some resort towns. Plenty of them were nice, stylish boutiques. Plus Spanish brands like Ale-Hop and Natura, a clothing and gift store, which I think has some great quality items for a decent price. There’s also the Las Palmeras shopping centre with well-known brands like Springfield, Mango and Guess. After shopping, I’d recommend an ice cream stop at Vrebac Gelato, where you can see the ice cream being churned in front of you. The cones are homemade too, and delicious.
Accommodation, flights and car hire are cheaper
If all of that isn’t enough to persuade you to visit Corralejo in low season, then the other obvious advantage is that it’s cheaper! I flew out from London Gatwick with British Airways and back with Easyjet (BA doesn’t fly there all year round), and both flights were very reasonable (just over £200 total). The apartment I booked in the old town was great value, while car hire got cheaper the closer we got to departure, so we cancelled and rebooked to save £50. So why not try Corralejo for a low-season break, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it just as much as I did!
For more posts about European destinations, check the Europe section of my blog.