Corralejo On a Budget
Corralejo is a beach town located on the northern tip of the Canary Island of Fuerteventura. While the town is known for its vacation resorts and beaches, the island as a whole is famed for its very strong winds, which create prime conditions for surfing of all kinds.Sights
Beach town through and through, Corralejo has access to some of the most beautiful beaches on the island of Fuerteventura. In the town itself there are four main beaches, some of which have cafes and restaurants lining the beachfront. There are also a number of beaches just outside of town, including the Sand Dunes National Park to the south, which has a long stretch of pristine white sand and turquoise water. The park is best known for its large desert-like dunes, which visitors can explore on foot or by dune buggy.Isla de los Lobos, or Lobos Island, is another interesting sight-a nature reserve that has been without permanent human population since 1982. It is accessible to tourists via ferry from Corralejo Harbor, and features an old lighthouse, wildlife, walking trails, and beautiful views. The ferry ride is very short and it only takes about 2-3 hours to walk the island.
Neighborhoods
Corralejo is a beach-town on the northern tip of Fuerteventura known for its vacation resorts, beaches, and strong winds (as with the rest of the island). This town has access to some of the most beautiful beaches on the island, including the award winning Sand Dunes National Park which has a long stretch of pristine white sand and turquoise waters. The town itself has four beaches, some of which have easy access to cafes and restaurants. Downtown Corralejo is host to a number of souvenir shops, as well as a small market area with grocery stores, pharmacies, and other amenities catering to visitors. The big shopping center, El Campanero, is located in the south of Corralejo and has plenty to offer as well including a Canarian market every Sunday. The town is generally small enough to get around on foot, though scooter and bike rentals are also available.Activities
The Canary Islands are sometimes considered to be the "Hawaii of the Atlantic." With Fuerteventura's constant winds, the beaches near Corralejo have great surf for watersports of all kinds. Surfing, of course, is popular as is wind and kite surfing. Rental stands are scattered throughout the island, most of which will provide private or group lessons.Snorkeling and scuba diving are common in the calmer waters of the area. A number of companies offer trips out to local dive sites, like the clear waters of Lobos Island mentioned above.
The spectacular scenery of beaches and volcanoes also makes a great backdrop for yoga. The town also has a couple of health food stores for those interested in wellbeing.
Additional activities include nature and wildlife tours, canoeing and kayaking, bike tours, Segway tours, dune buggy excursions, and boat tours or rentals, amongst others. On land or by sea, the town and surrounding area has plenty to offer in in the adventure category.
Food and Dining
Like the rest of the Canary Islands, the cuisine of Fuerteventura is fairly basic due to the customs and climate conditions. With the water close at hand, fresh fish and seafood is very common along with whatever is able to be grown on land. Dishes can be prepared in a variety of ways and are usually accompanied by a hot pepper sauce called mojo made mainly of oil, garlic, vinegar, salt, red pepper, thyme, oregano, coriander, and several other spices. There are two varieties of mojo: rojo (or red, often served with meat) and verde (or green, often served with fish). Beef and pork make up some other dishes, though goat is probably the more common meat. Goat's milk is also used to make a kind of local cheese called majorero. In Corralejo, there are plenty of bars and restaurants.Transportation
Fuerteventura Airport, also known as El Matorral Airport, is the main airport serving Corralejo and the island as a whole. It is located about 5 kilometers southwest of the capital city Puerto del Rosario. Flights are available to and from international destinations-mainly Spain, Europe, and the neighboring islands.Once arrived at the airport, there are bus lines from Puerto del Rosalio (via airport) to Correlejo and other towns that are all cheap and reliable. Visitors also have the option to hire or rent cars.
There are also several ferries that run from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Puerto del Rosario, and Lanzarote.
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