*** Ibiza 2017 observations ***

[McRackin]

A joke... or the actual truth?!

 

[Life of Rye]

The lack of new music and new DJ's is a worry. We are probably more in to the commercial house and EDM side of things than most posters on here but this is the first Ibiza trip I can remember where there hasn't been one big tune that you remember the year for. A lot of the House/EDM DJ's were relying on big room songs from 3-5 years ago, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia won't need to make a live comeback with the royalties they are still raking in!

There also seems to be a gap of big House/EDM headliners coming through, only Kygo has stepped up from occasional headliner to full time residency this year while the likes of Guetta, Armin, Bob Sinclar, Fatboy Slim etc grow ever older. Some of those are still putting on a good show but there doesn't seem to be the buzz of the next big thing breaking through at the moment in the commercial side of dance at least.

Whilst I am not into EDM or the more commercial stuff I still dab into it at times and even went to Martin Garrix at Hi (In Part 2 of my Radio 1 VLOG uploading today for footage and why I left Circoloco at gone 2am to go to an EDM night at Hi) and have to agree....A lot of old music from 2 or 3 years back is still being thrown about...Watch a DM & LM clip or two on social media and they are still punting 3 year old songs.

I cannot think of a big tune for this year at all....however there is far too many tech house tracks about to be caught up on one good tune. Always frustrating when you hear a proper bit of tech played and Shazam doesn't recognise it

 

[AR_IBIZA]

2.50 for a bottle of San Miguel at Cala de Boix beach bar.
2.50 for a large homemade Hierbas on ice at Bar Anita.

Get away from the crowds

Getting away from the crowds is easier said than done! Just had a look at both of the places you mentioned and getting to them is more hassle than its worth just for a cheap drink.

Without a car or scooter most reasonably priced places are out of reach, unless you are staying near, and if you rent a scooter or car you wont be able to have more than a couple drinks anyway!

This is a big problem, I assume for most tourists is they don't want to have to hire a car or scooter just to get to a cheapish bar and even if they are happy to I'm sure this would result in drink driving!

 

[AR_IBIZA]

Well i have always wanted too get up close to Es Vedra so that was the first stop. The compass does actually go berzerk when you turn the corner. Pretty spectacular up close and some fantastic markings, quite eerie infact.

Next stop was atlantis then onto cala Vadela then onto Cala Tarida for snorkelling and taking in some of the hidden caves along the way.

Finally off back to San An for the sunset where took us out to where the sun clips the edge of one the small islands. Sunset was perfect so lucky there. We gave the skipper 50 euros, he seemed happy with that and he really looked after us.

Sounds wicked!! This is something id love to do, don't suppose you know if there is a cheaper way to do this than the £1000 you paid?

Was hoping for something more like £500, would only be for 2 of us.

P.S I cant drive a boat so would need a skipper.

 

[kimajy]

Sounds wicked!! This is something id love to do, don't suppose you know if there is a cheaper way to do this than the £1000 you paid?

Was hoping for something more like £500, would only be for 2 of us.

P.S I cant drive a boat so would need a skipper.

You can do it for that out of peak season with a nice enough boat. Just. Think Porsche rather than Mercedes limo. 400 Euros for the boat, allow 50-70 for fuel (150-170 for Formentera - and very likely a 600 a day boat instead) and 100 for a skipper makes 550-570 Euros (cash) often with a cool box of soft drinks. Add 50-150 to those prices mid July to mid September and take off about 50 very early or late in the Season.

It's nice to walk on with everything sorted and most places will do you a pricey drinks package but for 2 unless you want to get absolutely motherless it's a total waste of money. There's a little convenience store at San Antoni Marina opposite Club Nautico who sell bags of ice and booze, just grab a couple, your drinks and bocadillos and chuck them in the cool box on board. Probably save you about 60 Euros just doing that.

 

[Amigo]

Getting away from the crowds is easier said than done! Just had a look at both of the places you mentioned and getting to them is more hassle than its worth just for a cheap drink.

Without a car or scooter most reasonably priced places are out of reach, unless you are staying near, and if you rent a scooter or car you wont be able to have more than a couple drinks anyway!

This is a big problem, I assume for most tourists is they don't want to have to hire a car or scooter just to get to a cheapish bar and even if they are happy to I'm sure this would result in drink driving!

You can get a caña for a couple of Euros or so on Plaza del Parque, Ibiza Town.

 

[Amp and Deck]

A joke... or the actual truth?!

not sure if the non-spanish speakers will get it - but it is basically a fairly accurate spoof of where things are at

 

[Amp and Deck]

Just got back and while it was another good week, there are sadly a few things that have been mentioned before on here giving cause for concern for the future. This was our first time staying in Bossa though after several years in San An, so some observations may be specific to changing resort.

Firstly the Ticket Sellers have cranked the pressure selling up in Bossa. You can't go more than 2 mins on the beach without being approached by someone, in previous years if you replied with something like 'thanks, but we're already sorted for tonight' they would say 'ok, have a good night' and be on their way. The ones now are that desperate they stand over your sunbed/towel or follow you half the length of the main street, and just don't take no for an answer! Throw in a few offers from the lucky-luckies, massage sellers, dealers etc and a hangover curing trip to the beach just becomes annoying. There just seems to be too many ticket sellers and ticket shops for the demand.

On the VIP issue, I have never found the 'true' VIP's an issue, and that was the same this time. They are usually on a different floor of the club, on a different budget, social circle & orbit to us normal folk so it just doesn't bother me. I didn't even find Hi's much discussed new layout of having VIP booths surrounding the room an issue, as you don't cross paths with them anyway.

The problem with Ibiza now for me is the 'pseudo' VIP, the people who think they are rich and famous but really aren't all that. This demand has led to average/middle of the road type bars trying to pretend to be something they are not. Bossa was particularly bad for it, bland bars on the main road offering no DJ, heritage, sea-view or anything that usually commands premium pricing but charging expensive prices and staff acting like they had a job on Pacha's VIP floor. I never thought i'd miss some of the trashier bars on the West-End but I did! at least those bars know their role is to offer cheap drinks and loud songs and the staff have a laugh with it.

The knock-on effect of the above is the rise in prices, the big clubs have always been expensive and in fairness the prices there don't seem to have moved much in the years we have been going. Its the bars & supermarkets that seem to have shot up making it a very expensive place now, and I hope the island doesn't start losing more younger clubbers as a result. It's harder now to even eat cheap, pre-drink in the room, find cheaper bars etc and still save. You are getting clobbered whatever you do now. Brexit and the exchange rate of course isn't helping, but that isn't Ibiza's fault.

The lack of new music and new DJ's is a worry. We are probably more in to the commercial house and EDM side of things than most posters on here but this is the first Ibiza trip I can remember where there hasn't been one big tune that you remember the year for. A lot of the House/EDM DJ's were relying on big room songs from 3-5 years ago, Avicii and Swedish House Mafia won't need to make a live comeback with the royalties they are still raking in!

There also seems to be a gap of big House/EDM headliners coming through, only Kygo has stepped up from occasional headliner to full time residency this year while the likes of Guetta, Armin, Bob Sinclar, Fatboy Slim etc grow ever older. Some of those are still putting on a good show but there doesn't seem to be the buzz of the next big thing breaking through at the moment in the commercial side of dance at least.

On a more positive note the bars in Ibiza Town seem to have escaped this fake VIP nonsense (despite having the most VIP credentials with the yachts & the scenery!) and we had a great chilled out night outside Dalt Vila and on the harbour side, with drinks at reasonable prices and little hassle.

All in all it's still a fantastic place to go, but if people like our group with decent jobs, few commitments and several Ibiza trips under our belts are starting to worry about the cost you do have to be concerned where the island is heading. The island needs fresh batches of younger clubbers each summer to stay fresh, but I struggle to see how anyone young on low-pay can go to Ibiza and have even a decent time now.

I probably don't have that much in common with you, but you do make a lot of very good points here

a lot of the problems identified aren't specifically ibiza related but global problems - ie a generation of people with no culture or individual personality desperately trying to define themselves somehow in consumer bling terms. (you even see those vile white stretch limos in BCN now...) you can blame reality tv, snapchat, false gods, trash whatever, but this is a global thing that is very real. maybe people have lost their roots and identity and need to fill the vacuum? I dunno, it's probably way too deep an issue to get into here. the result is that there are people who no longer have any idea what a club is even for and what music is. so they just project their fantasies. DIY superstars, livin' the dream for a week until they return to their shitty non-jobs. if all that stuff stayed in hollywood, then fine, we could all just laugh it at it like we used to, but now we're all trashy yanks. look around you and weep...

on the upside, there's still loads of good music and interesting people around. if you can't find either, you're probably hanging around with the wrong people in the wrong places listening to the wrong DJs....

 

[Moondust]

Sounds wicked!! This is something id love to do, don't suppose you know if there is a cheaper way to do this than the £1000 you paid?

Was hoping for something more like £500, would only be for 2 of us.

P.S I cant drive a boat so would need a skipper.

Kimajy is spot on with everything there. Especially the drinks package they offer. We opted to take our own drinks and snacks although we did stop at Maya for a pre booked meal as well. The skipper cracked open a bottle of fizz when we got back as well ( which he did'nt have too do ).

Was worth it though, ticked many boxes for me and its great being out on the water. The skipper did say that if you're the type that appreciates the rustic and off the beaten track side of the island then Menorca is really worth trying so that's exactly what we are going to do next year.

 

[fatphilb]

You can get a caña for a couple of Euros or so on Plaza del Parque, Ibiza Town.

Bar Sin Nombre in san an near sunset strip does a caña and small pintxo for 1.50

 

[AR_IBIZA]

You can do it for that out of peak season with a nice enough boat. Just. Think Porsche rather than Mercedes limo. 400 Euros for the boat, allow 50-70 for fuel (150-170 for Formentera - and very likely a 600 a day boat instead) and 100 for a skipper makes 550-570 Euros (cash) often with a cool box of soft drinks. Add 50-150 to those prices mid July to mid September and take off about 50 very early or late in the Season.

It's nice to walk on with everything sorted and most places will do you a pricey drinks package but for 2 unless you want to get absolutely motherless it's a total waste of money. There's a little convenience store at San Antoni Marina opposite Club Nautico who sell bags of ice and booze, just grab a couple, your drinks and bocadillos and chuck them in the cool box on board. Probably save you about 60 Euros just doing that.

Thanks! I wouldn't be too bothered about going over to Formentera on a private boat so would just be around the south side of Ibiza really rather similar to Moondusts trip.

Think I might try and get the funds together to do this next year then. Planning to go 1st September for 11 nights so will check prices nearer the time.

Cheers for the heads up on the drink situation! Will just stock up on some booze and food before we go.

Would it be best to do a whole day or can you do this as a half day trip? I only ask as I think 8 hours could be a little too long to be on the same boat and I know the Mrs would probably prefer a half day trip!

 

[AR_IBIZA]

Kimajy is spot on with everything there. Especially the drinks package they offer. We opted to take our own drinks and snacks although we did stop at Maya for a pre booked meal as well. The skipper cracked open a bottle of fizz when we got back as well ( which he did'nt have too do ).

Was worth it though, ticked many boxes for me and its great being out on the water. The skipper did say that if you're the type that appreciates the rustic and off the beaten track side of the island then Menorca is really worth trying so that's exactly what we are going to do next year.

So when you hire the boat and skipper do you just turn up and say what you want to do? Or is it a pre planned trip?

Also do you know any other websites I could check for prices?

 

[Moondust]

So when you hire the boat and skipper do you just turn up and say what you want to do? Or is it a pre planned trip?

Also do you know any other websites I could check for prices?

We specified a few things prior to booking. One being Es Vedra. We had planned the northern part of the island with dinner at Benirras but then the Es Vedra option was a no go purely because of the distance. I guess it depends on how long you plan to be on the water, we opted from lunch till sunset. A rep from white Ibiza met us at the port in San An then the Skipper arrived and we went from there. To be fair the skipper was brilliant and he had a few recommendations for us. After all he know's the waters.

As for just turning up i wouldn't know. I'd say better to book as they had too prepare the boat for us. I will say it was cheaper to depart from San An than Marina Botafoch.

 

[kimajy]

So when you hire the boat and skipper do you just turn up and say what you want to do? Or is it a pre planned trip?

Also do you know any other websites I could check for prices?

It's up to you what you agree with them - best to decide on the day and play it by ear a bit. With a knowledgeable skipper they'll take you some places you maybe never thought of.

Remember on the water everything depends on the wind direction, swell and conditions and some anchorages may be better on some days than others. Also North vs South. For me the North route is by far the most rewarding and special one, but most people only do that after they've got the South and West out of their systems. Atlantis is, however, always an absolute joy. Can 100% say that charters from San Antoni have on the whole been better for me than ones from Marina Botafoch, the South East coast for some reason just doesn't have the same impact and you burn a lot of fuel getting up North where it's nicest. You can also possibly go out from Cala Martina or Sta Eularia and those are both close to Tagomago, Cala Mastella, Pou d'es Lleo, Cala d'en Serra etc. if the winds are favourable on that side of the island that day.

You need to work hard to get a really good price. I always haggle out of peak season and book the day before when they know they're not going to rent out the boat to anyone else if they don't rent to you most likely.

These are the guys I've been chartering from this year and last http://www.en.ibizawinds.com/poweboat-rental-ibiza

I've driven both Chaparrals and the Capelli Tempest - the latter was when conditions were rougher than usual and more function than luxury, the former perfect for 2 and a skipper.

Oh ... and 8 hours will pass in a flash trust me, especially if you go somewhere for lunch. Full day hire means boarding from 10am and boat back by sunset.

 

[AR_IBIZA]

Perfect! Thanks guys!

Will do some research and see what I fancy. Just so I have an idea on distances how long would it take to get to Es Vedra from San An?

As you say Kimjay id quite like to do the south part of the island first see all the parts of the island I am more familiar with then venture out to the north in the years to come. I have never even been up north yet saving that for when I'm slightly older and got the partying out my system

 

[diver]

2.50 for a bottle of San Miguel at Cala de Boix beach bar.
2.50 for a large homemade Hierbas on ice at Bar Anita.

Getting away from the crowds is easier said than done! Just had a look at both of the places you mentioned and getting to them is more hassle than its worth just for a cheap drink.

Without a car or scooter most reasonably priced places are out of reach, unless you are staying near, and if you rent a scooter or car you wont be able to have more than a couple drinks anyway!

This is a big problem, I assume for most tourists is they don't want to have to hire a car or scooter just to get to a cheapish bar and even if they are happy to I'm sure this would result in drink driving!

They were just two examples from the top of my head. Hundreds of others like that around, if I get time to do a full review this year then it might explain it. Im not on about spending money on a hire car or taxi to get a cheap drink. Its about doing a tiny bit of research, getting out and about a bit more and away from PDB or San An.

As for hassle, the only problem I had at Cala de Boix was thinking I could walk up the beach, up some steps in my bare feet. Lesson quickly learned. Id rather make some sort of an effort to have a drink somewhere like that, than some Brit pub in a built up area.

I think that I'm older than you and may want different things from my trip? But life experience has led to that

 

[AR_IBIZA]

2.50 for a bottle of San Miguel at Cala de Boix beach bar.
2.50 for a large homemade Hierbas on ice at Bar Anita.
I think that I'm older than you and may want different things from my trip? But life experience has led to that

Agreed on that! Yeah I'm still going to Ibiza for, mainly, the clubs and prefer to be close to all the 'action' as such.

I'm sure once I have aged alittle I will very much appreciate the more northern resorts. I

 

[elmooreo]

Seriously though, do get a car even if just for one day. No brainer!

 

[Moondust]

Perfect! Thanks guys!

Will do some research and see what I fancy. Just so I have an idea on distances how long would it take to get to Es Vedra from San An?

As you say Kimjay id quite like to do the south part of the island first see all the parts of the island I am more familiar with then venture out to the north in the years to come. I have never even been up north yet saving that for when I'm slightly older and got the partying out my system

We took a few caves in along the way so at estimate in a straight run id say 30-40 mins

 

[kimajy]

Will do some research and see what I fancy. Just so I have an idea on distances how long would it take to get to Es Vedra from San An?

Probably about 25 minutes if you're flooring it

I have never even been up north yet saving that for when I'm slightly older and got the partying out my system

You'd be surprised how much partying goes on up North It's just not so commercialized and (hate to use the cliche but ...) more "authentic" ! It's so quick and easy to get to places like Cala Jondal, Cala Tarida, Cala Conta etc. by car I think that's one of the reasons I tend to try to use boats for more inaccessible spots - but if you haven't been driving over there that likely makes a big difference as those places will all be relatively unexplored too. There's plenty of caves and of course Atlantis and Es Vedra etc. none of which can be accessed by land without a big effort, and the great thing with a boat is you can stop in any little cove between the main beaches for a swim or to relax.