www.fuerteventura-iaf.com

Castillo Beach Reception close to house: Bike hire, Internet access, Noddy Terminus, kids football

This is a useful resource. Walk towards the "Travellers Rest" pub by turning right at the entrance to Alta Vista complex. Cross the road and take the path on the left towards the Monetcastillo Centre. The reception to the Castillo Beach is on the right hand side. Here you will find

The Montecastillo Centre is a small local centre offering a host of bars and restaurants and mini markets. It offers an alternative to the larger town centre complexes. Montecastillo hosts a crazy golf course. There is a free kids 3-a-side football astro turf pitch. In terms of bars there is a Scottish, English, and Irish Bar.

The Ranch is a very good restaurant for good plain meals (mixed grill etc). Our agent (Claire) is the cook here. The China restaurant is also good.

There is a Noddy Train terminus here also. It is at the entrance to the China restaurant adjacent to the 'Banco March' autobank machine at the Parrot restaurant.

This is a lovely shoreline walk that connects the main resort of Calete de Fuste with the town of Costa Antigua (also know as Nuevo Horizonte).

You can see chipmunks along the way and it is a lovely breezy walk. It is popular also with runners and speed walkers. The walk takes about 25 minutes one way and start off from the Alba Hotel at Calete de Fuste and ends at the old redundant water park at Nuevo Horizonte. At the end of the walk you will have earned refreshment in the Dubliner bar in Nuevo Horizonte.

This free of charge play park is located in town on the main street - in between the Barcello Hotel and the shops.

Leave the noddy train and you will find a few nice bars "Calete-oceanarium bar" and a beautiful restaurant called Puerto Castillo (The Tower).

A subsea explorer with "Underwater" seats navigates around the seabed and fish shoals. There are also a range of boat trips here.

A major shopping centre just along from the Sheraton Hotel. You can see this from your balcony off the master bedroom. It is easily walkable. It can also be accessed by the free resort golf bus. You will find the large Euro Spar supermarket here which we recommend that you use for supplies. A range of nice shops are here for clothes and jewellery etc. The back court is well done with nice café bars leading towards the garden and then out to the beach front. Also located here are an impressive Ten Pin Bowling arcade and Multi Screen English Cinema and Amusements.There is a taxi rank at the complex.

The cinema is in English and is multi screen and shows the latest film - good for the rainy days - it does not get much business! see www.yelmocineplexy.es/fuerteventura.html

It has a huge underground car park. Drive straight to Puerto del Rosario (a straight road after turning left at the bottom of the hill out of Calete de Fuste). When you arrive at Puerto del Rosario, turn right at the "sundial" roundabout (note: see 'Travel Directions' section of the site for full directions).

The centre is over four levels and houses fabulous shops. It is the largest complex in the entire canary islands. Avoid weekends as it is very busy. There is a huge and cheap "Hippo Dino" here (supermarket along the lines of an Asda) (you will save a few quid here on shopping).

Regular day trips can be taken. or, catch local buses (see transport section of site). This is a popular tourist town with an old centre part surrounded by the modern town. It has a lovely harbour and some nice shops and bars and restaurants. It has a water park (Baku) and market. It is close to the La Olvia golf club. It is famous for its national park. This golden sand stretches for miles. The golden sand beaches of Flag beach and Waikiki beach are spectacular. They are a wind surfers dream and the sand dunes are fascinating. These beaches are stunning. You can drive here from Calete de Fuste in about 30 to 40 minutes. It needs to be done.

Regular day trips can be taken. or catch local buses (see transport section of site). This park is located near the start of the town and is easy to get to by car or bus. See www.bakufuerteventura.com. There are many organised tours that go here on regular basis from Calete de Fuste. The following rides are found at the water park: Kamikaze; Rubber rings; Flumes; Jacuzzi; Small kids area etc. There are twelve different rides.

Baku also hosts a golf driving range, a bowling alley, and the famous street market on Monday and Friday.

There are 200 species of animals at the zoo, oceanarium and parrot park. It is located near Costa Calma on the Jandia road in the south of the island. About a one hour drive south. The camel rides are excellent for the kids. There are also sea lions, alligators, zebra, giraffe, parrots and other exotic birds etc. The whole park is 1 000 000 m2. See information file at house for further details. View the website for a downloadable map and a preview of some of the shows. www.lajitaoasispark.com

La Lajita Oasis Park, situated in the south of Fuerteventura, open all the year round, is a natural paradise of more than 780.000 m². You will enjoy an unforgettable day visiting one of the most important projects created to protect and preserve the unique flora and fauna of the Canary Island. There are animals from all over the world as well as the typical Fuerteventuran Goats, Donkeys and the "Majorero" Camel. Oasis Park offers you a lot of interesting and very entertaining shows and of course don't forget our camel safari - the highlight of the day ! The displays include:

Animals Park
African Savannah
Botanical Garden
Sea Lions Show
Parrot Show
Birds of Prey Display
Reptile Show
Camel Safari

This includes the breathtaking beaches of the south such as Sotto Vente etc. It will take you about 90 minutes to drive to here but it is worth it. The beach stretches for 22 kilometres. Alternatively, why not go here via the trike - a great day out - see your neighbour Steve at No 27. www.coolrunningstours.com

The famous street markets are held at Calete de Fuste - where it takes over the entire high street - so don't enter the town by car on market days - occurs on Saturday (10am to 2pm).

The best place to spot these are along the length of the shore walk. Simply tap the rocks several times and they should appear. They are friendly and healthy. They will eat monkey nuts out of your hand. The kids love them.

These are popping up all over at hotels etc but the most well known air conditioned gym (pay as you go) is the 'Power House' gym. It also host aerobic and spin etc classes at various days of the week. See the flyers in the information folder at the house. It is a basement building located just off the main road - between the Spanish Tapas Bar and Vie Venetto restaurant (it is very close to My Beautiful Launderette). A ten minute walk from the townhouse.

There is also a gym at the Castillo Beach Club (ask at reception). The Castillo reception is on the way to the Montecastillo Centre on the right hand side.

Steve and Ceri are your South African neighbours. They live next door as permanent residents. They run the brilliant and totally and utterly under priced Cool Running (www.coolrunningstours.com). Steve drives the trike which takes two passengers around the island on a range of potential tours ranging from 3 hours to 8 hours. There is also a sunrise tour up to the mountains etc. Special occasions are also catered for (anniversary, birthday etc). They range from 40 to 80 euros total - can you believe that !

It is the best euros you will ever spend. They cater for all ages and tastes. You would not believe how many pensioners go on the tours and absolutely love it. You must book one of these. If you don't, you will regret it. Go on - it is cheap as chips - you will love it.

Information on these, and other tours such as wonderful scrambling bikes (Dave and Jo at 'Backtrax') are in the information folder at the house.

Take a drive or hires Steve's trike (www.coolrunningstours.com) to see the historical town of Betancuria. You will access the town, or egress the town, via the mountain pass roads. These are a bit like the ones from the film The Italian Job (except they're in Spain, if you know what I mean !). Betancurie is worth visiting for lunch and watching a town where time has stood still, or wandering around the famous landmark church and its museum.

A range of excursions and day trips for all tastes can be booked in resort. For example, http://www.tourventura.info/ is only one such company leaving from both Correlejo and Calete de Fuste (Costa Calete)

Walk to the beach behind the 'Altantico Shopping Centre', go onto the beach and take the walkway out to the island restaurant. There is a lovely shore walk here and it is worth stopping to have a look around the 5-star 'Sheraton Hotel'.

No need for hot clothing - laser accurate to 90m - trenches, base camp, bunkers (Tel: 0034 647 456 334). Daily pick ups.

The reception of the Castillo Beach. This is close to the house - cross over the road at the 'Travellers Rest' and take the path down towards the Montecastillo Centre - the first building on the right with the bikes outside is Castillo beach ( 7 euros per day, 36 euros per week).

Calete Gardens in town (opposite the 'EI Castillo ' Centre) also hires bikes (8 euros per day, 38 euros per week)

The wonderful climate, volcanic sea beds and rich marine life of the waters surrounding the island, attract scuba divers, big game fisherman and sailors from all over the world. Play it safe and take a boat ride to see the whales, dolphins and turtles or take the plunge with a diving school and explore the magical underwater world of dramatic rock formations, wrecks and reefs inhabited by a huge variety of marine life. Caleta de Fuste Harbour is a haven for all water sports enthusiasts, with diving, snorkelling, boat trips, jet skis, catamaran excursions and much, much more. Corralejo beaches are a wind sports fantaic dream location.

Luxury Catamaran Sailing - a fabulous day swimming, snorkeling, jet-skiing and relaxing, lunch and drinks included: Calete and Corralejo
Tel: 0034 928 513022
email: info@catlanza.com
www.catlanza.com

Deep Blue Diving - Located in the Harbour of Caleta de Fuste, a variety of divespots, small groups with qualified guides, Kiddies Bubblemaker Course

Aqua Ventura - Snorkelling Excursions, no experience necessary, fun for all the family:

Oceanarium Explorer (Sessions and departures from Puerto Castillo Yacht Harbour, Caleta de Fuste):

Abyss Divers - for Luxurious Boat Diving, PADI Courses and Big Game Fishing!

The Trade Winds blow all year round making not only a comfortable climate, but a wind-surfers' paradise. World Championship speed and slalom wind-surfing events are held here every August, attracting the cream of the wind-surfing fraternity. Flag Beach Windsurf Centre offers excellent surf from body boarding, surfing, wind surfing and kite surfing.