Fuerteventura Island

Fuerteventura is one of the Spanish Canary Islands, located just 100 kilometres off the coast of north Africa. It's the second biggest of the islands, after Tenerife, and has the longest beaches in the archipelago. The island is a paradise for sun, beach and watersports enthusiasts. It's not the place for all-night ravers but Fuerteventura (or Fuerte as it's affectionately known) is perfect for families and couples seeking a relaxed winter sun holiday.

The island is widely believed to be the oldest of the Canary Islands. It's strange form - a cross between a leg of mutton and Marge Simpson's hairdo! - was created out of a series of volcanic eruptions many thousands of years ago.

The first tourist hotel was built here in 1965 followed by the construction of the airport at El Mattoral heralding the dawn of a new era for the island. Fuerteventura, with its 3,000 sunshine hours a year, was placed firmly on the world stage as a major European holiday destination.

The island is on the same latitude as Florida and Mexico and temperatures here rarely fall below 18C or rise above 24C. There are no less than 152 beaches along its coastline - 50 kilometres of fine, white sand and 25 kilometres of black volcanic shingle.

The summer Trade Winds and winter swells of the Atlantic make this a year-round surfers' paradise. Sailors, scuba divers and big game fishermen are all drawn to these clear blue Atlantic waters where whales, dolphins, marlin and turtles are all common sights.

Much of the interior, with its large plains, lavascapes and volcanic mountains, consists of protected areas which can be best be explored in a 4x4 or (for the more daring) with a cross-country motorbike.

Boat trips run regularly from Fuerteventura to the tiny Los Lobos Island nature reserve where you will find a great deal of seabirds and flora, some unique to the island. Trips are also available to the neighbouring Canary Island of Lanzarote. For those travelling with children, a visit to La Lajita Zoo on the east coast of the island will make an excellent excursion. In addition to the many birds and reptiles on display, visitors can take part in one of the excellent camel safaris the zoo offers.

The primary shopping area for those on Fuerteventura holidays is in Puerto Del Rosario, the capital of the island. Here you will find plenty of shops of all varieties, with prices much lower than you will find in the tourist resorts. Look out for unique clothing at extremely reasonable prices as well as cigarettes, alcohol and electronics, which all benefit from the islands tax-free status. If you are planning a shopping spree it is worth remembering that many shops will close for a siesta at lunchtime.

There is a wide range of restaurants on Fuerteventura with many different cuisines available. Typically the local cuisine is based on seafood with other local dishes available including Canarian Potatoes or Papas Arragudas (small potatoes cooked in sea water and usually served with a spicy mojo sauce) and a salted fish soup called Sancocho. The nightlife in Fuerteventura can mainly be found in Corralejo in the North or Caleta de Fuste on the East coast of Fuerteventura. In these two resorts one can find traditional pubs, dance bars, cocktail bars and clubs open until the early hours.