Fueratventura - A Naturists Paradise in the Hawaii if Europe - Canaries

The atmosphere is very laid back, it is relatively cheap and, as such, is the perfect location for anyone who just wants to wind off and forget about everything.

It is only a short taxi ride from the airport near Puerto del Rosario to the apartments at Parque Hollandes on the eastern side of the island, where it is quite cheap to stay and where there are good facilities including a number of restaurants with good cuisine and private swimming pools. There are frequent buses going from there to the long, sandy beach which stretches all the way to the town of Corralejo at the north of the island.

The further one walks away from Corralejo on the beach, the less clothes people wear and there are many dunes and sheltered places behind dry stone walls where it is generally possible to find shade.

At the end of the beach nearest Corralejo, there are some plush hotels, a good restaurant and some shops selling everything from clothes, souvenirs and postcards to a large selection of foreign newspapers and magazines.

Corralejo itself is good for shopping and there are many restaurants offering a wide range of cuisine.

Although many people come to Fuerteventura for the peace and quiet, if one is looking for nightlife, it is possible to find it in abundance in Corralejo, where the British have opened up many restaurants and bars which attract a young crowd.

From Corralejo, it is also possible to take boats to Lanzarote and to the nearby island of Lobos .

On the other hand, if one is looking for complete seclusion, it is best to head to El Cotillo on the west coast, a very quiet place where there are apartments right on the beach and where some middle-aged German hippies spend long periods living in caravans.

While most of the British tourists have tended to head for the north of the island, many Germans head for the southern part, where a number of hotels have sprung up in recent years with excellent facilities, some of which cater exclusively for naturists.

The best hotels in this area are probably the Hotel Costa Real at La Pared, Jandia, which has its own sauna, jacuzzi and spa area and the Hotel Playa Esmerelda at Costa Calma, which overlooks the white sandy beach of Sotovento and where facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzi, tennis courts, mini golf and a fitness centre.

While most people visit Fuerteventura for the beaches, it is also possible to take day trips to inland places such as La Oliva – where there are some old churches and historic buildings – and there are even excursions to Morocco .

To conclude, I would strongly recommend Fuerteventura to anyone who wants to leave the rat-race for a short time and escape into another world where everything moves at a much slower pace.