MINI GUIDE
Budget Ibiza
COMPILED BY LORNA PARKES, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM KERRY CRISTIANI. PHOTOGRAPHS: ARTUR DEBAT/GETTY, LA SKIMAL/ESSENTIALIBIZA.COM, FOTOSOL/GETTY, STUART PEARCE/AGEFOTOSTOCK, ISTOCK/GETTYIbiza essentials The know-how
FURTHER READING
Lonely
Planet’s new
Pocket Ibiza
(US$13.99) is
a compact
guide packed
with reviews
and recommendations for
every corner of the island,
as well as neighbouring
Formentera. Essential Ibiza
(essentialibiza.com) is a
local review site following
the club scene that sells
discounted tickets; for
dedicated beach
exploration, pick up Secret
Beaches Ibiza (US$19;
One More Grain of Sand)
by Rob Smith – the
definitive guide to the
Ibizan coastline and its
dozens of hidden coves.TOP BUDGET TIPS
Self-catering There are a couple
of good food markets on the
island. Try the daily Mercat Vell
in Ibiza Town (9am–9.30pm
May–Oct, to 6pm Nov–Apr), or
the authentic farmers’ market in
the northern town of San Juan
(from 10.30am Sun).
Eating out Look for the menú del
día (set menu), which often costs
no more than US$12 for three
courses; bocadillos (sandwiches)
are also cheap lunch options
(around US$2.50).
Clubbing Discounted club
tickets can be bought in advance
online or from bars and
merchants across the island.
Use the Discobus
to cut transport costs
(discobusibiza.com).
Sun-worshipping Consider
buying your own parasol
for the holiday, as they
cost around US$6 to hire
per day (beach clubs
charge even more).TRANSPORT
Travel from Singapore or Kuala
Lumpur will require a flight to
London first on British Airways or
Malaysia Airlines. Then, take a
connecting flight on Iberia to get
to Ibiza (from US$627 for total
journey).From Ibiza Airport, bus
L10 runs to Ibiza Town, L9 heads
west for Sant Antoni and L24
travels north to Santa Eulària (all
around US$4). The island’s bus
services are efficient and useful if
you’re based in a town; check
ibizabus.com for routes and stops.
If your hotel is in the countryside
or you want to explore remote
beaches, the best way to get
around is by hire car (from US$185
for a week; sixt.co.uk).Many rooms at Calador face
Es Vedrá, an Ibiza landmarkBeaches Activities Drinking Sights SleepingWHERE TO STAY
Calador offers amazing views
of Es Vedrà, plus sunny rooms
and apartments on the
southwest coast. A pool and
tennis courts are framed by a
garden of palms, and the tower
studio has an incredible terrace(calador-ibiza.com; Carretera
Cala Carbo; from US$50).
Housed in a restored town
mansion, Vara de Rey is a boho
guesthouse on a tree-lined
boulevard in Ibiza Town. Suites
have four-poster beds, crystal
chandeliers and Dalt Vila views
(hibiza.com; Paseo Vara de Rey
7; suites from US$86).
Right by lovely Cala de Boix,
Hostal Boix couldn’t be further
from the Ibiza madness. Simple
rooms and an apartment enjoy
direct access to the beach, but
there’s also a rambling garden
and pool to lure you back to the
hotel (hostalcalaboix.com;
from US$93).