Bucket List #1 Travel somewhere hot: Ibiza 2014

Hola!

I feel like my bucket list is going well. I posted my bucket list 3 months ago and I'm already checking off a second wish which I find amazing and I hope I can keep it up.

So just yesterday, I flew in to London Gatwick after an amazing and hot 8 days in Es Canar, Ibiza. It was a well deserved surprise treat for my mum and we had the best time. We both haven't been abroad in about 16 years due to finances: my mum is a single parent with no supported income and a Teaching Assistant so we can only travel during school holidays which are extortionately priced!

On our first day, we woke up eager to explore and it didn't take long to find the beauty of Ibiza on our doorstep. We stayed at the Azuline Coral Beach hotel which is located in East of the island which never disappoints on its rural, mountain scenery and breathtaking beaches.
These two photos were taken after walking for about 3 minutes from our
hotel which completely surprised me. The surrounding area was so
tranquil, relaxing and quiet which made it the perfect retreat. 

Seeing more of the island was certainly on our agenda. I'm a history and sightseeing buff so having the opportunity to relax and have optional excursions available is essential in a holiday.
The first excursion we decided to do was the Glass Bottom Boat which is perfect for families, couples, adults and children.  

Not only were we able to see the corals under the sea, there were many fish and the occasional jelly fish! The bottom photo is actually a ship wreck and the lovely men explain to you what happened and where you are at each point of the tour. I highly recommend this trip!

The second excursion we embarked upon was the 10:30 am Tourist Train from Es Canar port which provides you the opportunity to visit four different beaches in the three hours you're aboard the train. As well as the beaches, travelling between the four means that you can watch the local scenery pass on by like the red, iron rich earth, mountains and many, many cacti. 

This first beach was much more rocky than the others in Ibiza.
This however, does not distract you from its astonishing views and clear blue sea.
This day was the cloudiest of our time in Ibiza but it was  hot!

This is another rocky beach but the clear water and beating sun makes no difference to its beauty.

This beach was probably my favourite. It was a TINY beach and very tucked away and private.
It can easily fool you and make you feel like you're not in Ibiza.
Its tropical theme makes you feel exotic and like you are in paradise!

The most interesting of the four is certainly this one.
It may look like just wet sand but, no.
This beach is the only beach with dark sand in Ibiza and it certainly looks magical!

We had an extremely early flight Sunday morning (5am) but we had to check out midday on Saturday so we treated ourselves to a goodbye dinner on the beach - with cocktails of course!

Restaurante Brisamar may not look like anything special from the outside but their interior, food and cocktails are out of this world! Not to mention the view.

The sun didn't set directly on this section of the beach but the distant island was certainly glowing, like something you see in films.

Here is a selection of some more pictures of the Island and our trip:

I highly recommend this part of Ibiza if you're looking for a cheap, cheerful, relaxing and beautiful holiday.

Thanks for reading, Gemma xxx