Sotavento Beach, Fuerteventura © Spanish Tourist Office

Only 60 miles (100km) separates the island of Fuerteventura, second largest in the Canary archipelago, from the continent of Africa, and this sunny island shares the same latitude (and therefore similar weather conditions) with the renowned holiday destinations of Florida and Mexico. Unlike those bustling resort-ridden vacation stations, though, Fuerteventura is relatively undiscovered, its more than 150 idyllic sandy beaches only sparsely populated and many seldom visited at all.

The island has an arid volcanic landscape, and apart from the beaches, not much to recommend it in the way of tourist amenities or attractions. This has kept the mega resorts and mass summer package-holiday trade at bay, but it does have a fair share of day-trippers from the resorts of Lanzarote and Gran Canaria who come seeking a respite from the crowds. The island's two main resort towns are Corralejo and Caleta del Fuste. Fuerteventura is easily accessible from the other islands in the archipelago by ferry or air. The airport is situated close to the island's capital of Puerto del Rosario.