Top 5: Best Alternative Parties

We all know about Cocoon and Cream and We Love..........but what about those beach parties and after hours on boats. Read on ravers.....

5. Bora Bora

Bora Bora

After going through a 'keeping their head down' period after the early season closure in 2007, Bora Bora is officially back; dancing on tables, loud music and the best fake boob and six-pack watching this side of Miami. Throw in a healthy mix of Ibiza tunage 2009 styleee and that's your afternoon and early evening sorted. Only downside is that the curtain closing off the bar to the beach is drawn back well before the sunsets.......

4. The Boat Parties

Garlands Boat Party

Too many to mention or separate here, so they've been lumped together......they range from the very organised ones like the Zoo Project's Saturday afternoon bash (getting there early though as it leaves just after midday from San Antonio) or the long running Garlands Boat Party, which is so successful that it sent 6 boats out for last week's Wednesday party.

At the other end of the scale are the not so officially organised but equally intriguing and potentially more exciting after parties on the boats, for example, Tuesday morning is rife with boats leaving Ibiza Marina post Cocoon, many promising "special guests". Only problem with the latter version of the boat party is that the success rate is pretty low, one early season example involves a Villalobos no show, 3 blown speakers and 2 broken mixers and a bar that ran out of everything, except tomato juice, in 2 hours. Great!!

3. Underground

Quite simply a breath of fresh air if you're such a veteran that the usual mundane Ibiza clubbing experience doesn't quite do it for you anymore or if you just want a good time. Last time I visited it was sort of pre/post Luciano and Cadenza at Gala Night, so there was a lively atmosphere kicking off. Entry is 10 euros for boys - and you get a drink for that and for girls it is free. Other than that, the best part is that so far this season guests have included Rhadoo, Pedro, Rui Da Silva, Alex Cellar, Robert Dietz, Simon Baker and Matthias Tanzmann. 

2. Delano

This could easily turn into a Playa D'en Bossa only list, with Sands, Sirocco, Nassau, La Plage and Beach Palace also staking claims, but Delano has something a bit different. Situated next door to Bora Bora, it is the perfect grown up - but without the serious or eurotrash feeling - daytime beach spot with big beds and a fantastic menu (the homemade burger is particularly recommended).

On select nights there is quality house and techno from the likes of Justin Field, System of Survival, Nima Gorji and the odd Underground/dc10 style guest. The hottest party in town at the moment is Fuse, the Tuesdays event held here has been packing the beach before midnight and ramming the inside when the doors have to shut.

And herein lies part of the charm of Delano, the weird sensation of seeing a couple of hundred people truly going for it behind the glass doors inside whilst outside there is relative calm, such is the quality of the sound proofing. Better to be inside than out. Check it!!

1. Ushuaïa

After moving from what has now become Sands, Team Ushuaia have been at the forefront of the emerging Playa D'en Bossa Beach Club scene. Located a short walk from Space, it is behind Hotel Don Toni (go down the road near the Sports Field), by day Bali inspired chill and cocktails and fresh seafood all the way, by night (on certain days anyway!) cool parties with underground music and guests like Luciano. Yes, 2009's one man walking roadblock was the people magnet down by the beach for a July gig here and he's back again (see flyer below), hopefully for some more tracks like this one, Hold Home by Santos. 

With other parties featuring Tania Vulcano, Bushwacka and the Secretsundaze crew, Ushuaïa is the pick of the non-club partying. See you on the beach!