Puertito de Los Molinos, Fuerteventura - Visit the Sea Caves & Beach

Somewhere on the west coast of Fuerteventura, down south from Cotillo and close to Tefia, lies the small village of Puertito de los Molinos, or El Puertito as some people call it.

With less than 20 permanent residents, Puertito de los Molinos is often overlooked by tourists coming to Fuerteventura. But if you would like to discover one of the hidden gems on the island, a remote, yet charming place, then I advise you to make the trip here.

How to get to Puertito de los Molinos

If you are coming from the north, then you should follow FV-207, the road towards Betancuria. When you reach the village of Tefia, you turn into the FV-221 and follow the road until it leads you to your destination.

The beach in Puertito de Los Molinos

Details and characteristics of Playa Puertito de Los Molinos

• Length: 200 meters
• Width: 30 meters
• Sand: Golden sand
• Access: By car
• Parking: Yes
• Public transport: No
• Nudism: No
• Toilets: No
• Showers: No
• Bins: Yes
• Restaurants: Yes
• Sunbeds/umbrellas: No
• Sports area: No

When you get to Los Molinos you will see a small car park close to the beach, a few houses and some ducks on the small pond.

The place is usually quiet and there aren't many tourists, but this depends on the season.

The color of the sand differs from summer to winter, but if you come during the summer months, then you will enjoy fine golden sand, with clear turquoise waters, depending on how the sun is shining that day.

Beware that the ocean here is pretty dangerous, so swimming is not usually advised, as the currents are strong. Again, this depends on the day and season and also on the tide, so be careful when going into the water.

The beach has no amenities, so this means no sunbeds, umbrellas, showers, or lifeguards on site. This also means that it's quiet, mostly empty and ideal for a few hours of relaxation.

A natural pool, hidden behind the rocks

During our exploration here we discovered a natural pool, that we were able to access through the right side of the beach.

We got into the water, went around some rocks, climbed another set of rocks, and 1 minute later...there it was: our own private pool!

And this leads me to my most important advice for visiting Puertito los Molinos:

Plan your visit to Puertito de Los Molinos during low tide

This piece of advice may seem odd at first, but believe me, it is of the utmost importance. 

There are two things that make this place special and both of them can only be accessed during low tide. During high tide, the rocks that surround the pool are completely submerged and it's easy for the ocean currents to "suck" you out in the open waters.

The natural pool is one of the things that make Puertito de Los Molinos so special, but remember that you have to plan your time here carefully in order to be able to return to the beach.

Cuevas de los Molinos or the Caves at Puertito de los Molinos

I said there are two reasons to keep in mind the ocean tide when coming here.

Puertito de Los Molinos hides one of the most special and unique experiences in Fuerteventura: the caves that can only be accessed when the tide is low.

Be very careful, as the low tide varies and you should only attempt to cross the ocean towards the caves on those days when the tide is at its lowest point.

Let me explain.

One day the low tide is at 0,34 m and a few days later it can be at 0,84 m. That's a huge difference, it means that in the first case the water will barely reach your knee and in the second case, it will almost reach your hip. So you should only attempt to get to the caves in the first case.

We visited the caves at Los Molinos in September and we planned our trip on a day when the low tide was 0,34 m and at a reasonable hour, around 9 or 10 in the morning.

At this point, the water is shallow enough to allow you to cross towards these caves, situated on the left side of the beach.

The view from the caves - you can see the distance you have to cross between the beach and the caves

Another view from the caves, this time towards the ocean

Simply amazing

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From the caves, you will have the most spectacular view of the ocean and of the village of Puertito de los Molinos.

Take your time to explore, as this a unique experience, one that no tour company has on offer.

We recommend making the journey back to the beach in a maximum of 60 minutes from the time when the tide was at its lowest point before the ocean starts to rise.

During our several visits there we did not see any families with children making the crossing towards the caves and we wouldn't recommend you try it. Keep in mind that crossing over to the caves can be dangerous and you have to be really careful where you step - there's actually a section with a dip and it can be scary when you step in it.

It's true that the caves in Los Molinos are unique and an amazing place to experience, but don't take unnecessary risks and take great care when crossing over. Not all days are ideal for this, as sometimes the swell is too strong and it is too dangerous to take that chance.

We were extremely lucky to be able to get to the caves on our first try, but we went back the next day because we wanted to go over a second time and it just wasn't possible.

So we spent our time relaxing on the beach and swimming in the natural pool.

If you do decide to try it yourself, the caves should be your first visit and then the natural pool, as this one is less dangerous to get to.

When is the best time to visit the caves in Puertito de Los Molinos?

The best time to visit the Molinos caves is in September when there's a phenomenon known as Mareas del Pino (El Pino tide). The super tide in September marks the autumn equinox, which means that it's a large difference between low tide and high tide. So when the tide is low, the water level is really low, which makes for an easier and safer crossing to reach the caves.

Safety first!

Remember, even if you do go to Los Molinos in September, check the level and times of the tide before venturing out to the cave. 

Don't risk your life trying to reach the caves and be very careful with how much time you spend in the caves so that you can go back to shore safely.

Where to eat in Puertito de Los Molinos

If you get hungry, Puertito has not one, but two restaurants where you can have lunch. One of them, Casa Pon, is a typical Spanish restaurant and it opens at around lunchtime. The other one, where we had lunch, is a different story and one that deserves its own article.