Fuerteventura Cruise Port is in the town of Puerto del Rosario on the eastern side of Fuerteventura island. This sun-soaked Canary Island offers stunning beaches and volcanic landscapes perfect for an outdoor focused port day. In this guide, I’ll share how you can get to the golden sands of Playa Chica from Fuerteventura Cruise Port. And if you’re a bit more adventurous, then a local bus can take you from Fuerteventura Cruise Port to the sand dunes and secluded beaches of Corralejo Natural Park.
This is Part 2 of my Canary Islands Cruise Port Series. If you’re on a Canary Islands cruise, then check out the other DIY port guides at:
- Part 1: Arrecife (Lanzarote) Cruise Port Guide: Castles, Lagoons & Beaches
- Part 3: Las Palmas Gran Canaria Cruise Port: Beach Bliss & Markets
- Part 4: Santa Cruz Tenerife Cruise Port Guide: Castles & Beach Bliss
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Fuerteventura Cruise Port: Is a DIY Excursion Easy? 😎😎😎 Do-able but Needs Hustle
Fuerteventura Cruise Port is mostly a winter sun cruise port for those of us living in UK and Europe. If all you want to do is to sit on a beach and soak in the 300+ days of sunshine Fuerteventura enjoys each year, then Fuerteventura is an easy peasy 😎😎😎😎😎 cruise port for a DIY cruiser – the beach is less than 5 minutes walk away from the cruise port.
But if you’re looking to do more than just sit on the beach, then I’d say that Fuerteventura is a 😎😎😎 do-able DIY cruise excursion but needs hustle. Here’s why:
- Limited attractions around cruise port: Fuerteventura Cruise Port is located in the town of Puerto del Rosario and there’s very little to see around Fuerteventura cruise port. Other than the beach of course!
- Limited regular bus services: While Puerto del Rosario has by far the most number of bus routes on Fuerteventura island, many of the bus routes only run a couple of services a day. However, there IS a regular bus service to Corralejo and will drive past the famous sand dunes at Corralejo Natural Park. (I’ll share this DIY trip with you below.)
- Long drive to other parts of Fuerteventura: Because of Fuerteventura’s terrain and how the roads are laid out, it can be up to 90 minutes drive from Fuerteventura to other parts of the island. (Fuerteventura is 100 km long and 31 km wide or approximately 62 miles by 19 miles.)
Note on Third Party Excursions: This means that even shore excursions run by third party operators are often in short supply if you request a pick up at Puerto del Rosario. If these operators are based on the south part of the island, they may not want to do a pick up at the cruise port and drive another 90 minutes back south.
So if you see an excursion that you’d like on your cruise line website, then book it! Of course, you can always rent a car for the day. There is a car rental booth at the cruise port. But for me, renting a car for the day is almost always too much trouble and I tend to just book a tour if I see something I like.
My Experience: I made Fuerteventura my “do less” port day! I went through the list of excursions offered on my cruise and I didn’t find anything that I liked. It was a mix of catamaran sailings or visit aloe vera farm for my own face mask! So I decided just to visit the sand dunes and relax on the beach. This meant that I could spend longer port days at the other ports on my Canary Islands cruise, knowing that I’ve got a “chill day” planned. I’d say that out of all the Canary Island port stops, the most “things to do” is at Santa Cruz Cruise Port in Tenerife, so plan accordingly!
Fuerteventura Cruise Port Essentials: All You Need To Know
- Fuerteventura Cruise Port Address: Mlle. de Cruceros, 35600 Puerto del Rosario, Las Palmas, Spain – see this marked on my Fuerteventura Cruise Port map below 🗺️📍👇
- Currency: Euros
- Language: Spanish
- Official Tourism website: Visit Fuerteventura is the official tourism website
- Recommended Transport App: Use Google Maps for general walking directions. If you’d like to catch a bus to elsewhere on the island, note that bus stops don’t show up on Google Maps. Use the bus operator’s website for timetables & bus stops.
- eSIM for roaming in Spain: For a great data connection without the huge roaming fees, use an eSim data pack from Airalo. I always recommend having a smartphone with a valid plan when you’re at port touring independently. Get US$3 off your first eSIM data pack from Airalo when you use ROXANN1666 when you sign up or apply it at checkout
Fuerteventura Cruise Port Map
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Fuerteventura Cruise Port: Top Things To See & Do
1. Playa Chica
Playa de los Pozos o Playa Chica, or just Playa Chica Beach, is just a few minutes’ stroll from Fuerteventura Cruise Port. The sheltered cove means calm clear waters and the smooth golden sand is perfect for sunbathing and relaxation. Don’t forget that beach towel from the ship!
2. Corralejo Natural Park (Parque Natural de Corralejo)
Situated in the northeastern part of Fuerteventura, is the Corralejo Natural Park, renowned for its vast expanse of Sahara-like sand dunes and some reaching heights of up to 50 metres (~165 feet). This desert paradise stretches for over 10km (~6 miles) in length, so you have to be rather strategic about what you’d like to see and do, so as to pick the “right” stretch of it.
For adventurous DIY explorers, who are keen to explore both the sand dunes and Corralejo’s fabulously secluded beaches on their own, here’s how to get there from Fuerteventura Cruise Port:
- Bus Route #6: Bus #6 starts from Puerto del Rosario Bus station, about 20 minutes walk from Fuerteventura Cruise Port – see this marked on my Fuerteventura Cruise Port map above 🗺️📍👆. The “bus” is actually a motor coach.
- Timetables: See timetables here. Buses depart every 15-30 minutes on Monday to Saturday and once an hour on Sundays.
- Tickets: €3.40 one way to Carralejo.
- Where to Get Off:
- Hoteles Riu Stop: This stop is between the two Hotel Riu resorts – see this marked on my Fuerteventura Cruise Port map above 🗺️📍👆. Meant for the resort guests, this stop is in fact a good stop to explore the sand dunes and beaches on both sides of the resort. You can also pay for facilities at either of the beach clubs (or just visit for food & drink) if you need them.
- Las Agujas Stop: This stop is the last stop before the bus drives towards Corralejo town centre. Get off here and you can see some of the secluded beaches and Flag Beach or walk back towards more dunes towards the two Hotel Riu resorts.
3. Acua Water Park
If you’d like to have water slides to go with your beach, then visiting the water park at Corralejo may be just the ticket! Catch #6 to Lobos Bahia stop, marked on my map above. The park entrance is around the corner. Tickets from €28 adults and kids from €22.
4. Popcorn Beach
If you’ve heard of Popcorn Beach, you’ve likely heard it from Instagram, where it’s been forever immortalised. Popcorn Beach, is actually Playa de El Hierro in La Oliva, on the northwestern coast of Fuerteventura. Why has it been nicknamed as Popcorn Beach?
It’s because Popcorn Beach is not your typical beach full of sand, pebbles or rocks. The small white algae fossils that cover the beach look like puffy popcorn! Over time the algae fossils turn white and resemble the look and feel of popcorn more and more!
Unfortunately there’s no public buses there or at least as far as I’m aware. It’s about an hour’s walk from Corralejo but the easier DIY route is rent an e-bike (or a normal bike if you’re a keen cyclist) from Corralejo. Catch the #6 bus as above to the last stop in Corralejo town centre itself and the bike shop is a short walk away. Your cruise line may also offer a tour out to Popcorn Beach.
Fuerteventura Cruise Port to Corralejo
Before or after your visit to Corralejo Natural Park, you may want to walk through Corralejo town. But manage your expectations! It’s not the most exciting town but retains a quaint, traditional feel. The old harbour, known as “El Puerto”, is a nice place to stroll along the waterfront, admire the colourful fishing boats or enjoy some fresh seafood from restaurants.
The narrow streets of Corralejo have plenty of local shops selling souvenirs, crafts and Canarian products. Playa de Corralejo is the central beach with calm waters and convenient amenities. Flag Beach is popular with windsurfers and kite surfers due to its consistent winds and is a good spot to watch them in action.
- How to Get There: As above, catch Bus #6 to the last stop if you’d like to walk around Corralejo town. Playa de Corralejo is within walking distance. On the return journey, you can get off at Las Agujas Stop for Flag Beach.
Featured Photo by Michal Mrozek on Unsplash
