You jump off the boat, pop your head out, put on your goggles and dip your face back in. And that’s when something curious happens: the noise from the deck disappears in an instant. All you can hear is your own breathing. There’s another island down there, and hardly anyone thinks of it when they book a trip.
We dropped anchor off the southern coast, where the seabed alternates between light-coloured sand and volcanic rock. It is this mixture that makes the view so striking: the sand reflects the light and the water takes on that turquoise hue which, from the deck, looks as though it has been retouched.
Life is concentrated on the rock, because that is where there is shelter and food.
The ones who are almost always hanging about
If you stand still for a minute, they start to appear. The salemas are usually the first to show up, swimming in shoals with those yellow stripes running along their bodies. The sea bream are more scattered, silvery in colour and with a dark patch near their tails. And then there’s the Canarian wrasse, which is the one that catches everyone’s eye because of its colour. The fulas, dark and small, dart amongst the rocks without straying too far. None of this is out of the ordinary, nor does it require any luck: this is the local wildlife, the species that live here all year round.
And every now and then, a surprise
Other times, something unexpected turns up: a stingray gliding leisurely across the sandy seabed, a large school of fish swimming past, or – if you’re really lucky – a turtle surfacing to breathe near the boat. That’s not up to us, and that’s why it’s all the more enjoyable. It’s the same as with dolphins and whales: nobody here promises anything.
We’d like to take this opportunity to share our guides to whales and dolphins in Fuerteventura with you:
Seeing dolphins in Fuerteventura: a complete guide
Where can you see whales and dolphins in Fuerteventura? A guide to an unforgettable experience
El equipo lo ponemos nosotros
There’s no need to lug your goggles and snorkel tube all the way from the hotel. The Magic Dreams carries snorkelling kit on board, so when we drop anchor, all you have to do is put it on and take a dip. The swim and paddleboards are also available at the same time; we’ll tell you all about what the stopover is like on our newest catamaran.
Four things that make a difference to the experience
Breathe calmly and keep still: the less you move about, the closer the fish will come. Don’t touch the seabed or the rocks – not least because there are sea urchins, and you won’t want to take that ‘souvenir’ home with you. Put sun cream on your back, as that’s the part that gets burnt whilst you’re looking down. And if it’s your first time, have a go near the boat’s ladder first. If you want the full details on what to bring, you’ll find them in this guide.
See you on the coast of Fuerteventura
Many people board the boat thinking about the dolphins and get off talking about what they saw when they looked over the side. It’s the quietest moment of the day and, for quite a few, the one they remember most.
- What lies beneath our waters? What you’ll see when you take a dip on our excursions in Fuerteventura - 18 September 2026
- Sea turtles in Fuerteventura: the visit nobody expects - 7 September 2026
- Respecting the home of cetaceans in Fuerteventura: the Blue Boat code
- 27 August 2026
