Ibiza What Is Known For

Beach-going can be something of a spectator sport on Ibiza, with the crowds packed parasol-to-parasol, watching the beautiful bodies pass by. For a little more space, head for the southern tip and a pair of remarkable beaches. Las Salinas (aka Ses Salines) is a long, pine-bordered strand favored by body surfers and body watchers (expect bikinis ... or less). Nearby, Es Cavallet is an official nude beach with lovely dunes and steady breezes that draw windsurfers.

Start your training now. Serious "clubbers" (Europeanese for partygoers) know that the entertainment here doesn't get rolling until midnight, but lasts until dawn. Some of the discos here (Pacha, Privilege, Space, Amensia) are the most famous in Europe. Why not, with foam parties, clubs where feverish ravers get sudden upward rushes of frigid air from a dry ice machine, and water parties in a swimming pool/dance floor where dressing down takes on new meanings.). For those looking for a slightly less outrageous scene, the island's music bars (complete with DJs) offer a less expensive venue for dancing the night away.

There are, sad to say, no "undiscovered" islands in the Mediterranean, but the not-so-young and the restless who tire of Ibiza's non-stop, disco-glamour world can escape to nearby Formentera by ferry (the only link to the tiny isle) for a little R&R (recovery and recuperation). The beaches are beautiful and blissfully less crowded, and while you'll still find beach bars and some nightlife, it's an island where fishermen and farmers outnumber the DJs. Sort of like Ibiza must have been decades ago...