Playa de Sotavento is one of the great beaches of the world — an enormous ribbon of pale sand curving down the wild Jandía coast of southern Fuerteventura, famous for the vast, shallow tidal lagoon that forms behind a sandbar at low tide. It's a beach of extraordinary scale and shifting moods, a magnet for windsurfers and kitesurfers from across the globe, and the setting for a world-class competition each year. If you want somewhere that feels genuinely epic, Sotavento delivers.
How to get there
Sotavento runs along the eastern side of the Jandía peninsula in the south, stretching south from the Costa Calma resort area towards Jandía. It's reached by the main southern road, with several access points and car parks along the coast serving different sections of the enormous beach. From the southern resorts it's a short drive or bus ride, and it's a straightforward, if longish, transfer from Fuerteventura's airport in the centre of the island. Different access points suit different crowds — some busier and more serviced, others gloriously empty.
What it's like
The headline feature is the lagoon. At low tide the sea retreats behind a long sandbar to leave a huge, shallow, mirror-flat pool of warm water — a surreal, shimmering landscape that's magical to wade and paddle in. At high tide the lagoon fills and the character changes completely. The sand runs for kilometres, backed by low dunes and open sky, and the whole place has a wild, wind-brushed beauty. It's this unique mix of shallow flat water and steady wind that makes Sotavento a world capital of windsurfing and kitesurfing, hosting the international PWA competition each year.
Check the tide times before you go — the famous lagoon only appears around low tide. Time your visit right and you'll catch it at its shimmering best; arrive at high tide and it may have vanished entirely.
Swimming and safety
The lagoon, when it forms, gives warm, shallow, relatively calm water that's wonderful for wading and paddling, and a favourite with families and beginners on the water. Beyond the sandbar, though, this is the open Atlantic, with waves, currents and strong wind, and much of the vast beach has limited or no lifeguard cover. Take care where the sea is open, keep clear of the fast-moving watersports gear, and mind children around the changing tide, which moves quickly across the flats.
Respect the wind and tide. Sotavento is exposed and breezy, with strong currents beyond the sandbar and a fast-moving tide. Stay in the sheltered lagoon or marked swimming zones, keep clear of kite lines and launch areas, and don't get cut off by the rising tide on the sandbar.
Facilities
Facilities vary along the beach. Near the resort access points and the windsurfing centres you'll find watersports schools offering lessons and hire, plus bars, sunbed hire and other services; along the wilder stretches there's little beyond sand, dunes and wind. For a full day, especially away from the serviced sections, bring water and sun protection — shade is scarce and the beach is huge, so plan where you'll base yourself.
Best for whom
Sotavento is made for windsurfers and kitesurfers of every level, for families drawn to the warm shallow lagoon, and for anyone who loves vast, wild, wind-swept beaches. It suits active travellers and beginners keen to try a watersport in a legendary setting. If you want still, sheltered water and full facilities all day you may prefer a calmer resort cove — but for scale, spectacle and world-class conditions, nowhere compares. Plan a lesson through our guide to boat trips and watersports.
Nearby
The resort of Costa Calma sits at the northern end, a relaxed base with hotels, restaurants and easy beach access, and the peninsula continues south towards the resort of Morro Jable and, beyond it, the truly wild coast. The whole Jandía area is prime territory for sun, sand and watersports. For where to stay and the best of the island, see our full guide to Fuerteventura.