# Fuerteventura



## Rob77

Having been back to the island many times over the last few years and loves it i have come to the conclusion that i have to give it a go full time, either here or Cyprus. Is there anybody WHO CAN GIVE ME SOME ADVICE WHERE TO START!


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## Alcalaina

Well that depends on whether you have the resources to move there, find somewhere to live and support yourself, or whether you will need to get a job. As I'm sure you are aware, unemployment is very high in Spain and there is lots of competition for work. If you don't need to work, the best advice is to rent somewhere for a few months and get the feel for what it's like to live there. Emigrating to a new country is not just a permanent holiday.


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## Rob77

Alcalaina said:


> Well that depends on whether you have the resources to move there, find somewhere to live and support yourself, or whether you will need to get a job. As I'm sure you are aware, unemployment is very high in Spain and there is lots of competition for work. If you don't need to work, the best advice is to rent somewhere for a few months and get the feel for what it's like to live there. Emigrating to a new country is not just a permanent holiday.


Thanks for the reply, i am an Air Conditioning engineer by trade so i would be coming to work, but there seems to be a lack of info on Fuerteventura in comparison to the rest of spain


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## Alcalaina

Rob77 said:


> Thanks for the reply, i am an Air Conditioning engineer by trade so i would be coming to work, but there seems to be a lack of info on Fuerteventura in comparison to the rest of spain


Try this - a forum dedicated specifically to Fuerteventura. 

Fuerteventura Map

I've only been there on holiday, but there is someone on the forum who lives in El Hierro and he'll be along shortly I'm sure.

Good luck!


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## 90199

I went to Fuerteventura some years ago and I liked it very much. I then tried the three most westerly islands in the archipelago, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, and I have never been back to Fuerteventura since.

You should try to rent at first, you will need a health care plan and unless you have finances you will need to work. To work legally you will need a N.I.E. number and once you start working legally you should be able to obtain free health care. ( there are other threads about these subjects)

You must learn the Spanish language, if not you will always be at a serious disadvantage.

I suggest you take a fact finding holiday, weigh up the pros and cons, ask questions, talk to people. Things are not easy at the moment, however here we are noticing signs of change, construction has started once again, the bars are getting busier.

One of my sons went on a fact finding mission to Gran Canaria, he stayed five years!

Best of luck
Hepa


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## littleredrooster

Hepa said:


> I went to Fuerteventura some years ago and I liked it very much. I then tried the three most westerly islands in the archipelago, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, and I have never been back to Fuerteventura since.
> 
> Hepa


I would go a bit further than that.
Compared to the rest of the Canaries, most especially the four beautiful Western isles,...Fuerteventura is my idea of Hell.


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## Rob77

Why"s that?


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## charlieallshapes

*static caravans*

Hi there .my names daz im new to the forum and dont really know where to start ,, 
basically in 2 years myself and the family are going to make the move to fuerteventura and would just like a bit of advice . basically static caravans . we intend on buying a plot next year and would like to put a static on , ok ,, can we take our own static , as its only 3 years old and a very nice one , also i havent managed to see any on the island ,, so . can we take it and whats the pros and cons if anyone knows ,, sorry to post this on here , but i really am new to this and hopefully will get the gist of it before long ... kindest regards daz :fingerscrossed:.


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## Lonely

littleredrooster said:


> I would go a bit further than that.
> Compared to the rest of the Canaries, most especially the four beautiful Western isles,...Fuerteventura is my idea of Hell.




I am planning to move there too very soon...but was wondering (mabe Hepa can answer this one too :wave: ):

where/how do you get enough drinkable water in the Canaries?

I heard that in Egypt the little water they pipe there is so bad that they cannot even use it to brush their teeth! 

What is like in the Canaries?


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## jojo

Lonely said:


> I am planning to move there too very soon...but was wondering (mabe Hepa can answer this one too :wave: ):
> 
> where/how do you get enough drinkable water in the Canaries?
> 
> I heard that in Egypt the little water they pipe there is so bad that they cannot even use it to brush their teeth!
> 
> What is like in the Canaries?


I'm sure there are plenty of shops etc that sell bottles of water

Jo xxx


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## 90199

Ours come from the sky, we call it rain  we collect the wet stuff in huge underground vessels called aljibes.

There are also desalination plants. The water we drink is from a well into the side of one of the mountains. 

The water here in Valverde that comes from the municipal supply doesn't taste nice.

You can also buy bottled water.


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## Lonely

Hepa said:


> Ours come from the sky, we call it rain  we collect the wet stuff in huge underground vessels called aljibes.
> 
> There are also desalination plants. The water we drink is from a well into the side of one of the mountains.
> 
> The water here in Valverde that comes from the municipal supply doesn't taste nice.
> 
> You can also buy bottled water.


Well...here in Australia they always say that desalination plants cost too much money.

Is that tap water safe to drink at all? I do prefer to buy bottled water but not for brushing teeth...

Thank you


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## 90199

Lonely said:


> Well...here in Australia they always say that desalination plants cost too much money.
> 
> Is that tap water safe to drink at all? I do prefer to buy bottled water but not for brushing teeth...
> 
> Thank you


Why buy bottled when it comes free from the mountain, some tap water is safe, depends what district you are in, you have to enquire from the locals.


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## Jock719

Hi Rob, we are doing the same thing, try FotoCasa etc for properties and estate agents such as Goldacre, Bliss, Fuerteventura Property World. There seems to be an awful lot of empty stuff on the market, all at wildly varying prices. Our plan is to head over, rent for 6-12mnths and then buy. Ive noticed that the North of the island is more expensive than the midlands and South.


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## whitenoiz

Regarding potable water... where we are (and OK its nowhere near the Canaries), the tap water is non-potable and frankly not even the village dogs will drink it, preferring instead to drink the condensate from the multiple aircon systems outside the village bar. 
Mustn't grumble though because we don't actually get water bills. When we moved here we asked at our local town hall about water supllies and the Clerk of Works said "There is a stop cock outside your house; just turn it on..." So we did! 
We have a water meter but no-one ever comes to read it (or anyone else's for that matter). We pay the very small amount that is itemised on our bi-annual rates bill but that's it.
Drinking water in the village is available via three potable water points or fuentes but the quality is inconsistent. 
For all normal drinking water we buy bottled water from the village shop. It is very reasonably priced at just 75 centimos for 5 litres or 57cents from Mercadona. It's consistently good and not at all at the rip-off prices charged in the UK.

*Charlieallshapes...* Concerning putting a static onto one own land..._Always assuming that you can get planning permission to site a caravan._ Never ever buy land until you have established in writing that you can use it for residential purposes... Spanish Bureaucracy is far far worse than the UK in that respect. 
A huge consideration would have to be the cost of shipping and transportation of the unit from the UK, You would also have to consider the costs of laying on electricity, water and drainage, not to mention the costs of providing access. Sounds like a non-starter to me....


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## Lonely

Hepa said:


> Why buy bottled when it comes free from the mountain, some tap water is safe, depends what district you are in, you have to enquire from the locals.


Because between the mountain and your tap there can be any kind of contamination with lead, dead animals (in a roof top hotel water tank in Dubai there was a dead human body too!), radioactive material, etc.

Who is going to check all that?


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## 90199

Lonely said:


> Because between the mountain and your tap there can be any kind of contamination with lead, dead animals (in a roof top hotel water tank in Dubai there was a dead human body too!), radioactive material, etc.
> 
> Who is going to check all that?


If the water worries you so much, drink beer…..


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## Psycho13

Hi, our family of four are moving out to Fuerteventura. We have been out there 6 times - the 7th only 3 went to find out facts and information. My mother and brother plan on renting first and then both my father and I will follow with 2 dogs. I was just wondering if any of the expats on here live in fuerteventura and whether anyone has any advice? we are set on going to Caleta.


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## 90199

Psycho13 said:


> Hi, our family of four are moving out to Fuerteventura. We have been out there 6 times - the 7th only 3 went to find out facts and information. My mother and brother plan on renting first and then both my father and I will follow with 2 dogs. I was just wondering if any of the expats on here live in fuerteventura and whether anyone has any advice? we are set on going to Caleta.


There are few on this forum that are resident in the Canary Islands, let alone Fuerteventura, so answers to your queries might be hard to find.

I would suggest that you are right to rent at first, then if Caleta del Fuste, doesn't rise to your expectations, you can look elsewhere.

Our first choice was Gran Canaria, but we eventually settled on the island of El Hierro, some 200 miles further west. Life is good in the Canary Islands, each island is different and all are worth a visit, we regularly venture from these shores, to the other islands.

Good look with your new life.


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## Psycho13

*Thank you *



Hepa said:


> There are few on this forum that are resident in the Canary Islands, let alone Fuerteventura, so answers to your queries might be hard to find.
> 
> I would suggest that you are right to rent at first, then if Caleta del Fuste, doesn't rise to your expectations, you can look elsewhere.
> 
> Our first choice was Gran Canaria, but we eventually settled on the island of El Hierro, some 200 miles further west. Life is good in the Canary Islands, each island is different and all are worth a visit, we regularly venture from these shores, to the other islands.
> 
> Good look with your new life.



That's a shame  

Thank you, they also visited Costa Calma which they very much liked but said it was far too quiet.

How's El Heirro? 

Thank you


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## 90199

Psycho13 said:


> That's a shame
> 
> Thank you, they also visited Costa Calma which they very much liked but said it was far too quiet.
> 
> How's El Heirro?
> 
> Thank you


Cloudy with sunny spells and rain showers at the moment 

We are the only U.K. couple on the island, English is rarely spoken, the tourist boom that the other islands experienced has passed us by, being further west the island is a lot greener than Fuerteventura. The locals are extremely friendly, we have made many friends. We live in the Capital, it's more like a small town or even a village, we have a house with a big garden. 

There is always plenty to do, like yesterday harvesting turnips and making turnip soup. We grow apples, pears, oranges, limes, grapefruit, plums, figs plus a variety of vegetables. Bosslady writes for the Tourist information board.

The link below is for our photos of the island, once you are an official Canary Island resident, you will be entitled to a very substantial discount on all flights and ferries throughout Spanish territories, and you never know, El Hierro may beckon…………..


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## Filip1

If you are looking at moving to Fuerteventura you will need to consider how you are going to make a living. Currently the island is in something of a recession and so times are hard if you are looking for work on Fuerteventura.

Many expats who were living here have gone back to the United Kingdom and Germany where they came from – this in turn has led many bars and restaurants to close leading to less vacancies and work opportunities.


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