PUKKA IBIZA
Clubs, yachts and deep house...Med isle all the rave
TURKEY: Jet off from Bristol on August 21 for a week’s self-catering at the three-star Aegean Princess Apartments in Marmaris for £338. Book at sunshine.co.uk.
ABU DHABI: Get a free upgrade to half-board with three nights at the five-star Yas Hotel Abu Dhabi from £599. Go from Glasgow on dates in September. Book by August 19. See travelbag.co.uk or call on 020 7001 4112. COSTA BRAVA COACH TRIP: A nine-day coach trip to Lloret de Mar staying six nights’ all-inclusive at the three-star H.Top Palm Beach Hotel is from
£499. Includes a day trip to Barcelona and a half-day trip to a market. Leaves on September 1 from various UK pick-up points. You can book at shearings.com or call
0344 874 8220.
COSTA DORADA:
THE drinks are flowing, the dancefloor is packed and partygoers are diving overboard for a dip on Ibiza’s famous Pukka Up super yacht.
Deep house music blasts from the top deck as the sun sinks steadily over the Med.
The White Isle’s original party boat is a must-do for sociable souls whose summer travels take them to the spiritual home of clubbing.
But with an ever-expanding list of ways to soak up the sun-drenched beats, holiday costs on Ibiza can get as wild as the parties.
Step forward Party Hard Travel, a tour operator which promises the “best week of your life” on a minuscule budget.
Founders Nathan Cable and Barry Moore have defied claims the Club 18-30-style break is dead by reinventing the concept.
Gone is the forced fun of the three-legged bar crawl and relentless drinking games.
At Party Hard there are knowledgeable hosts who relish the club scene and look after the guests rather than dictating to them. Cherry-picking the very best nights and events on the island, they bundle them up in their Ultimate Events Package to make them affordable.
An up-front price of £129 buys you clubbing at Amnesia, Eden, Sankeys and The Zoo Project, the Pukka Up boat party, plus pool parties at Ibiza Rocks and Ocean Beach. They even throw in a souvenir T-shirt and wristband.
Anyone who books the complete Party Hard package holiday, with flights and accommodation, gets the events package for free.
I’d joined the pre-party to the Pukka Up boat tour at Rio Bar in San Antonio Bay earlier that day. Here I met Head of Overseas, Jodie Pilgrim, sister of the co-founder Nathan, who handed out wristbands for entry and discounted drinks at the bar.
Rio’s resident DJ then proceeded to warm up the boat party ravers, ready for the main event out on the water.
Once off the boat, I took in a quick pit-stop back at my base for the trip, Hotel Tropicana in San Antonio – it’s near all the clubs and bars and a stone’s throw from the harbour – before heading back to Rio bar.
I then boarded the shuttle bus to Amnesia for the mighty Chase & Status at their night “Together”.
The “Blind Faith” stars whip up the crowd with a barrage of drum and bass as a dazzling light show beams around the space. Also playing are Sub Focus, Sigma and Holy Good, to name a few.
Pendulum and Andy C also hit the decks in the coming weeks, so there’s lots of bang for your bucks.
Crawling into bed at 6am, I caught a few hours’ sleep before joining the
Ocean Beach pool party in San Antonio.
Here I spotted some familiar faces from Pukka Up and Amnesia – this time floating on inflatable flamingos, lounging on sofas scattered around the pool and perched on stools at the bar. The DJ booth, roofed by multi-coloured parasols, overlooks the pool which is framed by party-goers sipping cocktails and dangling their feet in the water. They screamed with delight while being randomly hosed down by the sprinklers. A tribal house soundtrack created the perfect vibe, blending chill-out tunes with driving beats to keep the party going. The marathon started at noon and stretched through to midnight but there was food to keep energy levels up and a massage service. Top-quality clubbing events at Ibiza’s most glamorous venues for bargain prices with like-minded crowds – this is the way to party hard.