Top tip: Watch out for pickpockets at all times

Myron Gaines

Active Member
Never thought I'd say this but I'll be avoiding PDB strip as much as I can in the future, the amount of times you're harassed walking down it is getting a bit too much. I could see me staying at the top of the beach next time or even just going back to Figueretas.
 
I've seen this a few times on here now about pickpockets....was that from personal experience mate?

Good heads-up advice, shows how a couple of bits of bad luck can ruin your experience...I'm going in 2 weeks, staying in Figuretas for the exact reason you said.
 
Yeah, I usually pack my pockets out with tissue so its harder to take stuff, by the time I'd reached the first bar the tissue was hanging out of my pocket fs! I ended up getting my wallet stolen in the end anyway. Then my mate, who left Space early, had a prostitute just boldly try and take his wallet and when he retaliated he was confronted by the pimp and a few other ones, said they just came out of the woodwork, he just had to leg it in the end.
This was the first time I've actually felt unsafe in PDB, and I was in a group. I could see it getting to the point in future when you're just going to be mugged at knifepoint.
 
Sh*t, that's pretty bleak stuff mate...sorry to hear that. First time I've been for a couple of seasons, normally go every year....terrible to hear it's got like that. I'll just dip in for Bora Bora...
 
I think just keep your wits about you, don't carry too much cash and don't make it easy for them.

Bit sh*tty though, not what you want to be hearing when you're just about to go....
 
Yeah, I usually pack my pockets out with tissue so its harder to take stuff, by the time I'd reached the first bar the tissue was hanging out of my pocket fs! I ended up getting my wallet stolen in the end anyway. Then my mate, who left Space early, had a prostitute just boldly try and take his wallet and when he retaliated he was confronted by the pimp and a few other ones, said they just came out of the woodwork, he just had to leg it in the end.
This was the first time I've actually felt unsafe in PDB, and I was in a group. I could see it getting to the point in future when you're just going to be mugged at knifepoint.

Yes it sucks, I got pickpocketed early in the morning on the San Antonio strip, just passed the egg midway into my trip last week. A couple of guys did some dumb salsa move thing with me and I didn't even realize they took it until afterwards when the 'looky-looky' men told me to check my pockets. I was pissed.

I only had 100 Euro inside, but it was the cards that got stolen that sucked. I had enough Euros taken out before my trip that was in my hotel room but I was planning on taking out like 2-400 more Euro on top of it. So I had to go into budget mode which sucked. This was a trip I was waiting for my whole life and it got hampered by this...

If you have your wallet, make sure u have limited cash in it and don't take your cards out unless you for sure will use it, or only bring one of them out and have a backup one. I'll do my own review in full later
 
If you have your wallet, make sure u have limited cash in it and don't take your cards out unless you for sure will use it, or only bring one of them out and have a backup one. I'll do my own review in full later

Yeah I'll be leaving all my cards and driving licence in the safe next time and just bringing cash out.
 
Pickpockets are a scourge - nowhere near as bad as Ramblas yet but heading that way. Hand in pocket over wallet when walking EVERYWHERE.... and button-pocket cargos, however unfashionable at the moment, are a big deterrent. PDB is absolutely awful for crime and hasstle. Worse than San An now I think - but they've been smashing peoples' car windows in San An too lately. Just no desire to be in either place for any length of time now. I snuck in for Sankeys but not even Beachouse tempted me down to PDB this trip !
 
PDB seems a bit worse becuase of the African prostitutes that permeate the place. They can be aggressive, they don't seem to exist in San An. The looky looky men are annoying as hell but I don't think they steal but if they do it'll be by giving you bad drugs.

It's the non-black guys that steal and ppl need to watch out for any salsa move BS as some scumbag tried doing it again the second day as well and I saw him go for my pocket
 
Shit some bad reports about PBD.

Showing my age probably but around decade ago when I was more of a regular it was seen as more upmarket and quieter than San An.

So basically watch out for idiots trying to dance with you?

Sure Ibiza didn't used to be like this? Although I've only ever been with groups of around 10-20 boys and certainly in those days we probably gave out a certain aura which may have put scumbags off so maybe didn't get a true reflection.
 
Shit some bad reports about PBD.

Showing my age probably but around decade ago when I was more of a regular it was seen as more upmarket and quieter than San An.

It's very trashy and incredibly overpriced. Got really scuzzy now. Crime follows the money and there is more of it being splashed about in PDB. Also big drugs turf wars going on, lots of San An dealers moving South. Money brings coke & ket which in turn bring serious crime. Upmarket hotels in PDB cocoon themselves away from the problems with fierce security but frankly if I want to spend £300+ a night on a hotel I'd rather have a quiet one up at Na Xamena where I can relax and enjoy it, and take a walk without being accosted by hookers, dealers and would-be thieves. The 70-120Euro/night high season bracket of place in PDB is pretty f'kin basic, and regular reports of peoples' luggage being ransacked and their stuff stolen the day before check-out. In other words the hotel staff are in on it. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole personally.
 
It's very trashy and incredibly overpriced. Got really scuzzy now. Crime follows the money and there is more of it being splashed about in PDB. Also big drugs turf wars going on, lots of San An dealers moving South. Money brings coke & ket which in turn bring serious crime. Upmarket hotels in PDB cocoon themselves away from the problems with fierce security but frankly if I want to spend £300+ a night on a hotel I'd rather have a quiet one up at Na Xamena where I can relax and enjoy it, and take a walk without being accosted by hookers, dealers and would-be thieves. The 70-120Euro/night high season bracket of place in PDB is pretty f'kin basic, and regular reports of peoples' luggage being ransacked and their stuff stolen the day before check-out. In other words the hotel staff are in on it. Wouldn't touch it with a barge pole personally.

I imagine you and Dirk would get on ;)

Accosted by hookers, dealers and would-be thieves was a regular occurrence in San An around a decade ago from the Egg towards Burger King centring on the Promenade outside the big two clubs so hopefully business as usual and no worse than that!
 
Girl being beaten with a baseball bat in the street, coke-whore opening the boot of my car trying to steal from it while I was in the driving seat in Space car park, knife stand-off in Bora Bora car park. That's in the space of a couple of fleeting sorties into PDB on my last two trips. San An always has some booze-related violence in West End & nr Burger King etc. but to be honest I've never seen really nasty stuff happening and no-one lifting a finger as in PDB. Cop cars everywhere and never an officer around when something goes down !
 
I imagine you and Dirk would get on ;)

Accosted by hookers, dealers and would-be thieves was a regular occurrence in San An around a decade ago from the Egg towards Burger King centring on the Promenade outside the big two clubs so hopefully business as usual and no worse than that!

The hookers aren't as prevalent in that Egg to the BK area. I only had one instance of a hooker accosting me and it was funny the way she did it (" I want sex" in some mischievous grin Me: "Me and everyone else" Her: " Yes but for money"). She didn't even overtly look like one either and she wasn't African either so I guess the hookers have more variety in San Antonio?

The only reason I can think why there aren't enough, is becuase of the multiple brothels that exist in the main party spot of San Antonio.

Despite my experience of theft, I would stay in San An again. The UK guys and gals are funny when rowdy but this was June and I dunno how hectic it gets in July/Aug.
 
Girl being beaten with a baseball bat in the street, coke-whore opening the boot of my car trying to steal from it while I was in the driving seat in Space car park, knife stand-off in Bora Bora car park. That's in the space of a couple of fleeting sorties into PDB on my last two trips. San An always has some booze-related violence in West End & nr Burger King etc. but to be honest I've never seen really nasty stuff happening and no-one lifting a finger as in PDB. Cop cars everywhere and never an officer around when something goes down !

I felt definitely more at unease when walking from Ushauia to Sankey's especially with this one hooker who was aggressive as hell. She saw me another day too and wasn't letting up...

I guess PDBs bars and restos are a bit more upscale, but for some reason the area seems more uneasy? Those aggressive hookers need to go and the looky looky men are annoying at times but they exist in San An too. I agree with policia presence... It's like non existent in both areas. I was trying to chase one down after my theft but this guy kept driving on...
 
Girl being beaten with a baseball bat in the street, coke-whore opening the boot of my car trying to steal from it while I was in the driving seat in Space car park, knife stand-off in Bora Bora car park. That's in the space of a couple of fleeting sorties into PDB on my last two trips. San An always has some booze-related violence in West End & nr Burger King etc. but to be honest I've never seen really nasty stuff happening and no-one lifting a finger as in PDB. Cop cars everywhere and never an officer around when something goes down !

^^^ This.

San An is high-jinks and lager louts acting boisterous for the most-part. It can be unsightly. But I've never been concerned for my safety.

I'm not saying P'dB is bad (there's more intimidating places in London) but I've seen some very unsavoury things going on there. Vicious fighting (inter-gang I think - I didn't stick around to ask).

I feel far safer walking on my own/in small groups in San An than I do in Bossa. Far.

Bossa has an edge. An atmosphere.

Not wanting to get into a Bossa vs San An argument. I stay in both. Largely I prefer Bossa as it is convenient to my needs re: clubbing venues, Ibiza Town, beaches, airport. But it is not Eden to San An's Purgatory as many would have you believe.
 
I'm not sure some of the above is anything new. The street from Bora Bora to Space can be absolutely vile at night. I remember years ago in the hotel that is now Ushuaia (when it was 3*) there were a number of rooms broken into, bags missing and hookers having to be dragged off the premises.

As people above say, places like Ushuaia mean MORE money is around and thus more opportunity! I mean just think for a moment if you were a criminal you have 3,000 people walking up to Ushuaia with say €150 cash on them each. There is €500K+ of cash just floating along the street!

What does surprise me is how little (it seems) the authorities are doing to help smarten the area up! Palladium Hotels can't do it all by themselves!
 
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