Of all the things to do in Ibiza, the number one item on my agenda was a visit to one of the mega clubs the island is renowned for. Superficial, flashy, and overpriced as they are, at the end of the day it was the reason for my entire trip in the island. By the time I returned to Ibiza Town from my voyage to Cafe del Mar on the other side of the island in St. Antoni, it was pitch black outside. Even though I didn’t have a reservation, I returned to my hostel and quietly stashed my things in a locker for the evening - I had no need for a hostel, my goal was to party the night away until the sunrise.

It's so pretty isn't it?

Since I spent the majority of my day alone during my trip to St. Antoni, I was in need of friends for the evening. While most people might find it a cause for concern, nothing makes friends better than free alcohol at a hostel. I stopped at a convenience store to pick up some vodka and Redbull on my way back to the hostel and within minutes of arriving I made some new, likeminded friends wielding bottles of Jägermeister and Goldschläger. 

They were far fancier than me... they also had jobs.

We began the evening with the usual card games and I eventually persuaded a few members of the group to accompany on my adventure to Space. If there is one thing I love about experienced travelers, it's that they rarely ever plan ahead. Since my compatriots didn’t have any plans of their own outside of drinking, they happily purchased tickets and we were off to Space.

The club is located south of the city center just a few block back from the main beach on a street called Platja d'en Bossa. It's about a 40-minute walk from my hostel, but the streets along the way are lined with restaurants, bars, and various stores all blaring electronic anthems from their shop windows. When we finally arrived on Platja d'en Bossa, the street was jam packed with over the top bars drenched in neon lights, flashing LEDs, and deafening music everywhere you turned. Each of the numerous bars were full of impeccably well dressed people, model-like hostesses, a plenty of velvet ropes to ensure a clear line of demarcation between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Personally, I detest the hollow illusion of exclusivity these establishments thrive off of, but damn if it isn't pretty. 

The main entrance to Space.

Entrance into Space was surprisingly easy, all things considered, and when we arrived we headed straight to the bar to refill after the long walk. Even after three years of living in New York City, Ibiza now holds the title of the most expensive beer I've ever purchased in my life coming in at €12 (~$16). Naturally, it probably was a better deal to just go for a mixed drink, but I couldn’t justify spending €20+ for a drink. Luckily, thanks to the festivities back at the hostel, I wasn’t in much need of the bar’s services.

Every hostel I've stayed at so far cost less... and they came with breakfast!

The first room of the club was surreally tranquil and I was surprised to see such calm music being played in an club that was notorious for it’s epic parties. After a little exploring we discovered the main room where the eardrum-shattering music was playing. The three of us dove in head first into the riotous crowd full of people under the influence of anything that could be drunk, smoked, or consumed in pill form. Within seconds we were enveloped by the torrent of people gyrating to the rhythm of the thunderous speakers surrounding the main dance floor. As the night progressed the intensity of the music and light show increased. Between the torrent of whirling people, flashing lights, and constant bursts of fog from the machines overhead, it was enough to send even the most stable of people in to a epileptic fit. 

The main dance floor with the DJ booth.

While the overall vibe of Space was fantastic, the music was not quite what I expected. Ibiza is renowned for electronic music and the every year all I heard about is the plethora of new tracks played for the first time within these hallowed halls. Unlike all of the usual clubs that play the same generic music over and over, I thought Space would have a variety of new tracks that were not yet widely popular. Ibiza is marketed as the “cutting edge” of clubbing and electronic music, but for some reason every single DJ that night played the track Baseline. I understand filling six solid hours of music can be a difficult feat to achieve without repeating a song on occasion, but I heard the damn track four times in one night. 

Yes, yes... I can hear my own pretentiousness... I will now descend from my soapbox.

My ranting aside, the music was solid and everyone, myself included, had a fantastic time. The two main DJs for the night were Sidney Sampson and Mike Candys and, aside from the repeated tracks, both sets were solid. For six few hours we danced around Space making new friends as the night went on. Before I knew it, the dense cluster of people began thinning and when I looked at my watch it was 5:15 in the morning! Within the next forty-five minutes the place slowly died down as the exhausted partiers made their way back to their hotels. I thought the festivities would continue until the sun rose, but 6:00am is still pretty damn late for a club.

Returning to Platja d'en Bossa after the club was a sobering sight. What first appeared as a dazzle of lights, sounds, and people on par with the Vegas strip, now was a desolate wasteland inhabited by drunks picking fights and prostitutes attempting to scrounge up business along the side of the road. The street did a complete 180 in the six hours I was in the club and it really drove home the fact about just how superficial this place is. All of the glitz, glamor, and velvet ropes were packed away and where someone would have paid €25+ for a drink now looked like a run down mess. 

Another view of the dance floor.

The walk home was surprisingly creepy, but we stuck to the main, well-lit roads and eventually made it to the hostel in one piece. After piggybacking off of the hostel’s internet to figure out where my boat departed from, I made my way to the main harbor to watch the sun rise. Since I saw it set on the other side of the island just a few hours ago, I figured there was no better way to start off the day than to watch it rise from the other side. 

I grabbed a bite to eat at the one cafe I knew was open this early in the morning, but even with the two cappuccinos, I could barely keep my eyes open. I had been up for nearly 24 straight hours exploring, walking, and dancing around Ibiza, but there was still some time before my ferry departed, so I just kept going and saw a quieter side of the city. Around 10:00am I picked up my things at the hostel and made the hike to the docks where my ferry was scheduled to depart.

It was only fitting that I leave this island in the same condition I arrived: exhausted and smelling terrible, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I can’t wait to sleep on a decent mattress and take a few days off - Valencia can’t get here soon enough. Thanks Ibiza, you are as overpriced and fake as I expected, but damn if I didn’t love it.

Until we meet again...