The North Track · Spain
Surfing El Cotillo
A beach break in The North Track, Spain, for intermediate and advanced surfers.
El Cotillo is the fishing village at the western end of the North Track, and the beach just south of it, Playa del Castillo or Piedra Playa, is one of the most powerful beach breaks in Fuerteventura.
It faces west and catches almost every swell. On a good day it throws heavy, hollow waves close to the sand, and the shorebreak can be dangerous. It's best with an easterly wind, which is less common than the north-east trades, so early mornings are the usual time.
The lagoons north of the village are calm and good for swimming on flat days.
When to surf
El Cotillo
El Cotillo is at its best from October to March. Conditions it likes: W-NW swell, E offshore wind, all tides.
October to March: Prime
Biggest, most consistent NW swell from Atlantic storms
April to June: Good
Smaller swell, still warm and windy
July to August: Quiet
Strong trade winds, best for windsurfing over surfing
The year across Fuerteventura
Waves near El Cotillo
Esquinzo
5 kmThe North Track · Beach Break · Intermediate
Derecha (The Bubble)
9 kmThe North Track · Right Reef · Advanced / Pro
Mejillones
10 kmThe North Track · Left & Right Reef · Advanced / Pro
Straight-line distances. By road it is usually further.
Getting there
Where to stay: Corralejo is the base for the North Track, with the most apartments, surf hostels, schools and restaurants on the island. El Cotillo, on the west side, is quieter and closer to the beaches and the lagoons. Lajares, inland between the two, is a small village popular with surfers who want something calmer.
Transport, costs, where to stay and the rest of the waves in the area are in the The North Track guide.
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