Back in 2001 two colleagues and I entered a newspaper competition and were surprised to win a week’s holiday in Fuerteventura. Where on earth was it? In the pre-smartphone era, we had to look in an atlas to find out. Oh, an island about 60 miles off the coast of northwest Africa. Politically part of Spain, and situated between the better-known Canary islands of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. Well, it was a free holiday, so why not.

We arrived late one evening in early May, just as it was starting to rain – a bizarre piece of bad luck in one of the most arid, barren places I’ve ever been to. Our transfer coach raced along the coastal road in the darkness; all we could see was our own tired reflections in the windows.

The aparthotel we were staying at was of the ‘cheap and cheerful’ type, and by day two my colleagues already had giant cockroaches making themselves at home in their apartment. At 10 a.m. the poolside loudspeaker announcements began, an endless cacophony of upbeat details about the day’s organised activities. There’d be poolside bingo to look forward to, water volleyball, and a children’s mini disco in the afternoon. We looked at each other and grimaced. ‘I’ve never been on a package holiday,’ said Rochelle. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

The answer turned out to be quite simple – ignore the package and get out and explore. And very soon I fell completely in love with the island. Just on the outskirts of town, a vast Saharan desert began, across which we hiked and yomped under the African sun. On the other side of the sand dunes, a long, white, utterly pristine beach stretched out as far as the eye could see. We hired a jeep, travelled along blustery roads to the south of the island and discovered even more idyllic beaches – often with just a handful of other people around. Back at the hotel we’d tell our neighbours about our adventures. ‘Ooh, we wouldn’t know where to go,’ they’d say. ‘We’ve got everything we need here.’

So there’s this paradox in Fuerteventura – it is truly spectacular, but it’s not well known, and most of the holidaymakers who go there stay put in the comfort and certainties of their all-inclusive surroundings and never stray out into the wilds. So if you’re adventurous, resourceful and resilient (the sun can be scorchingly hot, and there’s seldom any shelter) you can have some very dramatic landscapes almost all to yourselves.

I’ve now been to Fuerteventura a dozen times since that first visit in 2001, and I’d like to share with you my top five spots on the island. It’s a truly amazing place.

5.  Cotillo lagoons 

Fine white sand skirts the sheltered volcanic rock pools and inlets of El Cotillo on Fuerteventura’s northwest coast. The water is a couple of degrees cooler here than on the east coast, but children can paddle and swim in complete safety. The sleepy little town of Cotillo has lots of character and some excellent restaurants. Hourly buses to and from Corralejo until 8pm.

4.  Calderon Hondo

If you’re a walker, the 3-hour trek across a red-ochre landscape from Corralejo to the village of Lajares won’t disappoint. Try to time it so you skirt the volcanic hill of Calderon Hondo in the magical hour before sunset – it’s as though the rocks are ablaze with colour. Lajares itself has some very good bars and restaurants, and sitting on a terrace watching the sun go down in the barren interior of Fuerteventura is a very special experience.

3.  Corralejo dunes

The resort town of Corralejo on the island’s north coast is lively but has managed to preserve a lot of its original character. The real treat, however, is the stunning expanses of the desert a few miles south. Sand dunes as far as the eye can see; a few goats picking at the sporadic vegetation; and exhilaratingly bright sunlight from deep blue skies. You can wander here for a few hours before heading to the beach and a well-earned dip.

2.  Cofete beach

A rough dirt track winds its way around the mountains from Morro Jable to the wild west coast of the island. There, the hamlet of Cofete ekes out a living from the few intrepid visitors who venture over to this remote corner of Fuerteventura. Travellers who make the difficult journey by road, or hike across the mountains, are rewarded with the sight of this astonishingly beautiful beach, onto which the Atlantic waves crash unabated.

1.  Playa de Sotavento de Jandia

For me, the number one spot in Fuerteventura is the seemingly endless expanse of the Playa de Sotavento de Jandia, which stretches magnificently from Costa Calma down the coast towards Morro Jable. A third of the way along, a warm blue lagoon forms at high tide. Framed by the gentle sweep of the coastal hills, this dreamy landscape is where I want my ashes scattered when I’m no longer here.

I hope you enjoyed those glimpses of this phenomenally special island. If your curiosity has been awakened and you want to know more, why not take a look at this YouTube video I uploaded in December 2017 after my most recent visit to Fuerteventura. And if you have any questions about the island, feel free to write to me using the contact form on this website. I’ll do my best to answer all your queries. Buen viaje!