Ibiza, Spain. Ibiza Rocks! - a true stoner paradise!

[Medical Marijuana]

Ibiza, Spain
Ibiza Party
Ibiza Rocks!

I first heard about Ibiza 12 years ago from Arjan of the Green House in Amsterdam. “It’s the most beautiful island in the world, and the best place for parties,” he told me. “It was rediscovered by hippies. Many people who visit never leave. It’s a very spiritual place.”

Located 50 miles southeast of the coast of Spain and 100 miles north of Africa, Ibiza was first settled by humans over 3,000 years ago. In 654 BC, the Phoenicians founded the town of Ibiza, one of the first towns created in Europe. It quickly became a center for trading as well as a favorite target for pirates. At the time “white gold” (salt) was the most important export.

Ibiza was conquered by Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Arabs and Moors, forcing the inhabitants to eventually build walls, forts and towers to fight off future invaders. The local farmhouses have an entirely unique architecture that has changed little since the Stone Age. Because of the lack of private property, Ibiza is a great place for hiking, and the local vegetation is wonderfully unique due to the island’s isolation from the rest of the world.

But today people don’t go to Ibiza to hike or look at the architecture—they go to party. In fact, over the last few years, it’s become the prime destination for English, German and Scandinavian tourists, who descend in droves during the summer. During the day, they hang out on the crowded beaches (there are more than 70 on the island), but at night they pack the monster rave clubs and listen to pounding techno music. Some clubs hold more than 5,000 people and come complete with swimming pools and foam cannons. It’s a very hedonistic environment, and many of the clubs put on circus-style stage shows that rival anything found in Las Vegas. The nightlife scene doesn’t really even start until after midnight and goes until dawn.

The first annual World Marijuana Film Festival (WMFF) was held in Ibiza from May 28 to June 3, when the island is warm enough to enjoy the beaches but slightly ahead of the major tourist crunch that begins in June. Any devoted stoners considering a trip to Spain or Europe should make the WMFF the focus of any future trip. Not only will they be relaxing on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, they’ll also be in a country that has completely decriminalized marijuana and is rapidly becoming known for some of the best outdoor-grown cannabis in the world.

And they’ll also be enjoying a sneak preview of some soon-to-be-released films involving marijuana. Since the WMFF happens the week after the Cannes Film Festival, we’re hoping some prominent members of the film community will start making the annual pilgrimage directly from France. This year the award-winning documentary AKA Tommy Chong (directed by Josh Gilbert) was the featured documentary at the festival. The film is due to have a theatrical release in the USA begining in mid-June 2006.

Another advantage to attending the WMFF is rubbing shoulders with many of the biggest names in cannabis. Arjan of Green House, Derry of Barney’s and Reeferman of Reeferman Seeds are just a few of the cannabis celebrities who will not only be in attendance, but will also be bringing films they produced to debut at the festival. Naturally, you’ll be able to sample the local cannabis and hash while watching all the films.

If you do decide to make this trip, bring plenty of money, especially if you want to sample the nightlife: Drink and food prices are relatively high for Spain. Also, keep in mind that local law enforcement has a reputation for strong-arm tactics when dealing with drunken tourists. Be polite and obedient if you run across the police and you probably won’t have any problems. And remember that while possession of small amounts of cannabis is entirely legal, trafficking is not.