Fuerteventura vs Lanzarote: Choosing the Alternative Clothes-Free Canary Island
Long clothing-optional coastline on Fuerteventura, or the Papagayo coves and a clothes-free village on Lanzarote.
why this matters
making the choice
Beyond the big names of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, two neighbouring islands offer a different kind of clothes-free holiday. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are close together, volcanic and windswept, and both have a strong tradition of nudity on the beach.
The shape of the offer is different on each. Fuerteventura is about space, with a long clothing-optional coast near Costa Calma and Corralejo, and a few clothes-free resorts. Lanzarote is about two highlights, the golden coves of Papagayo in the south and the clothes-free village of Charco del Palo.
This page compares getting there, beach character, clothes-free culture, facilities and stays, so you can choose the island for your clothes-free break.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura has clothes-free beaches across four regions, along a long clothing-optional coast near Costa Calma and Corralejo. Costa Calma has beach bars, while remote coves have none. A few clothes-free resorts, including BHH, add a place to stay.
Lanzarote
Lanzarote is a compact volcanic island. Its clothes-free days centre on the golden coves of Papagayo in the south and Charco del Palo, a clothes-free village on the northeast coast with shops, restaurants and rental accommodation. Clothing is optional at all beaches.
side by side
how they compare
Option AFuerteventura
Option BLanzarote
Getting to the Island
Fuerteventura has an international airport, Fuerteventura Airport, which serves the whole island with flights from across Europe.
From the airport, a car is essential for all areas beyond Costa Calma. The southwest coast has rough roads and tracks, so closed-toe footwear is recommended, and a hire car gives you the freedom to reach the coves and dunes that make the island special.
Lanzarote has an international airport, Cesar Manrique-Lanzarote Airport near Arrecife, with direct flights from across Europe and links to other Canary Islands.
The airport is central on a compact island, which keeps the beaches within a short reach. Public transport is infrequent and does not serve most coastal locations, so a rental car is essential for reaching Papagayo, Charco del Palo and the quieter beaches.
Nude Beach Character
Fuerteventura has plenty of clothes-free beaches across four regions: Costa Calma, the southwest coast, El Cotillo and Corralejo. The coast is long, flat and open, with volcanic plains and dunes.
Playa Esmeralda near Costa Calma is long, golden and consistently clothes-free. The Corralejo Dunes are white and wide, with blue water. Remote spots such as Cofete have towering cliffs and a rough Atlantic, so swimming there is unsafe.
Lanzarote’s clothes-free beaches alternate between black volcanic rock, white sand coves and golden stretches. Papagayo, in the south, is a series of huge golden coves, and Playa Mujeres and Caleta del Congrio are the most popular for clothes-free visitors.
Playa del Pozo is quieter, with a walk from the car park. Playa de la Arena is black sand, over a hill. Charco del Palo has a rocky shore with natural sea pools that are calmer than the open ocean.
Clothes-Free Culture
Clothing is optional everywhere on Fuerteventura. Nudity is part of everyday beach life, and it is not confined to marked sections.
Costa Calma has the most mixed crowd of clothed and unclothed visitors, while Playa Esmeralda is consistently more clothes-free. The culture is deep-rooted and unremarkable, so there is no social pressure in either direction, and first-timers can settle in quickly.
Clothing is optional at all of Lanzarote’s beaches. The attitude towards nudity is established and relaxed, with a mix of clothed and unclothed visitors at most locations.
Charco del Palo is a full clothes-free community. Nudity is the norm throughout the village, with clothing expected only in shops. That gives visitors the chance to live clothes-free for days, in a lively and friendly place.
Facilities and Wind
Costa Calma has beach bars and toilet access at the main entry points. The southwest coast, the El Cotillo coves and Cofete have no facilities at all, so bring a full day of food and water.
Wind is a regular feature on Fuerteventura, and the west coast is windier than the southeast. Bring a windbreak and anchor stones for your gear, and check the forecast before you choose a beach.
Most of Lanzarote’s clothes-free beaches have no facilities, so bring water, food and sun protection. Two restaurants stand near the main Papagayo beach, and Charco del Palo has restaurants and shops.
Wind is constant on Lanzarote, particularly on the west coast, where the surf beach at Famara can be too windy for sunbathing. The south has the calmest water, so check the forecast and choose your beach to match the wind.
Clothes-Free Stays
Fuerteventura has clothes-free resorts, including BHH, plus a few others, so you can stay clothes-free for the whole trip while exploring the coast by car.
Check each resort’s website for current rules, facilities and opening details before you book. Many visitors choose a base in the Costa Calma area, where the beaches and the beach bars are close, and travel to the dunes and remote coves for day trips.
Lanzarote’s main clothes-free stay is Charco del Palo, a village on the northeast coast. It has bungalows and rental apartments, plus a supermarket, shops and restaurants, so you can live there with little need to leave.
The village is lively by day, and it is most peaceful in the evening when day visitors leave. Check availability and booking details well before you travel, because accommodation is limited to what the village offers.
←
→
swipe or use arrows
←
→
swipe or use arrows
pick your favourite
chosing the best for you
Choose Fuerteventura if...
- you want a long clothing-optional coast with room to spread out
- you love dunes and wide-open beaches such as Corralejo and Playa Esmeralda
- you want a clothes-free resort stay with beach days close by
Choose Lanzarote if...
- you want to stay in a clothes-free village with shops and restaurants
- you like a compact island where the beaches are within a short reach
practical
what to know
getting there
Both islands have international airports with flights from across Europe. Fuerteventura Airport serves Fuerteventura. Cesar Manrique-Lanzarote Airport, near Arrecife, serves Lanzarote and also has links to other Canary Islands.
The two islands are linked by ferry. The crossing between Corralejo on Fuerteventura and Playa Blanca on Lanzarote takes about 25 minutes, with around 15 departures a day run by four operators. Check each operator for timetables and vehicle space before you plan, because details change.
A rental car is essential on both islands, and it makes a trip flexible. For a combined trip, you can fly into one island, take the ferry across and fly home from the other, which avoids doubling back and gives each island its own stay. Just make sure that you can use your rental car on both islands, which isn’t always the case.
Where to Stay
On Fuerteventura, clothes-free resorts like BHH offer a place to stay, and a few others are also available. A base in the Costa Calma area keeps the beaches and the beach bars close.
On Lanzarote, Charco del Palo offers bungalows and rental apartments in a clothes-free village, with a supermarket, shops and restaurants close to the door.
Check each venue’s website for current details, and book early for winter, when both islands are popular among visitors escaping northern European weather.
when to go
Both islands are warm throughout the year, which is why they are popular with clothes-free visitors from northern Europe. Lanzarote is known as one of Europe’s top winter clothes-free destinations, with year-round sunshine.
Wind is a regular feature on both islands, particularly on the west coasts. It can make some beach days more comfortable in sheltered spots, so check the forecast and bring a windbreak.
Sun protection matters all year, because the sun is strong even on mild days. Bring a light layer for cooler mornings and evenings.
what to know
Bring water, food, sun protection and a towel, because many beaches have no facilities. A windbreak and anchor stones help on both islands.
Nudity is legal in Spain. Clothing is optional at the beaches, so read the mood and follow what others do. At Charco del Palo, clothing is expected only in shops.
Check the sea before you swim, because the Atlantic can be strong, and do not swim at remote beaches such as Cofete. Take care on cliff stairs and tidal beaches.
leave prepared
all the essentials
Find flightsBook Find flights
Find ferriesBook Find ferries
Rent a carBook Rent a car
Book a tourBook Book a tour
