Honest Bar Ibiza

Vegan in Ibiza: the Orbzii Guide

Food & Drink

Is Ibiza vegan friendly? In short, it depends on your willingness to head to omni-restaurants. Hap-py to dine alongside veggies and flexitarians? You’re in for a treat. There are also some solid, 100% vegan restaurants in Ibiza – leaving you free to dine without ethical qualms. Beyond Burger fans, re-joice! The world-famous, plant-based patty has made it to the party isle. Purists and the health con-scious needn’t worry, Ibiza is chock-full of yogis, health food gurus and wellness addicts. You’ll never be more than a brisk walk away from a detox smoothie.

Maldives at Sunset

Maldives

Destination

Forget everything you know about the Maldives. Even if you’ve swiped beyond the endless descriptions of azure blues and stilted water bungalows, there’s still much to discover. Yes, atoll life is largely focussed on hot stone massages, overwater cocktails and an overwhelming urge to snorkel – but then there’s the undiscovered Maldives. We can barely bring ourselves to say it, but, fly and flop (an unflattering phrase if ever there was one) here at your peril. Not even the most luxuriant complimentary robe should keep you from island hopping to meet some Maldivians, discovering their landscape isn’t entirely made of sand or having a rummage about in their urban lives.

Atolls in Maldives

An A-Z guide of atolls in the Maldives

Guides & Tips

Picture the Maldives. Go on, we’ll wait while you stir up those images. We’d put a reasonable wedge of cash on you seeing a small but perfectly formed island – perhaps with some overwater villas languishing in the tempting shallows. The sea’s a hue you’ve never really seen before in real life and perhaps there’s a cocktail or two featuring in there. Or a scuba tank, depending on your leisure-based leanings. No matter, it’s all much of a muchness. Or is it? With 26 atolls and around 1,200 islands, not every sand bar is created equally.

Shark Diving

Beneath the big blue: Maldives diving

See & Do

The mystery of the deep, blue sea is something that has always captivated us; now, we have the ability to explore it in all its glory: scuba diving. Diving is one of the most unique and inspiring experiences you can have, and nowhere is this truer than the serenity of the Indian ocean. Diving in Bali is suitable for all levels; it’s also one of the most popular places in the world to become a certified diver because of the gorgeous underwater scenery. Incredibly safe and fun, becoming a certified diver here means you’ll be able to dive anywhere else in the world. In general, November to February is the best time to dive because the currents and weather will be favourable, but there are great options all year round. So, whether you’re a scuba expert or don’t know your DCS from your DPV, get ready to back-roll into the wonderful world of Bali scuba diving.

Ibiza's boat parties

The ultimate night out in Ibiza

Guides & Tips

Time is a tricky concept in Ibiza. Just as you’re finding a path to your hotel room, someone else is emerging for a sunrise yoga session. Ibiza opening parties seem to fill the calendar long after the first VIP area ropes have lifted. And closing parties are no more helpful in defining the season’s end. One thing that can be relied upon? The Ibiza party calendar will always be a dizzying mix of euphoric nights set to soundtracks that range from jazz to tech-house. With a few stops along the way to blast out some trance, underground beats and 90s classics.

El Bigotes

Three courses, one city (breakfast, lunch and dinner in Ibiza)

Food & Drink

If a close friend has the audacity to question Ibiza food standards, you’ll need to rethink your friend-ship status. Harsh, but fair. We’ve been watching Ibiza quietly brew up a dining scene that most destinations can only dream of. Chefs and restaurant owners are putting some hard graft in, and not just in the kitchen. Plots of land across the island have been snapped up for farm-to-table dining. Bringing organic produce to your plates, and swiftly quelling any doubts on the veracity of the, often misused, ‘locally sourced’ stamp.

Ibiza

Ibiza

Destination

Need we even mention the real reason people come to Ibiza? If you ever find yourself more than 15 metres away from someone in a warrior pose, do check you’re on the right island. Yoga reigns supreme and wellness retreats are quickly becoming THE places to be and be massaged in. Yes, the super clubs are among the best in the world, but can they really realign anything other than your connection to trance and 90s chart toppers? Laser shows, aerial dancers and glitter canons are a non-too-subtle distraction from Ibiza’s next big thing. Agritourism. Farm-to-table dining is celebrating the island’s produce and transforming farmhouses and fincas into fairy light strewn, vintage chic wonders of gastronomy. And we don’t say that lightly.

Pikes retreat

Recover: Wellness retreats in Ibiza

See & Do

For every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction. And lo, as Ibiza filled its isle with hedonism and intoxicating cocktail jugs, the wellness retreats sprang forth. Much needed on an island awash with temptation. That said, you must choose wisely. Ibiza retreats range from deeply cleansing journeys to thinly veiled attempts to disguise a party week by applying some yoga to it.

Amsterdam Canal

Amsterdam

Destination

The city of canals, coffee shops, and the Red-Light district, there’s no time of year when an Amsterdam holiday isn’t worthwhile, whether it’s parading as a winter wonderland or a springtime surprise. Despite the laissez faire attitude to pastimes that other countries have traditionally looked down upon, it’s fair to say the most rebellious thing about Amsterdam is more than just not looking both ways when crossing a bike lane. The aforementioned bicycles seem to make up the lifeblood of the city, and it doesn’t make much sense to get around between the historical sights, parks, and bars any other way (unless, of course, you’ve indulged in a little too much fun, at which point a brisk walk or a taxi ride is the best option).

Cotton beach club

Ibiza’s best beach clubs: do it right

Guides & Tips

For the uninitiated, picking out the best beach clubs in Ibiza could be a treacherous pursuit. If only it were as simple as popping online, seeing one you like the look of and pitching up. Sure, those day beds look plump – but will they be surrounded by a raucous crowd, a very lively saxophonist or a chilled, yet mature, clientele looking to lounge in silence? Delete as appropriate, depending on your worst nightmare or ideal company.