Ibiza seems to attract a mixture of people form all around the world and is the very essence of the island. While the jet set cruise in on their yachts and enjoy champagne in the comfort of Pacha’s VIP, for the majority it’s an expensive week enjoying everything Ibiza has to offer. Journalist Amanda Barnes provides some useful tips on how to enjoy Ibiza if your budget is rather more stretched.
A week in Ibiza can easily rack up over huge debts on your credit card, but if you are a bit more frugal you can get away with spending less than half that and still have a great time on the island.
Getting there
Shop around for flights. ‘Budget’ airlines aren’t always that budget and Ryanair often charges more for a return to Ibiza than British Airways. Look at the prices for different airlines as well as different local airports – many of the smaller airports also fly into Ibiza (use www.skyscanner.net to compare prices). Also bear in mind the cost of parking or transport to the airport.
If you can get a bargain flight to Valencia, Barcelona or any of the other Balearic Islands it might work out cheaper to do that and then catch the ferry to Ibiza. Although ferries do tend to book up in the peak season so it may be worth booking in advance.
Accommodation
Accommodation is the big expenditure that you cannot really avoid. It is worth spending some time online comparing prices of different places and on different websites. Pop into a travel agent too and compare their best price for a package and individually. If you are travelling in a large group, a villa or apartment can be a more affordable and attractive option, but make sure you factor in car hire when looking at prices.
I think it is worth spending a little extra on an apartment with a kitchenette so you can save on eating out and also to make sure you are in the area you will spend the most time in saving on travel. Do a bit of research though before booking, some of the beach resorts run very closely into each other so it may be cheaper to be on the edge of one and walk into the other that you will spend most of your time at.
Hire a car or use public transport
Figure out how much travelling you intend to do once on the island (exploring, beach hunting and going out etc). If you think you will be roaming the island, hiring a car can be a good option and gives you some independence. If you are going to hire a car, collect it at the airport so you can save on the taxi fare there and back.
If you will not be travelling too much then stick to public transport. The buses in Ibiza are pretty competent and cheap. Most people will help you out about which buses go where and a few key phrases in Spanish will lend you a bit more compassion. Visit www.ibizabus.com for times and routes.
In the evening the Disco Bus can transport you between towns and nightclubs and, although not particularly glamorous, it comes at a fraction of the cost of a taxi.
Also check with the clubs that you are heading to, some offer free transport from certain areas or from warm-up parties.
Taxis are expensive in Ibiza, even the illegal ones, and should really be avoided on a budget, but if you do need to catch one try to round up a group of people heading to the same place to split the cost.
Clubbing
Probably one of the reasons you are going to Ibiza, so make sure you enjoy it. Entrance fees can cost over 70 euros so if there is a bargain to be had it is worth looking out for.
If you have a certain night in mind that you just cannot afford to miss, buy your ticket early online – they are often discounted a couple weeks in advance.
If you want to buy them when you arrive, go to one of the ticket shops advertising discounted entrance fees – they are usually cheaper than on the door.
Book the tickets for the nights that you really don’t want to miss but for all the others be a bit spontaneous and hold out for some of the bargains that come around during the day. If you sit looking pretty on some of the beaches (Playa den Bossa and Ses Salines are some of the best) promoters come around in the afternoon with free entrance bands to certain nights.
This can be a great bargain, it lets you in for free or heavily discounted and is ideal for keeping to budget whilst still going out. Although make sure you read all the terms and conditions as entrance is often only valid for certain times – and be careful not to overspend while in the club if you need to arrive early. Don’t use this method to get into your favourite club though, you won’t often see tickets for Pacha or Space on Sundays, reserve it only for spontaneous nights out.
Drinking
Drinking in Ibiza can drain away your cash reserves with beers in clubs costing up to 12 euros. However, if you follow a few tips you can still have a good time without spending all your cash.
Stock up at the supermarket and take chilled drinks to the beach rather than buying them at an over-priced bar.
The cheaper supermarkets tend to be further away from the beachfront and offer a better range of local wines, Spanish beer and cheap spirits as well as soft drinks.
Drink before you go out if you can – once inside the clubs it is really expensive to any drinks, alcoholic or otherwise. Ask for what the cheapest drink is – Fanta is usually cheaper than water - and get extra ice to space it out for a bit longer.
Also take note that some VIP areas are more expensive to drink in than the bars downstairs. Some entrance tickets also get you a free drink once inside the club so don’t forget to use it.
Only take cash with you, it will stop you overspending and abusing your card after too much to drink.
Eating
A little bit of forethought on eating can save you a lot of money. If you get a place with a kitchenette, use it. Make sandwiches or packed lunches during the day and cook at home in the evening.
Bring your favourite sauces and spices from home to cook with so that you only need to buy principle ingredients on the island. A box of muesli will go a long way and will save any breakfast expenses.
The obvious tip for included breakfast is to eat plenty and if you don’t mind looking a bit stingy make some sandwiches and pop them in your bag for the beach.
When you do eat out, eat local. Try some of the local cuisine – it will be a more rewarding and cheaper experience. Order house wine by the carafe and go for Spanish beer. Tapas bars are also a great bargain for a cheap lunch or dinner.
Learn Spanish
Learn a bit of Spanish before you go – just pick up a couple of tapes from the library. It will earn you more respect and will make you less of a target to get ripped off. It may even get you the odd beer or bottle on the house.
Amanda Barnes
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