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Going to Ibiza

Photos: Sudhish Kamath

Great attractions The beaches, sunset, and the party zones of Ibiza

So, how does one end up in Ibiza of all places? When you are planning a holiday in Europe and want to schedule something you can do during the first three weekdays, a beach destination seems like a safe bet. Especially, if you are not a museum person.

Also, you want to make sure you start your European adventure from the farthest point you can afford to go and then find your way back to the port of entry, stopping at every big city on the way. I ran through my beach destination options again. Ios in Greece seemed inviting but the party season there was over by August and once you find out that bad weather has left many people stranded on the island for days, it doesn’t seem like a good idea.

And, there’s the common perception that Ios is the poor man’s Ibiza. Once you read the word Ibiza, you simply cannot get the Vengaboys out of your head. If you book in advance, you are likely to get really cheap flights with many low-cost options to the remote island 50 miles off the Spanish mainland.

Part of the Balearic Islands, Ibiza has the reputation of being the party capital of the world. The party season winds up in September. Since it may not be too much fun to party by yourself in an island full of drunk people, you look up other things you can do in Ibiza. But there’s just one thing you need to know before you book those dirt cheap tickets and pack your bags. No, not topless beaches. (Psst: Greece is a better bet for topless beaches.) Ibiza has one of the best sunsets in the world, and so, tourists head to the popular Café Del Mar and stay there all evening before heading to the world’s most expensive parties.

Entry prices for the wild gigs in Ibiza (there are water and foam parties) begin at 30 Euros and you would easily end up blowing about a 100 Euros a night. It’s a luxury backpackers cannot afford. So, I just decided to do Ibiza hoping to cross “Watch the best sunset in the world” off my ‘things to do before I die’ list.

Ibiza is pretty much like Goa. The landscape is so similar to Goa except that it is impossible to find another Asian face on this island. Chances are you will find yourself alienated in no time. And if you are not the party types, you must stay away from San Antoni and stick to the old part of Ibiza which like Old Goa, houses some quaint looking churches.

At San Antoni (take the bus from the airport — it costs only three Euros compared to the 30 you will spend for the cab) you will find cheap hostel accommodation for as less as 20 Euros but be warned that the cheaper it is, the more unliveable it gets. Torres Hostal, for example, turned out to be a huge scam. It looked nothing like the photographs put up online; they did not have a room reserved in spite of the Internet booking (during which a 10 per cent advance is collected) and once I got there around midnight on a Monday night, they offered to provide me alternative accommodation downtown, far away from Café Del Mar. I checked in at Cervantes next door.

The small, tiny streets of Ibiza were full of revellers, and every night there seemed like New Year’s Eve.

More than half the tourist population spoke English and on most days, British tourists outnumber the local population. To an extent that most of the pubs around the San Antoni area (known for the Café Del Mar) are run by the English and you will have no communication problems.

As I made my way to Café Del Mar, I didn’t half expect what I saw. No place to sit, not even stand around. The San Antoni bay area that houses Café Del Mar and Café Mambo easily had over 5,000 people who had gathered to watch the sunset.

Ambient music from Del Mar sets the perfect mood and just around sunset, people become quieter and train their cameras hoping to take back the postcard perfect picture from their holiday. So did I.

Thankfully, it was a clear day with no clouds to play spoilsport and it was a truly majestic sunset and I clicked away.

Once it was over, the sunset was greeted with applause, some gave it a standing ovation and fire-eating dancers put up a show and light up fireworks by the sea.

Later, I learn that in Ibiza, this is an everyday affair.

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