Ibiza in September beyond the clubs: plans to meet people

There is a version of Ibiza that goes to bed at midnight and gets up for the sea, and in September it is at its best. The water is warm, the midday heat is gentler, and the island is full of people who came for something other than the clubs — or who go twice a week and need something to do with the other five days. The good news if you are on your own: almost every plan below is easier to join than a table at a beach club.

Boat days: the quickest way to become a group

A day on a boat with the same fifteen people does more for your social life than a week of nights out, and September is a good month for it: the sea is warm and often calm enough to snorkel.

• Shared boats. A day around the west-coast coves or across to Formentera, with the cost split between everyone on board. The cheapest way onto a private boat is to fill it.
• Boat parties and sunset cruises. Several run all summer, and a number of them keep sailing well into October. Book ahead for weekends.
• Water taxis to the beaches. In season, small boats run from Sant Antoni harbour to nearby coves such as Cala Bassa. Cheap, simple, and a good excuse to invite someone you met yesterday.

Language exchanges on the beach

A language exchange is the most underrated way to meet people on the island: you sit down in a circle and the conversation already has a purpose. Hugo, from the Ibiza Connects team, hosts three a week on the beach, alternating between Sant Antoni and Ibiza town while the sun goes down. Spanish, English or whatever language you bring; all levels welcome, free, and fine to come alone. They are listed in the plans section of the app, each with its own group chat, so you can say hello before you turn up.

Hugo also runs a few plans only for VIP members of the app, such as boat trips from Sant Antoni. The exchanges, though, are open to everyone, and they are the better place to start anyway.

Yoga, wellness and slowing down

Ibiza has had a wellness scene for about as long as it has had a party scene, and September suits it: mornings are fresher and the beaches are empty early. Look for morning yoga on the sand, meditation and breathwork sessions, and retreats in the quieter countryside of the north. Choose something weekly rather than a one-off: a class you repeat is where you start recognising faces, and that is how friendships here tend to begin.

Hikes and sunset spots

From September the heat allows walking again, as long as you start early or late. A few that work well:

• Sa Talaia. The highest point on the island, above Sant Josep, with views across to Formentera on a clear day.
• Benirràs at sunset. A calm bay in the north, with the rock of Cap Bernat in the middle of it. The big Sunday drum gathering is no longer held (the council restricted it because of the crowds), and parking is scarce and fills up on Sunday evenings, so go on a weekday.
• Punta Galera, north of Sant Antoni. Flat rock terraces over the sea where people bring a drink and watch the sunset. The access track is rough, so take it slowly.

Plans in our app, and making your own

This is the part where our app helps, and we will keep it short:

• Plans by day. In Ibiza Connects beach days, hikes, boat trips, sunsets and language exchanges sit next to the club nights, day by day.
• A group chat per plan. Join and you are straight into the plan's group chat, so the awkward first hello happens before you arrive.
• Random chats. If you would rather talk to someone new straight away, a random chat pairs you with someone on the app; if nobody is waiting, one of the app's automated island characters picks up.
• Car share. For the coves and the far side of the island, the car share section matches people who drive with people who need a seat.
• Your own plan. If nothing fits, create one: a place, a time and a line about it, and people can join.

In short

September is the best month to find the Ibiza that does not need a club: boats, beach language exchanges, morning yoga, hikes and sunsets, all with room to breathe. Pick something that repeats and go twice. For the practical side of the month — weather, beaches, tips — read Ibiza in September; for the nights, the closing parties calendar; and for turning new faces into friends, how to make friends in Ibiza.