Corralejo Natural Park

Corralejo Natural Park is one of the most striking landscapes in Fuerteventura: a vast belt of white dunes stretching along the island's north-eastern coast, in the municipality of La Oliva. The protected area covers roughly 2,600 hectares, running for about 10 kilometres with a width of up to 2.5 kilometres, making it the largest dune field in the Canary Islands.

Why are the dunes white instead of volcanic black?

Unlike many desert landscapes, the sand here has no rocky origin. It's made up of tiny fragments of shells and skeletons from molluscs and other marine organisms, ground down by the sea over thousands of years and then carried ashore and shaped into dunes by the wind. The result is a distinctly pale, almost bright sand that contrasts sharply with the dark volcanic rock found further inland. Some of the dunes rise to around 50 metres above sea level.

How did the park come to be protected?

The area, together with the neighbouring island of Lobos, was first declared a natural park in 1982. It wasn't until 1994 that the dune field itself was recognised as a distinct, formally protected area under the name Parque Natural de las Dunas de Corralejo. Beneath the white sand lies the typical Canarian malpaís, a volcanic landscape in shades of ochre formed by eruptions that took place more than 50,000 years ago.

What plants and animals live here?

Despite its arid appearance, the park supports plants adapted to sandy, dry conditions, including native sea lavender species and the spiny cardón cactus. Along the edges of the dunes and coastline, visitors can also spot endemic lizards and migratory birds, which use this stretch of coast as a resting point on journeys between Europe and Africa.

Why is it worth visiting?

Corralejo Natural Park is as much a geological phenomenon as it is one of Fuerteventura's most popular attractions: wide, near-desert beaches and dunes sit right alongside the turquoise waters of the Atlantic, creating a contrast rarely seen elsewhere in Europe. The park borders the town of Corralejo itself, from where ferries also depart for Lobos Island, which forms part of the same protected area.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the park located? On the north-eastern coast of Fuerteventura, in the municipality of La Oliva, right next to the town of Corralejo.

How large is it? Around 2,600 hectares, stretching about 10 km in length and up to 2.5 km in width.

Is the sand volcanic? No — it's formed from ground-up shells and marine organism skeletons rather than volcanic rock, though an older volcanic malpaís formation lies beneath the dunes.

When was the park protected? Initially in 1982 alongside Lobos Island, and as a standalone protected area since 1994.