How To Get To Cofete Beach, Fuerteventura: Is It Worth The Drive?

The sandy beach of Cofete, with waves, mountain backdrop under a clear blue sky

Playa de Cofete (one of Fuerteventura’s BEST beaches) has been on our list of places to visit for quite a while now, however it wasn’t until our recent trip that we decided to make the journey to this truly unique spot.

We had read about the drive to Cofete from various different sources – most of them stating how bad the road is & that you shouldn’t drive a hire car there.

However – we also saw everyone’s amazing pictures of the mountains overlooking the golden sandy beach & knew that we just had to bite the bullet, hop in our car & make our way there.

In this post we will share how to get to Playa de Cofete, what we thought of the drive there & some useful tips!

In This Post

How to get to Playa de Cofete

The remote beach of Cofete in Fuerteventura is located right down the south-west coast of the island.

There is only one road to get there, which begins just outside the southern town of Morro Jable.

The road starts fairly flat (albeit quite winding) & then eventually has you weaving up the mountainside & back down towards Cofete on the other side.

A red car with sunrays shining down, and a person waving from inside.

By Car

We think the best way to get to Playa de Cofete is to drive there yourself (if you’re confident to do so of course!)

We used Discover Cars to book a hire car in advance of our trip from one of the rental companies at Fuerteventura Airport. (Read more about hiring a car in Fuerteventura here.)

Travel time to Cofete by car from Morro Jable is 1 hour, from Caleta de Fuste, 2 hours & Corralejo 2 hours, 30 minutes.

NOTE: Whilst pretty much all of the cars that we saw going to Cofete were hire cars (including us!) – it’s important to note that most car rental car companies in Fuerteventura will state that you aren’t allowed to take your vehicle ‘off-road’ & that you will not be insured if something happens to the car. So just be aware of that.

By Public Transport

You can get the Line 111 bus to Cofete from the station in Morro Jable. It only goes twice a day & costs 8.70EUR each way.

If getting the bus you’ll want to ensure you plan your journey in advance & don’t miss the return bus (otherwise you’ll have to walk back.) Seats cannot be reserved so do bear this in mind. For the official timetable & better information visit the Tiadhe website.

By Guided Tour

If you don’t want to worry about driving or whether or not you’ll catch the bus, then we suggest booking a guided tour!

Here are all your tour options to Cofete, some which include other sights nearby too!

A person standing in front of water at Cofete Beach with blue sky and clear horizon.

Our experience driving to Cofete Beach

So, what did we actually think of the drive to Playa de Cofete!?

We were staying in Costa Calma, so the drive to Cofete took us just over 1 hour.

We left our hotel around 10am, in the hopes that there would be less traffic at that time of the morning.

Before we set off, we got the directions to Cofete up on Google Maps, to give us some peace of mind along the way.

We drove to Morro Jable, then eventually turned onto the Punta de Jandia road & followed it until came to a sign for Cofete.

Note: If you kept going straight on this road you would eventually come to Punta Jandia lighthouse & the very southern tip of Fuerteventura which another great spot to visit.

View from a car showing a dusty road with cars and a palm tree, under a clear sky.

A curvy road winding through a barren, mountainous landscape with a clear blue sky overhead.

The start of the Punta de Jandia road is actually tarmacked – but after a while it turns into more of a ‘dirt road’. Although there are some straight, flat sections – it is very winding in parts – so prepare for some zigzagging round corners!

However we found that it was wide enough in most areas for other cars to pass without a bother & there were a few laybys to pull in on the tighter corners. Just take it easy & you’ll be fine!

Eventually you’ll come to a road on your right with a sign for Cofete (8.2km). This will be the start of your ascension up over the mountain pass & down the otherside.

This road was honestly much of the same – a dirt track with plenty of corners, except this time you were going uphill. We didn’t find this part too bad. Just be careful of other cars coming down.

You know you’re at the top of this section of the road when you reach Mirador de Cofete. There were lots of cars parked at this viewpoint so again be cautious when you are turning this corner.

If there’s room to park, this is a pretty awesome place to stop & get some pictures or just simply take in the view. We stopped on our way back up!

Coastal road curving along a desert landscape with mountains and a clear blue sea at Playa de Cofete in Fuerteventura.

Now it was time to descend down the mountain. This next bit of the road was probably the most nerve wrecking bit we’d say – but actually not AS scary as we thought as you’re on the inside close to the mountain.

We suggest just taking it slow, brake when you need to & watch out for cars coming back up the mountain on the other side. It can get narrow at some points so make sure to pull in when you can to give people room to pass. There are laybys to do so. If we saw another car coming in the distance we just pulled in & waited for them to come by.

Coming back up was SLIGHTLY hairy-er we must mention, as you are on the road edge (& there’s no barrier 😆) So again just be super careful & take it easy.

Coastal road winding along a hilly terrain with a blue sea backdrop under a clear sky, and a car parked on the side.

Winding road through a barren landscape with ocean horizon under a clear blue sky.

You’ll know you’re in the clear when the road starts to get flatter & you can see Cofete village & the beach moving closer to you.

Once you arrive safely you can park your car in the free car park located right next to the cemetery!

We suggest giving yourself plenty of time for the drive to Cofete not only to navigate the road safely but also if you want to stop at any viewpoints or other sights along the way!

All in all, we thought the drive wasn’t TOO BAD. Definitely not as bad as we initially thought. We’ve actually been on worse roads in Fuerteventura (eg: the one to Popcorn Beach!)

We personally thought it was really worth taking the risk & driving to Cofete. We would possibly go again now we know what it’s like. & the amount of other hire cars on the road put us at ease lol!

Reminder again though that you hire car will most likely not be insured to go ‘off-road’ – so do always bear that in mind when you are deciding whether to visit Cofete Beach or not.

Dirt road leading to a scenic beach with mountains in the distance under a clear blue sky.

Rocky mountain slope with ocean horizon under a clear blue sky.

What to bring to Playa de Cofete

Here are some essentials that we suggest to bring with you to Cofete:

Food & drink. Make sure to pack plenty of water, snacks or even something for lunch, especially if you plan on staying at Cofete for the afternoon.
Beach towel & sunscreen. Cofete is a lovely beach to sunbathe, so don’t forget your towel & sun protection – even if you just plan on going for a walk along.
Phone charger. Due to the remote location of Cofete, & in the event of an emergency, it’s always good to have your phone charged!

Tips for visiting Playa de Cofete

Start your journey early in the morning as the traffic will be lighter & you’ll beat the afternoon rush of tourists
Go to the toilet before you go because there are no facilities
Be careful when driving & take your time. Don’t worry if someone is behind you. There are a few laybys if you need to stop. Better to arrive to Cofete safely & with your car in tact.
Don’t drive in the dark there! It’s nerve wrecking enough when it’s bright lol
AVOID swimming in the sea at Cofete as there are strong currents & no lifeguards on site!
Bring plenty of water especially if it’s a hot summer’s day as there is no shade

What to do at Playa de Cofete

Cofete Beach

Person walking on the sandy beach of Cofete with clear skies and mountains in the distance.

Woman walking on a sunny beach with mountains in the distance and clear blue sky.

Cofete Beach is one of Fuerteventura’s most unspoilt & secluded spots. It has over 12km of soft golden sand. We suggest taking a walk along the beach & enjoy how peaceful this place really is. A lot of people spend the day here, so if you plan on doing so then bring your beach towel & plenty of snacks!

Casa Winter (‘The Winter House’)

Built somewhere between the 1930s & 40s by German engineer ‘Gustav Winter’, this mysterious house sits isolated from the nearby town of Cofete, overlooking the beach.

There are two stories behind this house: one that is was built simply as a vacation home for Gustav & the other that it was actually a hideout for Nazis during the war!

We aren’t sure if the house is open to the public currently, but it’s pretty cool to look at from afar! If you’re interested in it’s history, visit the official Casa Winter website for more.

A remote building at the base of a rugged mountain under a clear blue sky.

Cofete Cemetery

Right beside the car park you’ll find the ‘Cementerio de Cofete.’ It’s a quiet & peaceful place, where many of the residents of Cofete Village & local fishermen are buried. You’ll see simple wooden crosses & weather tombstones – most which are covered in sand. A really special & mysterious place.

Stone building entrance to a graveyard on the beach with wooden doors on a sandy terrain, under a clear blue sky, near a sea.

Graveyard covered in sand with small wooden crosses & mountains towering over

Roque del Moro

On your way down the cliffside to Cofete, you’ll see a sign for Roque del Moro to your left. The VERY bumpy road will take you to a beautiful secluded beach, where you’ll see a unique rock formation emerging from the sea.

Note: the road to this beach is actually much worse than the one to Cofete, it’s VERY stoney so drive at your own risk. I was holding onto the seat the whole way as the car was bobbing about so much lol!

Deserted beach with cliffs under a clear blue sky & a rock formation emerging out of the water at Roque del Morro in Fuerteventura.

Mirador de Cofete

Before you descend down the road to Cofete, make sure to stop off at the viewpoint – Mirador de Cofete for some breathtaking views. From here you’ll be able to take in views of the beach, mountains & the coastline. A perfect spot to stop & take some photos!

Woman in pink shorts overlooking a coastal landscape with clear blue sky.

Best time to visit Playa de Cofete

You can visit Cofete all year round. The best time to visit is outside of high season when there are less crowds & it isn’t AS hot as summer.

We suggest going as early as possible to avoid the midday heat & afternoon tourist traffic.

Note: You might see visit Cofete for sunrise/sunset – however you’d have to be VERY confident driving that road in the dark! We personally only recommend driving to Cofete when it’s bright.

More posts about Fuerteventura you might find useful:

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How To Get To Cofete Beach, Fuerteventura: Is It Worth The Drive?