Boat International - June 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: LUIS DIAZ DIAZ; ADOBE STOCK; GETTY IMAGES

Back on board Lex, it’s not yet noon – but, hey, as the Jimmy Bufett

song says, “it’s five o’clock somewhere”. As if on cue, “Mojito Man” pulls

up on his well-branded jet ski. Though most superyachts will have a

decent bar, there is something entirely novel about getting the “perfect

mojito” handmade on board by an expert. Mojito Man stays busy from

dawn until dusk, beckoned from yacht to yacht. He brandishes a bushel

of fresh mint, blending the most refreshing strawberry mojito.

A short cruise around the corner brings the yacht to the paradisiacal

Playa Cavall d ’en Borràs. We tender to shore and step barefoot on to the

sand. The beach is empty, save for a few chaises shaded by umbrellas, but

a wooden footbridge leads to a restaurant with a palm-fringed roof. The

sandy-floored Beso Beach club is where tropical house music clashes

with spirited conversation and the scent of paella. This is Formentera’s

spot to see and be seen – an intimate hideaway where celebrities and

the jet set can unwind and make merry. “Beso Beach is great because

it’s a relaxed, hidden spot – you wouldn’t even know it’s there – but it has

a very eclectic and cool vibe and the food is excellent,” says Serret. “It’s

like a more bohemian version of the beach clubs you get in Ibiza.”

Don’t mistake Formentera’s casual, quieter nature for abstinence.

Th is isla nd si mply revel s i n it s ow n way. The weekend of my v isit , it ’s t he

Formentera Jazz Festival. This isn’t the sort of soft jazz found in lifts,

but a melange of live music, DJs, documentary viewings and beachside

jam sessions. Of course, the DJ set isn’t until 2am. The party is taking

place in the open town square, which is full of party-makers despite

the late hour. The wardrobe is completely diferent from an Ibizan club

• no heels, no sequins, no disco fever, but everyone attending looks
  glamorous in their hippy togs. The music flows over the crowd, lifting
  everyone into a feverish sway, hands foisted into the air, feet stomping,
  a fresh breeze cooling us down.
  There is something contagious about the energy of both these
  islands – they possess the special talent of taking you into their worlds
  completely. On each you can’t help but slip into the mode of utter
  relaxationandbeenergised.Justfeelgratefulthatwithasuperyacht
  thereisnoneedtochoosejustoneofthesebeautifulseñoritas.B
  Lexis for charter through Charter & Dreams from €4 2,000 per week,
  charteranddreams.com

A laid-back youthful spirit

pervades Formentera’s

Bohemian beach bars

With its untamed beaches, Formentera has an enchanting wildness to it

Voyage