Grandes Playas is Fuerteventura's most spectacular beach — kilometre after kilometre of blinding white sand and turquoise sea running alongside the great rolling dunes of the Corralejo natural park, on the sun-baked northern coast. This is a beach on an epic scale, wild and open, where the Sahara-like dunes meet a shimmering Caribbean-blue Atlantic. If the dream is endless empty sand and impossibly clear water, few places anywhere in Fuerteventura — or the whole archipelago — deliver it like this.
How to get there
The beaches run south from the resort town of Corralejo along the main road that crosses the Corralejo Natural Park towards Puerto del Rosario. From Corralejo it's a short drive or bus ride, and there are informal parking areas and lay-bys dotted along the dune stretch where you can pull off and walk over to the sand. It's an easy transfer from Fuerteventura's airport too. The nearer beaches by the big hotels are the most accessible; the further you go into the dunes, the wilder and quieter it gets.
What it's like
This is two experiences in one. Behind the beach roll the vast, pale sand dunes of the protected park, a desert-like landscape of shifting hills that's magical to wander through. In front stretches a seemingly endless ribbon of white sand and clear, bright water. Near Corralejo and the two large hotels the beach is busier and better served; venture south and you'll find long, near-empty stretches where it's just you, the dunes and the sea. The wind is a regular feature here, which draws watersports fans but can whip up the sand on breezy days.
On windy days the finer sand blows across the beach — pick a spot in the lee of the dunes, or bring a windbreak. The light over the dunes is at its most beautiful early and late in the day.
Swimming and safety
The water is gorgeous — clear, bright and often a comfortable temperature — and on calmer days swimming is a delight. But this is an open Atlantic beach, so conditions vary with the wind and swell, currents can develop, and much of the long dune stretch has no lifeguard cover. Choose your spot and your day sensibly, keep an eye on children, and don't swim out far when there's surf or a strong breeze running. The sheltered pockets between rocky outcrops are often the calmest for a dip.
Come prepared. Along the dune stretch there's little shade, no shops and often no lifeguard. Bring plenty of water, sun protection and everything you'll need, watch for currents on windy days, and take all your rubbish home to protect the fragile dunes.
Facilities
It depends where you sit. Near Corralejo and the two large dune-side hotels you'll find sunbed hire, beach bars and more in the way of services. Along the wilder southern stretches, facilities thin out to almost nothing — this is protected natural land, so don't count on shade, toilets or refreshments once you're deep into the dunes. For a long day out here, self-sufficiency is the rule: pack water, food and sun cover before you leave town.
Best for whom
Grandes Playas is for lovers of wild, wide-open beaches, walkers who want to explore the dunes, watersports enthusiasts and anyone chasing that endless white-sand, turquoise-sea picture. Families enjoy the calmer serviced sections near town, while those seeking solitude simply walk further south. If you need full facilities and guaranteed calm water you'll prefer a sheltered resort beach — but for sheer natural drama, this is Fuerteventura's showpiece.
Nearby
The lively resort of Corralejo sits right at the northern end, with its restaurants, shops and harbour, and from there boats cross to the tiny nature-reserve island of Lobos just offshore, and ferries run to Lanzarote's Playa Blanca. The dunes themselves are a highlight in their own right. For where to stay and the best of the island — including its many other beaches — see our full guide to Fuerteventura.