Ibiza — Local services in Sant Joan de Labritja

Ibiza–What to expect for the first time traveler.

Is it all just DJs, fluorescent glow sticks and inebriation? Or is there more to the island?

Even if you’ve never been to Ibiza, you’ve probably heard stories about it. The Spanish island has developed a bit of a reputation for its vivid nightlife and electronic music scene.

But I like to think I’m an open-minded kinda traveler. So, after having heard several, well-heeled, travel junkies tell me that the island has a lot more to offer than just the synthetic dance beats and festive beach clubs, I started to warm up to the idea of a visit.

The island offers plenty of opportunities, they said, “ to just chill out and unwind and do yoga and drink smoothies,” if a traveler was so inclined.  Beautiful landscapes, seaside restaurants, sunsets. The nightlife was there if you wanted it, but there was also potential for tranquility and rejuvenation as well.

So, my girlfriend and I decided to make a pit stop there before making our way to Greece this summer, to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. I didn’t pick up a travel book or read a whole bunch of online reviews. I just stuffed all of my preconceived notions about the island, into a small, mental carry-on that I could stow away in a tiny subconscious “overhead compartment”.

I’m happy to report back that the anecdotal reports I received prior to my own travel experience were mostly true. The island does have quite a lot to offer, and a visit can be manicured so that it focuses on serenity, rather than body thumping and electronic music crescendos. You can kind of get in touch with your inner bohemian if you want to: people wear sandals everywhere, bikini tops are completely optional, and a sense of Spanish laissez-faire contentment permeates everything.

And I must admit that the electronic music that we heard playing in the background almost everywhere we went was really quite good. The volume was reasonable. It’s not like Miami where, depending on the venue, you might not be able to speak to the person standing next you, even if you’re lounging around an outdoor pool deck.

My favorite thing about Ibiza were the sunsets.  Spectacular is a gigantic understatement. These were not the megawatt pastels that you get lacing the clouds in the Caribbean. No hot pinks or lurid oranges. These were quieter, more subtle, and cloudless. Maybe more contemplative? Imagine a perfectly faded pair of blue jeans, rather than a sky that’s been acid washed.  They’re both visually interesting.  Just different.

In Ibiza, the panoramic view of a horizon felt far off in the distance. The colors blended together so seamlessly. Almost like water colors: vibrant, but still understated. It was as if these sunsets left room for you to carry on with the important aspects of your life–like picking a child up from a friend’s house or putting groceries in the trunk of your car– without having to stop, and stare dumbstruck the at the hallucinogenic painting up above.

While it is possible to have a relaxing vacation in Ibiza, I think it’s important to note that the influence of the party scene does indeed wash over much of the island. For example, one night my girlfriend and I were dining at a beautiful restaurant that was perched on top of a hillside with a glorious view of a sunset. On the horizon there was a small rock formation that was jutting out into the sea.  The rock formation has an ice-cream scoop depression that seems almost designed to frame the setting sun. It’s ridiculously beautiful. Divine. We looked at it in sheer amazement.

That is until the server returned to take our order and out of the corner of my eye I saw a gentleman at the table next to us had his shirt completely unbuttoned. He was getting a “full-on”  massage by a member of the waitstaff. I was flabbergasted. My girlfriend kinda just shrugged her shoulders and said, “It’s Ibiza. It’s to be expected.” And even though we were only there visiting...

Ibiza, Catalan Eivissa, island, Balearic Islands provincia (province) and comunidad autónoma (autonomous community), Spain. Ibiza is the third largest of the Balearic Islands. It lies in the western Mediterranean 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Majorca. The island was a strategic point of great importance in ancient times and was inhabited by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians. It has some notable archaeological sites, relics from which are housed in the Archaeological Museum at Ibiza city, also called La Vila. The island’s hilly relief, culminating in La Atalaya (1,558 feet [475 metres]), is truncated in the central northern coast to form a costa brava (rugged coast) with cliffs exceeding 800 feet (240 metres) and penetrated by calas (small coves). There are several irrigated lowlands, and the hillsides are intensively terraced. Agriculture is mainly of a subsistence nature, but almonds, dried figs, and apricots are exported. Salt produced by the evaporation of seawater has been the main export for centuries. Fish and charcoal surplus to local needs are also sent to the mainland.

Many of the inhabitants live on farms and small villages scattered throughout the island. Since the late 20th century the population of Ibiza has grown considerably, owing to immigration and the tourism that flourishes as a result of the island’s mild winter climate and its beaches. Ibiza city, San Antonio, and Santa Eularia del Río are the most-populated places. The island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 for its unique and diverse ecosystems. Area 221 square miles...

Ibiza memang bisa dibilang merupakan surganya partygoers. Banyak selebriti Hollywood, pemain sepak bola profesional hingga keturunan ningrat yang menjadikan pulau ini sebagai destinasi wisata mereka.

Bahasa utama yang digunakan oleh penduduk setempat adalah bahasa Catalan dengan berbagai dialek. Jumlah populasi penduduk di pulau ini menurut data 2010 adalah sekitar 132,637. Ada fakta menarik mengenai kependudukan Ibiza, musisi punk Inggris John Simon Ritchie atau lebih dikenal dengan Sid Vicious, tercatat merupakan mantan penduduk pulau ini.

Pulau ini dalam sejarahnya merupakan lahan yang sering diperebutkan. Tercatat Kerajaan Romawi, Kaum Moor (Muslim), Kerajaan Norwegia hingga Kerajaan Inggris pernah menduduki pulau ini. Jika anda berkunjung ke Ibiza, maka akan menemukan banyak bangunan bersejarah yang bisa dikunjungi. Monumen, Museum dan Gereja – Gereja dengan nilai arsitektur tinggi bertebaran di pulau ini. Bahkan beberapa bagian dari pulau ini telah terdaftar sebagai Warisan Budaya Dunia UNESCO.

Wisata alam dan pemandangan juga merupakan hal lain yang perlu disimak di pulau yang juga biasa disebut Elvissa. Pantai Ses Figueretes dan Playa d’en Bossa merupakan pantai pasir putih yang menarik untuk dikunjungi di bagian selatan. Di Utara, terdapat Las Salinas yang menawarkan pasir yang menakjubkan. Sementara di Playa Cavallet dan Aigues Blanques merupakan pantai yang dikhususkan untuk para wisatawan yang suka berjemur telanjang. Cala Bassa, Port des Torrent, cala Tarida dan Cala Conta juga merupakan pantai yang indah untuk dinikmati.

Untuk hiburan malam yang meriah pulau ini terdapat di dua daerah yang memang cukup terkenal, yaitu di Ibiza Town dan San Antonio yang berada di bagian barat pulau. Beberapa klub yang sudah dikenal dengan cukup baik oleh para pecinta keriaan adalah Privilege, Amnesia, Space, Pacha, Eden, Es Paradis, Underground, DC10 hingga Linekers. Klub terakhir, tahun 2012 pernah mencatat rekor dengan jumlah pembayaran minuman terbesar sebanyak 58,9 Juta. Pemecahan rekor ini dilakukan oleh pesepakbola profesional asal Italia, Mario Balotelli.

Selain Balotelli, tercatat nama besar lain sering mengunjungi pulau ini. Beberapa diantaranya adalah Pepe Reina, Mario Gotze, Lady Gaga hingga rapper P Diddy sering mengadakan pesta di pulau ini. Ibiza juga sangat sering dimasukan kedalam lirik lagu milik penyanyi terkenal, seperti Jennifer Lopez dengan lagunya “On The Floor”, “We’re going to Ibiza” oleh Vengaboys hingga Pink Floyd menciptakan lagu bertajuk “Ibiza Bar”. Hal ini tentunya menandakan bahwa pulau ini memang sangat spesial.

Saking terkenalnya keriaan di pulau ini, banyak DJ-Dj terkenal yang bermain di klub-klub Ibiza sepanjang musim panas. Bahkan, mereka kerap memperkenalkan lagu-lagu baru milik mereka di pulau ini. DJ kelas dunia seperti David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Benny Benassi dan Paul Van Dyk pun mewarnai line-up pengisi acara setiap tahunnya. Pesta semalam suntuk diiringi DJ kenamaan sungguh tawaran yang menggiurkan. Ditambah lagi, sejak 2005 lalu pulau ini juga menggelar event Ibiza Rocks yang semakin mengukuhkan tempat ini sebagai ajang untuk berpesta nomor satu. Beberapa band yang pernah main di event milik Ibiza Rocks Hotel adalah Kasabian, The Prodigy, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, hingga Two Doors Cinema Club. Sementara di tahun ini Hannah Wants tercatat sebagai pengisi Ibiza Rocks 2019.

Satu hal lagi yang menarik dari Pulau Ibiza ini adalah tempat ini bahkan bisa menjadi alternatif untuk wisata musim dingin, karena udara di daerah ini cenderung lebih hangat. Well, pulau ini sepertinya memang akan selalu menarik dari berbagai sisi dan kondisi. Bahkan seorang pelajar seni dari New York pernah menulis, Bahkan mereka yang datang ke Ibiza untuk alasan yang ‘salah’ (Untuk bekerja), pada akhirnya akan tergoda akan kemudahan hidup di pulau ini. Sedikit pekerjaan rumah seperti mengambil surat dari kantor pos akan berubah menjadi misi yang panjang.

Jadi, sepertinya memang tidak berlebihan jika pulau ini dinobatkan sebagai surga nyata di dunia, karena setiap sisinya selalu...