When the waves drop or simply you drop from lots of surfing, why not make the most of your surf holidays in Fuerteventura and go explore.  The island is stunning: protected landscape, enormous ancient volcanoes and miles upon miles of coastline to discover. 




One of the best ways to get about on the island is to hire your own car or jeep for a day - you can do this in the town of Corralejo no problem.  Having the freedom to stop where you want, go off road and keep your own timing is something very special on this island.  If you really don’t fancy driving on the right hand side of the road, then there are tours and buses available to get you about, but it will of course be a lot slower.

So, where to?  Close to Corralejo is the national sand dune park near Las Grandes Playas.  The golden sand blown over from the Sahara desert has collected over the ages and made stunning sand dunes for you to scramble up.  Offering spectacular panoramic views and a true sense of the island’s volcanic origins, the dunes are a must see.



From the dunes, head into the wilderness on a desert walk and enjoy the corse brush and the wild shrubs that survive the blistering heat and winds.  For a more extreme adventure drive to the volcanoes, and explore the winding roads that will take you to the foothills of the mythic sites.  Each volcano is named, and often have shrines hidden in their foothills.  At the summit of the Volcano Tindaya you will find the erie Majorero warrior statues, monuments to the ancient island tribe that were wiped out by invading Europeans.



If you are a sun worshipper and there is the unfortunate cloudy day, then head south and try out a new sport.  About an hour and a half’s drive away from Corralejo is La Costa Calma and Jandia.  Here the sun is almost always shining, and there are some great areas where you can try out wind surfing and kite surfing.  The area is also good for a spot of shopping, as there are random complexes along the way. 

A closer alternative to Jandia for kite and wind surfing is found at Flagbeach.  The beach places host to three zones: surfing (near the Rui hotel), Kite Surfing and then Wind Surfing.  There are often schools there, especially as Fuerteventura is known for its year around wind.

If you fancy escaping the island for a while, then head to Corralejo’s harbour and take the daily ferry to Lanzarote.  Ferries run approximately every 2 hours, and the voyage takes about 20mins.  Just remember to go early in the morning as the shops close during the afternoon.



For something a bit faster paced there are numerous places that rent out quad or dirt bikes in Corralejo.  Also, there are a lot of running and cycling routes, so take your workout gear if you want to join in with all the running enthusiasts.



So whatever you do, explore, enjoy and don’t be afraid to literally go off the beaten track.

After spending a day at the beach surfing an evening out is definitely in order.  Surf Holidays in Fuerteventura are based in Corralejo town, which has a great mix of relaxed restaurants, bars, and late night shopping  and crazy clubs for you to enjoy. 

The town has one main road filled with restaurants and shops.  However there are many smaller bars and restaurants hidden around Corralejo’s harbour and back streets.  The secret to a great night out in Fuerteventura is timing.  You need to embrace the Spanish way of life and slow right down.  People go out later for everything.  You can shop until 9 or 10pm, and it is very normal to go for food once the shops shut. 

At the top of town Italian restaurants La Mamma or Di Napoli serve a wide selection of good food.  If you fancy venturing further, then the harbour contains a lot of seafood, Indian and traditional Spanish cuisine.  La Luna is a good mix of fresh local produce and a relaxed up market restaurant.  Just take your time deciding where to eat and don’t worry about all the people touting.


For a chilled beginning to the evening why not try the Citrus Cafe in the centre of town, or Cafe Lounge around the corner to La Luna at the harbour.  They offer a relaxed atmosphere, good food and drinks, and themed food nights.  In general cafes will stay open until about 11.30pm, so they are a great starting point; but this is just the beginning.


Almost every night of the week, with the exception of Sunday, is party night.  The key is to go for a late drink at the somewhat cheesy Rock Cafe (live music), or the windsurf bar Kiwi in the Atlantico complex at the end of the highstreet.  Enjoy the music or the surf film and watch as the world filters into the bar.  Everyone seems to end up in one of 3 places after being kicked out of Flick’s at 2am (in the Alantico complex): Buddha Lounge (opposite Flick’s and above Kiwi), Wakiki (down a side street near the Rock Cafe), or Down Under (almost next to the Rock Cafe).


The Buddha Lounge starts getting busy from about 1 or 2am, and plays a mixture of fiesta and European house music.  With its dark Indonesian decor and open dance floor, you’ll easily find yourself swept up with the party ambience and stumble home when dawn is breaking. 

If you don’t make it to Buddha, then Waikiki is an easy option.  They offer food, pool and start the tunes late in the evening as well.  Not generally as busy as Buddha, but is always worth a look in.  Down Under is something of an Aladdin’s Cave.  It is literally down under, as the entrance appears small, but when you’ve descended the steps there is a massive basement to explore.  They offer live music and a surfy atmosphere.


So, an evening out in Corralejo is simple, just choose how late/early you want to get in, and enjoy exploring the different scenes.

You’ve decided to finally take the plunge and are learning to surf.  Now for the fun of warm waters, beautiful long sunny days and the relaxed island way of life in Fuerteventura.  So the question is: what do you want to bring with you to make this one of your best surf trip ever?


Learning to surf with a surf school means that you have the right surfboard and wetsuit to begin with.  They will provide all the equipment that you’ll need, so all you need to do is turn up beach ready.  The best thing about Fuerteventura iis that it doesn’t vary much in weather throughout the year. The averages is 25 degrees, but depending on the season the sun and wind can alter how hot it feels. 

Remember winter months in Fuerteventura are summer months weather wise, so make sure that you bring with you a sunfactor that is appropriate to your skin type.  Also, when you are out in the water surfing, it is very easy to get burnt on your face... all those reflected rays.  So invest in a good sunfactor specifically for your face/sensitive areas like your nose, lips and ears.  It may seem silly reaching for a thick zinc or SPF stick, but far better than a burnt nose!  There are great brands out there now that do skin coloured sunblock.

Once you’re sorted on the sunprotection front, think about what you would want to take to the beach normally.  Beach towel, sunglasses, mp3 player, camera, a good book and maybe even a hat.  Depending on how long you will be at the beach, you will want to make yourself as comfortable as possible, as sometimes you will need to wait for the tide to change for the surfing conditions to be their best for you.  Take lots of water, and food supplies to keep you ready to enjoy your lesson.


Fuerteventura has a great night life, but it is relaxed in attitude and dress.  When deciding what clothes to bring, think about layers, and easy day to night.  For the day shorts or a skirt and a t-shirt will be fine.   However, when you go out in the evening, or even if you are leaving the beach late, a hoodie or something to wrap yourself in is ideal.  Fuerteventura can be windy , so it can be a bit on the chilly side when night comes. Understand we mean chilly not cold! It will still be 20 degrees but a breeze will mean a hoodie is nice to have!

In general people don’t dress up much even when they go out to clubs.  Jeans, flipflops and a nice top will serve you well, but if you want to dress up a little bit more for dinner, then a summer dress and something to keep you warm is good.  If you fancy a bit of a holiday shop, there are lots of surfshops with a good selection of brands, or head towards the bottom of Corralejo town to the Bennetton outlet shop for great deals.

So remember, dress for your environment, day: bikini and sunscreen, evening: casual and comfy... it will mean you'll enjoy your surf holiday Fuerteventura even more...
Essentials:   
Sunblock
High Factor Sunblock for Face
Jeans
Hoodie
Vest Tops
T-Shirts
Long Sleeve Top
Jumper
Shorts
Skirts
Bikinis
Dresses
Flipflops
PJs
Toiletries
Beach towel
Sunglasses
Beach bag
Adaptor
Chargers

Optional:
Hat/Cap
Books
Hairdryer
Rash Vest
Mosquito repellant
Camera
Beach games
MP3 Player

Every year 45 of the best surfers in the world come together to compete in the 10 events of the ASP World Tour.  The surfer with the biggest total of points at the end of the year becomes world champion.  This is going to change slightly for 2010 but for the moment we are going to just cover how a heat is scored. To gain points surfers compete in heats to progress through a competition and hopefully win the contest.  Here’s how it works...

For each heat there is a team of judges, 7 in total with 5 judging at a time and 2 rotating.  This team sits in the judging tower, so that they can see everything that is going on out in the water.  The judging team is always international, unbiased, with vast experience (they judge over 700+ waves during the ASP tour alone), and leading this team is the head judge.  The head judge’s job is to oversee everything, to make sure that the scoring is fair, that all the timings are spot on and that no waves or maneuvers are missed etc. 


Once a heat has begun between two or more surfers, it is the first wave that sets the precedent.  After this wave has been scored, all waves that follow will be compared to that first wave.

Each surfer’s wave is scored out of 10, and the score is based on what the surfer does with the wave.  The level of difficulty, the maneuvers, the power, speed, flow and their commitment determine what score the surfer will receive.  Each of the 5 judges will award a score out of the possible 10 points.  To reach the final score the highest and lowest scores are removed, and the remaining scores are averaged out. Here is the grading:

0-2 Poor
2-4 Fair
4-6 Average
6-8 Good
8-10 Excellent


ASP heats work on a two wave combination.  The surfer tries to achieve the two highest scoring waves in order to defeat their opponent.  There is a maximum score of 20 out of 20 points available.  During a heat a surfer is allowed to be scored on up to 15 waves, yet only the two best waves will count.

Depending on where a competitor finishes in an ASP competition there are points on offer.  Whether a surfer is knocked out at round 1 or succeeds in winning an event, points are awarded.  Here’s the breakdown of what each round/heat offers:

Contest win/1st place    1200 points
Runnerup/2nd    1032
Semi-finalist/3rd    876
Quarter-finalist/5th    732
Round 4/9th    600
Round 3/17th    410
Round 2/33rd    225
Round 1/33rd     225
Injured    225

So there are the basics of how a heat is judged and scored.  There are numerous minor rules that the ASP keep in place when it comes to determining wave priority, interference and even scoring maneuvers, yet what it comes down to is the best man of the heat winning, regardless of popularity or reputation.

It’s cold, very cold outside, yet peculiarly you find yourself gravitating towards the surf.  Its siren call has convinced you against all better judgement, and preservation of limbs, to go for a cold water surf.  So the question is: how do you survive the experience?


The key to all good surf sessions of the cold water variety, is excellent equipment and planning.  As much as you may want to run out the door, grabbing some extra layers and a hot beverage will be greatly appreciated aprés surf.

Step 1- Take a moment in the kitchen and make yourself a thermos of something warming, or even at a push- a hotwater bottle to help you defrost.

Step 2- As part of your prep, make sure that you remember your wetsuit boots, gloves, hood, rashvest... and if you’re lucky enough to have them: your kidney warming wetsuit heating belt.  You may feel more like a seal than a superhero, but still being able to work your car keys when you’ve come out of the water is a real bonus.

Step 3- Before you hit the surf, warm yourself up.  If this means jogging up and down the beach, or simply star jumps, it will be worth it.  You never know, that extra sprint could help you last an extra minute where you get your best wave.


Step 4- Now comes for the post surf cheesy item: your Ugg boots or equivalent.  Yes, we know that everyone has them, or a cheap knockoff, but they will save a pinky or two from frostbite.  So if you’ve not got something sheepskin/fake-fur lined for your feet, make it your next priority purchase... or at the very least your next wish list item.

MOST important of all: Step 5- So after all that hard work, you deserve a reward.  Get yourself to a computer fast, and book yourself a surfing holiday in the sun!