Naturist Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is the second largest of the Canary Islands yet one of the quietest.  You wont find swathes of tourists, night clubs with loud music or the party scene of other islands, but what you will find is miles upon miles of beautiful beaches and shoreline.  Having been on the island many times over the last 20 years, I have still to explore all of the coast line.  The island has a laid back atmosphere and most of the people away from the resort or town beaches are naked.  It’s legal and acceptable to be naked on the beaches, in fact its one of the big ‘draws’ of the island. Naturist and textile mix here easily and its the perfect place for those who have never had the freedom of being free of a wet bathing suit to try it for the first time (and many do.)

I’m sitting on a beach now, looking out at the Island of Lobos across the Bocayna Strait in one of the stone circles that have been erected by tourists over the years to give shelter from the winds that in some peoples opinion gave the island its name ‘ forte ventura.’  The circles are a perfect place for shelter, leaving your towels and backpack and to give some privacy to those who have yet to have the confidence to be naked on the open beach. The circles on the shoreline are the best as they afford a view of the beautiful sea and are generally cleaner than the ones further back in the dunes. There are no designated ‘Nudist’ beaches on Fuerteventura; there is simply no need. Once you have ventured away from the main tourist or town beaches you can be naked or clothed. As I now walk along the miles of gorgeous shoreline I cant help but notice despite this; birds of a feather flock together.’  The Kitesurfers are concentrated in one area enjoying the best wind/ waves with those surfers that sunbathe after their exertions being at either end. The less mobile beach goers stay close to the two large hotels and on the group of rented sun loungers the last sunbeds seem to be exclusively naturist…..yet , everywhere naturist and textile are interspersed. The further I get from the hotels the less people there are. There are other walkers, some hugging the water’s edge, some walking through the dunes. Most are clothes free and stop of at the sandy shallow shelving water for a swim or a dip.  Just over a mile from the last hotels there are a collection of stone circles where people of all ages have got themselves comfortable for the day….I will stop here and relax watching the tide come in and cool off from time to time in the crystal clear sea.

Next day…
El Cotillo was a small fishing village on the Northern coast of Fuerteventura.  I has seen some development in recent years, but it has retained some of the original charm.  To the left stretches impressive beaches with warm golden sand and a backdrop of impressive cliffs. There are surfers and hippies as well as tourists and today its mostly textile…but not exclusively… To the right of the village is one of my favourite spots in the world: Los Lagos or The Lagoons.  The lagoons are little sandy inlets divided by rocks with similar hexagonal patterns  as Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway, though they aren’t in columns. I parked at La Concha beach which is a very safe and sheltered swimming beach, Textile and Naturist swim together but it seems that the right hand side and all beyond is mostly naturist.  Unless your feet are tough you will need flip flops to walk over the rocky paths between the lagoons ..but its worth it .  I never feel more relaxed and safe than i do there. The other people on the beach will keep an eye on your bags while you swim and people stop for a chat on the waters edge . There are Germans, Irish, English, Italians, Spanish, Scandinavian and Polish all enjoying the beauty of this place… and it’s quiet and peaceful.  Hours drift by… it’s perfect.

I’m heading home again now. The South of the Island has even more great beaches, I will go there next time… The whole island is perfect for those wishing to relax… and if you have never tried skinny dipping or being clothes free… this is a place to start.

Andy P – July 2019