Whoah we’re going to Ibiza! Whoah! Back to the Island.’’ It’s not often in life that a pop band gives you something to dream about. But if you grew up in India in the 90s, it is quite often that pop bands gave you life, love and travel goals. I remember when I was a kid and the Vengaboys became popular, partying was so abstract, so adult like, you wondered when you would get to do it.
So recently when a bunch of my friends said, “Let’s go to Spain” my first condition was “We totally, completely have to go to Ibiza (pronounced Ibi-tha).’’ It was like how people queue up to see Amitabh Bachchan’s house in Juhu. He’s not going to be there, but you have to see it anyway. I wasn’t hoping to run into the Vengaboys but yes, there was a slight flicker of hope that I may bump into a famous footballer or two.
Spain has an amazing nightlife in many of its cities (Madrid is completely crazy you guys) but the ‘vibe’ for a lack of a better word in Ibiza is surreal. Situated in the eastern part of Spain, Ibiza can be reached by flights from most parts of the country. The moment you reach the part, you feel like you are on a college campus. Everyone is young, hip and looks like they stepped out of the pages of Teens Beach Wear (if something like that exists). We visited Ibiza in European summer (July) and it was probably one of the best times to visit. The main reason for us visiting Ibiza being we wanted to party it up European style and also catch one of my favourite artists — David Guetta — live. Another reason why Ibiza should be on one of your must-see party places is, every year in the months from July to September, the world’s top DJs and musicians play in some of the biggest, whackiest clubs you have ever seen. Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki, Axwell and Ingrosso, David Guetta are just some of the few artists you’ll be able to catch live if you are in Ibiza during this period. You’re going to say “Oh I can watch them anywhere in the world, why go to Ibiza ’’ Well, because I said so and also because these shows are more than just a set of songs that the guys play. They introduce local artists, new songs and actually get down on the floor and party with you. We saw David Guetta at Pacha Ibiza (epic club) and there were swings with dancer girls, acrobatic acts, David Guetta throwing champagne and random gifts at the crowd and the party went on till 7 am.
The clubs that everyone should check out are Pacha Ibiza, Ushuaia, Space and Amnesia. There is a stretch of clubs in town and all of them have good music. To party on a budget, I suggest drinking at local bars with happy hours and then heading to the clubs.
We also visited Formentera, an island close to Ibiza which is beautiful, tranquil and has some of the most serene beaches you will ever have a chance to see. Playa Illetes is one of the most popular beaches with daytrippers like us from Ibiza dropping in and also a lot of yachts parked around. The oyster bars in Formentera serve excellent food at reasonable prices.
There is a lot more to do in Ibiza other than party and beaches, you can also view the scenic Dalt Vila (which means Upper Town) with narrow streets and local trinket shops with a long walk to the top where you can watch Ibiza in all its glory.
To sum it up, Ibiza is a city which has many personalities, one being where it comes alive at night with great music, dancing and Redbull-charged energy levels, the other where you spend your days on the beaches eating oysters and discovering cathedrals and churches in the old part of town. I just want to end my experience by saying — “Fly me High, Ibiza Sky.’’
Shikha is a script writer and entrepreneur who substitutes reality with dreams of her next holiday/trip
