Our friends over at Travel Supermarket have submitted a guide for all of you hens who might be headed towards the White Isle this summer for sun, sea and sand on an Ibiza hen party.
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Ibiza is instantly known as the clubbing capital of the world, and with more people than ever taking it upon themselves to experience the unbelievable atmosphere there; it is as popular a destination now as it ever has been.
The only setback is the cost, so we are going to look at going to and enjoying Ibiza at a price that won’t break the bank, along with where to go, when to go, when to book and what to look out for.
Ibiza hen parties
Whether you’re a seasoned Ibiza veteran or hitting the island for the first time, it’s an experience you’ll never forget as there’s something for everyone there.
The opening parties for the summer start around the last week in May, with each club having their opening nights on different dates to ensure no one misses out on the start of a summer spectacular. From then on, it’s 4 months of non-stop partying!
Clubs on the island
Let’s face it; this is the reason you’re going, so here’s the list of which clubs are definitely worth the wait in the queue (and the ticket price)
Privilege – The world’s biggest nightclub with a capacity of 10,000; Privilege has to be number one on the list. Home to DJ Tiesto, entry will set you back €50 on the big nights, but can be as little as €25 on other evenings, so if you’re looking to cut costs, don’t go for the headline acts every night of the week! Set in the hillside of San Rafael, you will be blown away as soon as you set foot inside due to the sheer size of the place, especially when you see the DJ booth set in the middle of the swimming pool! Get a drink at one of the 14 bars for between €10-15 depending on what you get. Privilege opens from midnight until 6:00.
Pacha – Capable of housing 3000 revellers, Pacha Ibiza is one not to be missed; whatever type of music you’re after – they have it here. Jonty Skrufff has owned the place with his sets there as part of the “F**k me I’m famous” nights ;whilst you can find Spanish Pop, jazzy house, funk, soul, hiphop and of course the mainstream dance/club music featuring the likes of Dave Morales & David Guetta. Prices range from €40-60 depending on who is playing, but open 7 days a week you’re guaranteed an amazing time no matter when you go. Beers cost around €8, for spirits with a mixer you’re looking at around €12. Based near Ibiza Town, Pacha opens from midnight until 6:00.
Space – One of the most famous clubs on the Island, Space is notorious for it’s outdoor terrace where planes fly overhead as they come in to land, and the noise reverberates around the terrace to add to the crazy atmosphere that adorns the venue for 18 hours a day, right through until 6 in the morning. Entry can vary between €30-60, again depending on when you go. If you need to take a break from the dance floor, there’s a chill-out area on the roof to kick back and recover, before heading downstairs and starting again. Drinks cost roughly the same throughout all the clubs, so expect to pay between €10-15 each time. All kinds of music are catered for, including techno and funky house.
Amnesia – The home of Trance, accompanied by euphoric dance and Techno; Amnesia should also be on your to do list. 2 massive rooms, featuring foam parties on Wednesdays, and the classic Cream on Thursdays, entry will set you back between €30 and €50. There are plenty of podiums for you to try and show off your moves on, and to cool down just try and get under one of the ‘ice cannons’ that blast off at regular intervals to inject some cool air into the crowd. Paul Van Dyke & Ferry Corsten often step up to the DJ booth at this legendary club.
Eden – Opened in 2000, Eden can house 5000 clubbers an evening, normally home to Pete Tong, guest sets from Garlands and the odd guest pop act, such as Lady Gaga or Girls Aloud. Entry can be between €20 and €50 depending on what night you decide to go. If alternative sounds are your thing; then check out the back room. Eden is also home to Judgement Sunday; Judge Jules’ residency in Ibiza – another night that Jonty has frequented 3 years running.
Café Del Mar – Everyone knows the name due to the music compilations that have been released over the years. The only place to watch the sunset over San Antonio whilst listening to ambient chill out music, then watch the fire shows before you hit the clubs for the night.
There are of course many other bars and clubs on the island, but the above are a selection of the main ones you will want to go to before you head home.
When to book
When booking your holiday to Ibiza, you have two options; book at the last minute and hope for a cheap deal, which could result in being given a hotel/apartment miles from the action and be sharing a bed with cockroaches & god knows what else. The other option is to book as early as possible, and do your homework. Ideally, you should have it booked before the turn of the year.
The end of July and the whole of August are the busiest months of the Ibiza calendar, where you can expect to queue for quite a while to get in the clubs, and pay inflated entrance fees. Heading out in June or the start of July will not diminish your experience in any way – you’ll still see the same quality DJs, the same amazing clubs and you will still come back with a sun tan (or burn if you spend too long on the beach)
Things to look out for/avoid
A popular scam for holiday makers in Ibiza are fake club tickets, don’t buy tickets from anyone in the street – either ask your holiday rep, book online or head down to the venue in the daytime to try and get tickets for your favourite clubs. You could end up spending €35 on a ticket that should normally cost €50 only to find it is a fake, and you are out of pocket.
Regular visitors would recommend avoiding the west end altogether – you will be stopped and asked to go into every bar with the promise of free shots or free drinks; more often than not these are watered down or consist entirely of juice.
The general advice is the same as everywhere:
• Don’t split up from a group if you can help it
• Ignore time share sellers
• Keep your wits about you as often as possible, make sure your belongings are with you at all times.
• Avoid people who approach you in the street or on the beach trying to sell you things.
Getting to the clubs
There is a bus specifically for clubbers, called the “Disco bus” which operates on a number of different routes from the clubs every 30 minutes until 6am – please check with your holiday rep or hotel to find out where the pickup points are.
Things to do when you’re not clubbing
There’s plenty to do on the island, and one of the best ways to get around is to hire a car from one of the car rentals companies on the island. Please be aware though, police spot checks are a regular occurrence, and the legal limit for driving is 0.25mg/l of alcohol in your breath, or 0.5g/l in your blood, which equates to two cans of beer or two glasses of wine, so if you’ve had a night of heavy drinking it is advisable not to get behind the wheel until you are fully recovered.
There are going to be times in the day where you may want to do something other than sit around getting sunburnt or spending the day in bed, so why not try one of the following:
• Water park at Playa den Bossa – featuring 7 sets of slides, Aguamar is a great day out away from the hotel, and is behind Space night club so you can kill 2 birds with one stone and find out where the club is for later in the evening
• Water sports – Jet Skis, paragliding and of course inflatable banana rides can be found at the beach; if you’re feeling lucky try and negotiate a cheaper price with the salesman.
• Diving – snorkelling and diving lessons are available in Portinatx, around 18 miles from San Antonio. Take in the spectacular reefs and tropical fish for the day – ask at your hotel or holiday rep for more information.
• Hippie market – every Wednesday in Es Cana, the hippie market comes to town; with over 400 stalls selling all kinds from leather to jewellery, handcrafted works to African art, along with clothing and bags. Haggling over prices is not advised, as you won’t get much of a discount off any of the goods for sale.
• Go Karting – In Santa Eulalia, there is a 300metre track featuring hills and sharp turns, if you’re up for some high speed races there are 400cc carts available as opposed to the standard 200cc engines.
Average temperatures:
June: 26°c
July: 29°c
August: 29°c
Tips from other holiday makers:
• “Ibiza can be expensive but worth the money. Before you head out there, find out which acts are playing and when to avoid missing out on anyone you would have liked to see.”
• “Make sure you get bottles of water in the daytime and leave them in your room – you’ll pay €10 for a small bottle in the clubs”
• “Don’t try and go one of the main clubs every night – you could end up spending over €250 on entrance fees in a week!”
• “This place is for party animals who like to go out at night and party till morning, and then sleep it off at the beach during the day. If you want to chill out, make your way to the beachfront where the bars play laid-back music and the atmosphere at sunset is unreal.”
• “Don’t do rounds with your mates; it will cost you €50 every time you go the bar!”
• “Arrange to meet your mates by the ‘egg’ if you get lost, it’s a great meeting place if you’re struggling to remember where your hotel is.”
• “San Antonio is the only place to go if you’re looking for an amazing club scene with some of the biggest clubs in the world and music to suit all tastes”
• “To save on money on drinks, head down to the west end – the bars are busy but there are some decent offers to be had to get you in the mood before heading to whichever club you managed to get tickets for”
• “If you want a cleaner, quieter beach; there’s a smaller section past Mambos that doesn’t get as many party goers sleeping from the night before”
Everyone has been on a ‘clubbing’ holiday of some sort, but unless you’ve been to Ibiza you haven’t lived, so stop thinking about it and get yourself booked to the party capital of the world!
