Corralejo Dunes

The Corralejo dune field covers about eleven square kilometres behind a long stretch of beach on the northeastern corner of Fuerteventura, and the sand is not desert sand but marine: ground shell and calcareous algae washed ashore and blown inland by the constant trade winds, which is why it is white rather than the black of the island's volcanic interior. It was made a natural park in 1982, though two large hotels built inside the boundary before designation still stand there and remain a local grievance. The beaches along the eastern edge run for several kilometres with turquoise water, and the islet of Lobos lies offshore with Lanzarote behind it. Wind makes the area a windsurfing and kitesurfing centre.

What you actually see

• The white dunes - eleven square kilometres of shell sand behind the beach.
• The Lobos view - the islet offshore with Lanzarote beyond.
• The long beaches - several kilometres of sand along the eastern edge.
• The wind sports - windsurfing and kitesurfing off the shore.

When to go

Year-round; Fuerteventura is dry and warm in all seasons, and the wind is constant, which cools the beach and makes lying on it difficult. Winter is the windiest and busiest for wind sports.

Honest expectations

Wind blows sand across the beach on most days, which is uncomfortable without a windbreak. There is no shade in the dune field. Walking on some dune areas is restricted, and the two hotels inside the park are unavoidable in the view.

Nearby

Corralejo town lies north; Isla de Lobos is a short boat ride offshore.