Playa del Matorral is the vast, white sweep of Jandía beach at Morro Jable — the crown jewel of Fuerteventura's sun-baked south. Miles of pale golden-white sand run along the shore at the island's southern resort of Morro Jable, backed by a protected saltmarsh nature reserve and watched over by the landmark Morro Jable lighthouse. Wide, warm and gloriously long, it's one of the great beaches of Fuerteventura and a big reason people fall for the island's endless coastline.
How to get there
Playa del Matorral stretches along the front of Morro Jable at the southern end of the Jandía peninsula. If you're staying in the resort you can walk straight down to it, and a long promenade runs behind the sand linking the town, its hotels and the beach. Drivers will find parking areas near the front, and the beach is a manageable drive down the fast southern road from Fuerteventura's airport. The famous lighthouse and the boardwalks over the saltmarsh mark the beach's landmarks — easy points to aim for as you arrive.
What it's like
This is a big, open, spectacular beach. The sand is pale and soft, the beach is exceptionally wide, and it runs for a long ribbon along the coast, so even in high season there's room to find your own patch. Behind it lies the Saladar de Jandía, a protected saltmarsh and RAMSAR wetland crossed by boardwalks — an unusual, tidal landscape of low salt-tolerant plants that fills and drains with the sea and draws birdlife. The striped Morro Jable lighthouse stands sentinel at one end. It's a beach with a genuine sense of scale and light.
Stick to the marked boardwalks when crossing the saltmarsh behind the beach — it's a fragile protected habitat, and the walkways give you the best views over it without harming the plants or wildlife.
Swimming and safety
The water here is warm, clear and, on many days, wonderfully calm, with a gently shelving sandy bottom that suits swimmers and paddlers alike. Being in the sheltered south, Matorral generally offers easier swimming than Fuerteventura's wild Atlantic-facing coasts. That said, this is a big open beach, so wind and afternoon breezes can pick up, currents can run in places, and conditions vary along its length. Swim where it's supervised, follow any flag system, and keep an eye on children, especially when the sea is livelier than it looks.
Facilities
As the beach of a major resort, Playa del Matorral is well equipped. Expect sunbeds and parasols for hire, showers and toilets, and lifeguard cover in the main areas during the season, with the long promenade behind lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and shops. Because the beach is so large, services cluster near the town end while the far reaches stay quieter and more natural. There's easy, gently sloping access from the promenade, and plenty of choice for food and drink a short stroll from the sand.
Best for whom
Matorral suits almost everyone — families, couples, sunbathers and swimmers — thanks to its space, warm sheltered water and full range of facilities. It's ideal for a classic beach holiday with the town's restaurants and amenities on the doorstep, and its sheer length means those wanting peace can simply walk away from the busy end. It's less of a fit if you're chasing wild, undeveloped scenery; for that, the raw beaches of the peninsula's western side are the draw.
Nearby
Morro Jable is your base for the whole southern peninsula. The resort itself has a pretty harbour and a working fishing-village heart at Morro Jable, and just up the coast the Jandía peninsula unfurls into the enormous windswept sands of Playa de Sotavento, a paradise for windsurfers and kitesurfers. Beyond, over the mountains, lies the wild, remote beach of Cofete. To plan your island stay, see our full guide to Fuerteventura.