Ibiza for the Euro strapped

The draw of Ibiza is undeniable. The sun, the beaches, the nightlife, the hedonism and the ambience. There genuinely is nowhere else on earth that comes close, which is why hundreds of thousands of holiday makers come here year after year.

If you’ve been bitten by the Ibiza bug, then you’ll know that it’s impossible to take any other holiday resort as second best. So when I was faced with the prospect of choosing a ‘less expensive’ place to party last year, I made sure I found a way to get myself over to the White Isle, and do it on a budget.

If you’re flexible with flight times and dates then the first massive hurdle gets a whole lot easier. Try airlines that fly from smaller airports, such as Ryanair and Jet 2. You could save yourself an absolute bomb and, if you’re willing to go for three, five or eight nights instead of the regular week or fortnight, then you could find yourself quids in too. Eliminate extra costs by doubling up with a friend for baggage, using on-line check in facilities and cutting out in-flight meals and seat reservations. Who cares how you get there, as long as you do?

Another start up cost is hotels or apartments, and Ibiza really does have something for every budget. Push the fantasies of Ushuaia to the back of your mind for this year, and get searching for apartments and hostels online. Don’t let the word ‘hostel’ put you off either, this doesn’t mean bunking up with people who you don’t know. Places like Hostal Florencio in San Antonio are really only hostels by name and you couldn’t tell the difference compared with a hotel twice the price. Look at staying out with the main hubbub of San An; San Antonio Bay is a great example of somewhere in close range, but with much lower prices. Take time and trawl the net. Don’t get disheartened and don’t always book a package holiday out of convenience. Booking flights and accommodation separately can save you loads.

It’s almost impossible to choose which club nights to go to when you get to Ibiza, but if you’re watching your wallet then you could find yourself a bit tight when faced with €60 or more ticket prices. My advice would be to pre-book with a deposit if possible, and simply save a little bit away so you can pay the ticket when you get there. If you only manage one night at an amazing party then who cares? The West End is the place to be in Ibiza, with more bars than you can manage in a week. This is where everyone comes together to party, and if you’ve had one unforgettable evening then you won’t mind hitting the bars the rest of the week! Grab some cheap vodka and juice from the shop and have a pre-party of your own on the balcony. The night’s still young at 1am!

Cheap Ibiza holidays can be done. Absolutely. Ibiza welcomes everyone, and if you don’t have £1000 to take with you for one week, then take what you have and go anyway. Whether it’s catching the sunset on the beach with a bottle of beer from the corner shop, walking across to a neighbouring hotel to use their pool, or sitting next to a boring couple from Somerset going to visit their timeshare on the plane, you’ll get to experience Ibiza for what it is...and that’s the best place on Earth.