Head to head
Fuerteventura vs Lanzarote: which Canary Islands surf trip?
Pick Famara for a long beach with room to learn and to progress. Pick El Cotillo for punchier peaks and a quieter village.
What the data says
El Cotillo is best Oct–Feb, and Famara is best Dec–Jan.
Famara runs bigger on a typical day in season: 6 ft against 4–6 ft. Both are surfable on about 68% to 71% of days in those months.
El Cotillo is nearest FUE, and Famara is nearest ACE. The two breaks are about 65 km apart in a straight line. From the airport: El Cotillo, straight there, 45 min from FUE; Famara, straight there, 40 min from ACE. Fares move every day, so this page prints none. The app shows the live fare from your airport for the weeks the swell is on.
Which one for your dates
- Feb: El Cotillo. It is at its best, and Famara is off.
- Mar–Sep: both are off, smaller and less reliable, often fine for a lesson.
- Oct–Nov: El Cotillo. It is at its best, and Famara is off or only OK.
- Dec–Jan: both are at their best, so the town and the wave decide.
The two waves
El Cotillo (Fuerteventura)
Punchy sand peaks at Piedra Playa, under the cliffs on Fuerteventura's northwest corner. The village is small, and the island's north-shore reefs are a short drive away.
Famara (Lanzarote)
Five kilometers of beach-break peaks below the Famara cliffs, Lanzarote's surf school beach. The village is a few streets in the dunes, with the island's reefs a short drive away.
Side by side
| Measure | El Cotillo | Famara |
|---|---|---|
| Best months | Oct–Feb | Dec–Jan |
| Typical face in season | 4–6 ft | 6 ft |
| Surfable days in season | About 71% | About 68% |
| Suits | Improvers and up | All levels |
| Water in season | 21 C / 70 F, spring suit | 21 C / 69 F, spring suit |
| Nearest airport | FUE | ACE |
| Getting there | Straight there, 45 min from FUE | Straight there, 40 min from ACE |
Month by month
| Month | El Cotillo | Famara |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | Best | Best |
| Feb | Best | Off |
| Mar | Off | Off |
| Apr | Off | Off |
| May | Off | Off |
| Jun | Off | Off |
| Jul | Off | Off |
| Aug | Off | Off |
| Sep | Off | Off |
| Oct | Best | Off |
| Nov | Best | OK |
| Dec | Best | Best |
Best its strongest stretch OK still worth the trip Off smaller and less reliable, often fine for a lesson
Full tables with wave size, surfable days and the wetsuit for every month: El Cotillo and Famara. Taking a board? See what each airline charges and whether your bag fits.
Or let the week decide
The right trip is whichever one is firing when the fare is cheap. BarrelFare watches both and tells you when they line up.
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Seasons rank how often great days come; wave size and surfable days are medians. All of it is from years of wave hindcast (how we score a month). Getting there is the ground leg from the nearest airport, the same figure each spot page shows.