Bonnie Rakhit, Market & Merchandising Editor
‘I went to Ibiza with some of the other ELLE girls in August 2009. On our very last day, we were invited onto a yacht by a very swanky young gentleman who took us to Formentera for the day. A boozy lunch turned into an entire afternoon and evening. Our flight was meant to be at midnight, but we were cutting it quite close because we were having such a good time. When we got on the dinghy to go back to the yacht around 9:30, we thought we might just make it... but the engine on the dinghy cut out halfway there. Wearing our bejewelled kaftans, we all stood up and started paddling back to the yacht! Of course, we missed our flight. And the next one wasn’t for three more days...’
Sunil Makan and Alice Watt, Picture Assistant and Fashion Assistant
Sunil: ‘My first time to Ibiza was with Alice in 2007. We went to Pacha and were escorted into the VIP area through the kitchen, and on the next table spinning around and dancing the night away, there was Kylie.’
Alice: ‘She left the dance floor and we decided to follow her. As she walked past us, Sunil told her she was fabulous.’
Sunil: ‘Oh yeah! I said, “You look fabulous!” She answered, “Who, me?” and I said, “Yeah, you!” We bumped into her a bit later and asked for a picture—here’s the evidence.’
Alice: ‘It all happened so quickly that I didn’t think to ask someone else to take the picture so I could get in it.’
Sunil: ‘She was very lovely.’
Alice Wignall, Features Director
‘I can't even say now if this memory happened to me once, or several times, for which you might want to blame too much Red Bull and vodka. But anyway: I went to El Divino a few times, a now-closed club that was right on the harbour, with a view over the Old Town. Windows and a terrace run right down one side of the building and there's nothing like turning around to realise the sky is getting lighter, that you've danced all night, and then watching the walls of Dalt Vila turn gold as the sun comes up…’
Alannah Sparks, Acting Fashion Editor
‘One of the best days of 2011 for me was my fiance’s brother’s birthday party on a catamaran. We started off that morning with a champagne techno breakfast at our villa, took off from the pier at 2:00 and cruised around all day dancing to great music before being whizzed ashore by speedboat to Cafe Ashram for sunset. Doesn’t get much better than that.’
Natalie Wansbrough-Jones, Senior Fashion Editor
‘We went to Ibiza last year and did it the "family" way, parents and kids and just the one night of partying (all still home by 1). We stay on the North of the island in a big villa, kids run around naked and it’s a chilled affair. My best memories from that holiday are sitting on the hippy beach, kids and parents stuffing their face with delicious pizza watching the sun set.’
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Carrie Tyler, Online Editor
‘Space, 2005. Well into the morning I looked down at my hand to see that a stone from my ring was missing. I looked up and Tom appeared from a far corner through a cloud of smoke like a Messiah offering the lost gem. I can’t say there’s been many times since then that I’ve been so spun-out.’
Alice Parfrement, Acting Editorial Assistant
‘I went to Ibiza in 2010 for the closing parties. My best memory by far was sipping on a cocktail at Cafe Mambo watching the sun set over the sea. But this wasn’t just any old sunset. The sky changed colour every minute and not only were the bars that opened onto the ocean full of people, the rocks in front of them were buzzing with party goers who had also come to celebrate. As the sky turned from pink to red to purple and finally to a deep dark blue as the sun went down, everybody clapped. I will remember that moment forever.’
And some friends of ELLE shared their Ibiza memories too...
Lauren Laverne, BBC 6Music DJ
My first holiday with my other half @raveontoast was on the north side of the island with lush green trees and rolling hills. We saw about one other human being the whole time we were there! There is another side to Ibiza, equally fabulous but very different!
Gemma Cairney, Radio 1 DJ
I’ve only been once, two summers ago. I stayed on the east side of the island and, contrary to popular belief, only went out raving once, there were ten of us so we had lots of barbeques. The best day EVER was a 'girls only' day (all our boyfriends drank beer and ate somewhere) and we went here (WARNING: It's AMAZING): http://www.atzaro.com Off again in four weeks!
Edith Bowman, Radio 1 DJ
I’ve been quite a few times, we used to go all the time for the MTV and record Dance Floor Chart out there. One time in particular at El Divino's I was introducing Phatts and Small on stage and took one step too far and fell off stage, classic Bowman. June Sarpong, Cat and I spent a fair amount of time out there, good times.
I also went with a few girlfriends a few years back, Becky, Charlie and Cat, and we hired a villa. That to me is the perfect thing to do in Ibiza, then you have the choice of dipping in and out of the madness. We spent a lot of time hanging by the pool but also down at Salinas beach. I also remember one trip; we'd heard about this hidden gorgeous beach that was paradise personified and we set out to find it, complete with inflatable crocodile lilo. What we thought was the path down to this private hidden oasis ended up being a pretty steep cliff face that once we got down, we couldn't get back up. Thankfully one of our mates had driven on to the next cove in the car to get food and drinks, we called her and she pedalo'd round to pick us up. Well, rescue us actually.
Plan your summer in partying with our 2012 Ibiza Party Guide
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