Costa Calma - The calm coast
Hello, I am Steffen and I have lived and worked in Costa Calma for many years.
Costa Calma is located at the narrowest point in the south of Fuerteventura, here the island is only 5 kilometres wide. This narrow part of the island is also the beginning of the southern peninsula of Fuerteventura. Costa Calma lies on the east coast in front of a long, white sandy beach with calm waters, which also gave the place its name. Costa Calma means "calm coast" in English.
The entire village extends slightly downhill around the large sandy bay of Costa Calma towards the beach. This gives you a wonderful view of the calm blue Atlantic from everywhere in the village.
The upper and lower parts of Costa Calma are divided by a large green zone with palm and pine trees. This park is irrigated with the treated waste water from the village and is ideal for a shady afternoon stroll.
The hinterland of Costa Calma on Fuerteventura is called the Istmo de La Pared. This beautiful dune landscape is unique on the island and is partly protected as a nature reserve. There are some endemic plants and animals here that have adapted to the dry desert-like climate.
Due to its barren beauty, this extraordinary stretch of land has served as a film set for several major Hollywood productions, including the Moses film by Ridley Scott and the Star Wars series.
Costa Calma belongs to the southern municipality of Pajara, whose administrative centre is the small town of the same name northwest of La Pared. Costa Calma of Fuerteventura has about 5,500 inhabitants (as of 2011), but most of the town's partial inhabitants are tourists, whose numbers fluctuate seasonally and are highest in summer and autumn.
History of Costa Calma
Costa Calma on Fuerteventura was established in the 1970s. Until then, only a simple gravel road led to the south of the island and in the present Costa Calma there was only a small bar of the same name and a petrol station. With the opening up of the south of Fuerteventura for tourism, the first hotels were built in Costa Calma from the 1970s and especially from 1980. Along with these hotels, restaurants, small bars and the first shops opened. Due to the flourishing tourism and more and more shops, Costa Calma slowly but steadily grew to its present size.
It is still easy to see that this popular tourist resort has no indigenous origins. Costa Calma has no real centre. Rather, there are many small centres where several bars and shops have settled.
Attractions in Costa Calma
The most famous attraction of Costa Calma is definitely the large lagoon at Sotavento Beach, which is located south of the village. At high tide, a more than 3-kilometre-long, shallow lagoon forms here. This blue lagoon is especially popular amongst windsurfers and kitesurfers.
The best place to swim is the palm trees below the Melia Hotel. Here you can refresh yourself in the shade of tall, green palm trees in the clear water of the lagoon.
Istmo de La Pared is the name of the desert-like section of the island that forms the beautiful landscape around Costa Calma with its light sand and many dunes. A hiking tour through the Istmo de La Pared is worthwhile, because in the desert you can discover many endemic plants and animals despite the, at first glance, barren landscape. As the island is particularly narrow at this point, you can hike to the west coast and go swimming on the beach of La Pared.
The large palm grove in Costa Calma is like an oasis in the otherwise very dry vegetation of the island. Here it is nice and shady and sheltered from the wind even on hot summer days. Ideal for a relaxed walk through the village to the next café or restaurant.
Eating, Drinking, Shopping and Nightlife in Costa Calma
Costa Calma is not a historically grown town, so you won't find a proper town centre or beach promenade here. Nevertheless, there are several places in the village where you can find something like a small town centre with shops and restaurants.
One is the "Bahia Calma" shopping centre, which is located further south in the village within walking distance of the sea. Here you will find two larger supermarkets, shops for clothing and souvenirs, a German bookshop and various restaurants with local and Italian cuisine.
From the roof of the shopping centre you have a great view of the sea. There is a very good pizzeria "B-Side" and several small bars that often organise evenings with live music.
There is also a disco, "El Divino", within walking distance.
Another shopping centre is "El Palmeral" near the petrol station. Here you will find two very good pizzerias as well as some shops for clothing. Here you will also find the well-known Fuerte Action Bar, where windsurfers and kitesurfers often meet.
The best tapas bar with good Spanish live music is the San Borondon above the Hotel Sotavento. There are also other small shops and a supermarket located here.
Leisure activities in Costa Calma
The sights and leisure activities in Costa Calma overlap in many places, so some of the leisure activities we recommend are also linked to a sight. The large lagoon at Sotavento beach south of Costa Calma Fuerteventura is not only a beautiful sight. It is of course also the perfect playground for water sports enthusiasts such as windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Thanks to over 3 kilometres of relatively shallow water, the lagoon offers excellent conditions for beginner kitesurfers and windsurfers. Advanced windsurfers and kiters enjoy the open sea in front of the lagoon. Further south, small waves sometimes form in the Atlantic and roll towards the beach, providing plenty of fun for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Hiking and mountain biking are also leisure activities that you can enjoy around Costa Calma. You can do both in the desert-like area behind Costa Calma, the Istmo de La Pared. If you have enough endurance, you can not only hike or mountain bike to La Pared, but also extend your tour further south to Cofete.
But never forget to bring enough sunscreen and drinking water!
In addition to these recommendations, we also arrange a variety of other cool excursions. Just get in touch and we will be happy to advise you.