Three things to cross off your Ibiza bucket list this Summer? A shot of hierbas, a Mambo sunset and a boat party. Thanks to Pukka Up, you can do all three in one memorable night. Nothing says ‘Ibiza' like watching the sun drop behind the ocean while a cracking tune drops on the decks, and last night saw Pukka Up's first San Antonio boat of the season, and most likely their first sell out of many.
I'd opted for the San Antonio sunset boat rather than the Playa d'en Bossa afternoon cruise which was running earlier that day and by late afternoon the pre-party at beach side club Plastik already had great vibes, blasting a good mix from Duke Dumont and Disclosure to older party anthems like Sandy B's ‘Make The World Go Round', accompanied by generous drinks deals and body painting in this great and lively venue to get everyone in the mood. The whole process of swapping your tickets for wristbands and then getting to the boat was really smooth and well run, quashing my fears of somehow missing the boat and standing alone kicking myself as it vanished into the horizon.
Catching up with Mark Graham, one of the Pukka Up directors, he filled me in on the history behind this successful seaborne empire. Starting out as the only boat party on the island in 2003, Pukka Up has turned from a one-boat job to a sold-out seven, on Tuesdays and Fridays, with parties in San Antonio and Playa d'en Bossa. Their open-minded attitude to music (any music snobbery can be left back at the port) and their main intention being simply for everyone to have a good dance and a lot of fun is clearly the secret to their decade of success. This summer, all boat-goers get free transport and entry to Together at Amnesia on Tuesdays and to Insane at Pacha on Fridays included in their boat ticket, meaning you can carry on raving into the early hours.
Once on the boat and everybody had found their ‘sea legs,' the music started pumping and everyone was dancing on the top deck in the sun. There was plenty of space for everyone to show off their moves and it wasn't too crammed, a pleasant surprise when all the tickets have flown out. With a diverse blend of new and classic house and dance music, including the MK remix of Storm Queen's ‘Look Right Through' there was something for everyone, and the DJ's own enthusiasm matched that of the crowd, regularly jumping up onto the decks and partying with the crowd. The sunset was stunning and the view had everyone hooked as Florence & Calvin Harris' ‘Sweet Nothing' played and we saw the sun fade into the horizon.
After arriving back at the harbour for nine, there were a couple of hours before the hardcore amongst us were escorted to Insane at Pacha which will have no doubt been a great night. You can read our review of Insane's opening party here.
All in all, if last night was anything to go by, Pukka Up's tenth summer of boat parties is definitely not something you want to miss!
