Jandia - The tourist town with one of the best waves in Fuerteventura

Hello, I am Tine and I am living in Jandia on Fuerteventura.

The tourist town of Jandia in the south of Fuerteventura, where there are also larger hotel complexes, is separated from the fishing village of Morro Jable by a sand dune with a promenade. Actually, Jandia is not the correct name because the entire southern peninsula of Fuerteventura is called Jandia. The associated white sandy beaches, which are the trademark of Fuerteventura, are called Jandiaplaya or Playas de Jandia.

In the south of the peninsula, these "Playas de Jandia" are particularly wide and extensive. The tourist resort that lies directly on these white sandy beaches is actually called "Solana Matoral". However, this place is simply called Jandia by most locals and tourists.

The hallmark of Jandia is - as the name suggests - its long, beautiful sandy beaches. The popular beaches are separated from the promenade and the village by large salt marshes. These salt marshes, also called "Saladar", are a nature reserve. You cross them over various long wooden walkways towards the beach. Depending on the tide, the salt marshes are flooded or not. They also serve as a breeding ground for many birds.

In the mountain chain behind Jandia is the highest mountain in Fuerteventura, the 807m high "Pico de la Zarza".

The village of "Solana Matoral" has a good 2000 inhabitants and belongs to the municipality of Pajara, as does Morro Jable. However, most of Jandia's partial inhabitants are tourists who live in the large and small hotels.

The history of Jandia is obviously directly linked to the development of tourism in Fuerteventura. One can say that the first hotel in 1966 laid the foundation stone for the area. Until the mid 1970s, four more hotels were added. The best known of these is certainly the Robinson Club Jandia Playa, which was the very first Robinson Club.

Incidentally, the name Robinson Club came about because of the very remote and lonely location of the hotel at that time. At that time, the south of Fuerteventura was only accessible via a long gravel road. On the endless dream beaches of Jandia, the Robinson Club was the only large holiday hotel. The hotel guests of this Robinson Club were thus almost as far away from "civilisation" on Fuerteventura as the world-famous castaway Robinson Crusoe was on his deserted island.

One of the attractions of Jandia is definitely the highest mountain in Fuerteventura. A hike up to the top of the "Pico de la Zarza" takes about 2 hours. At the top you will be rewarded with a unique view of the beautiful beaches "Playas de Jandia" and especially of the long and remote sandy beach Cofete on the west coast. On the north-west side of the "Pico" (as the locals call it) the mountain slopes almost vertically. You can see eagles soaring along the mountain, carried by the thermals. In good weather and with a clear view, you can even see the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria from here.

Another sight is of course the long salt marshes, in the middle of which stands the famous Jandia lighthouse. With its 59m, the "Faro de Jandia" is the highest lighthouse on the Canary Islands. The Jandia lighthouse even towers 3m above the well-known lighthouse in Maspalomas, on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria.

Along the long beach promenade, which runs parallel to the salt marshes and the palm-lined avenue, there is a sculpture path that is extended every year. On display are metal sculptures by international artists, often imaginatively related to freedom and the sea. The secured wide red cycle path is also very popular with skaters. Here you can carve over 3 kilometres from one end of the village to the other on your longboard or surfskate.

The sperm whale skeleton of Jandia is the photo motif of many postcards. This sperm whale was stranded near Matas Blancas on the Costa Calma in 2005 and is 15 metres long in total. The whale skeleton was set up in the course of the project "Way of the Marine Mammals" (Spanish: "Senda de los Cetáceos") by the Society for the Study of Canary Islands Marine Mammals.

The aim of the initiative, which has been established in 2000, is to exhibit the skeletons of about a dozen whales and dolphins at prominent locations on Fuerteventura. Among others, the skeleton of the 19-metre-long fin whale in Salinas del Carmen, south of the airport, has been realised so far.

In the trees at the small playground in front of the sperm whale skeleton live reintroduced, colourful canaries. The lively birds are easily attracted by sunflower seeds and sometimes even land on your outstretched hand to get the food.

The most famous sight among surfers is probably the surf spot "Cruz Roja" on the beach in front of the whale skeleton in Jandia. With the right wave direction and height, the waves here can run just as well as the " Sandy Pointbreaks" on the famous Australian Gold Coast.

The most delicious restaurants for fresh fish and the best tapas bars with live music are in neighbouring Morro Jable. The way there leads along the beach over the dune to the small beach promenade of Morro Jable.

There are also many good restaurants in Jandia where you can eat typical Canarian fish and tapas, but also Italian, Chinese and much more.

A tip for a small reward after surfing or skating in Jandia is the ice cream shop "Eisdealer". Here you get delicious Italian ice cream and will often meet other surfers, so you can have nice chats about waves and surf spots.

If you want to buy groceries at a moderate price, the best place is the large supermarket in neighbouring Morro Jable. Otherwise, there are several small supermarkets in Jandia that are also open in the evenings and on Sundays. However, these are relatively expensive and it is advisable to buy only the essentials here.

For the nightlife here, not only the residents of Morro Jable come to Jandia, but also from Costa Calma. There are several bars and discos. The most famous is undoubtedly Tortuga, which is located on a large terrace with a great view of the salt marshes. Many crazy evenings have started here and only ended in the early hours of the morning.

Thanks to the two surf spots "Cruz Roja" (in front of the whale skeleton) and "El Pozo" in front of the Jandia lighthouse, the number one activity here is of course surfing! When the conditions are right, there is a nearly perfect wave here. Almost as popular is skateboarding, longboarding, inline skating and surf skating. The protected promenade path, over 3 kilometres long, is slightly sloping and ideal for long, chilling afternoons of skating. 

Of course, hiking is another leisure activity that can be enjoyed in Jandia. After all, you live within walking distance of the highest mountain on the island.

Apart from these tips, we also arrange many other exciting excursions. Whether it's a boat trip or a tour of the island, just contact us and we'll be happy to guide you.