travel stories | MAGALUF.

I’ve recently arrived back from a girls trip to the Balearics, which also happens to be my first vacay of the year - feeling well overdue for the travel bug in me. My two best friends and I headed to the party destination of Magaluf in Majorca for 5 days at the end of April, arriving just in time for the start of the season. 

In all honesty, the decision on where to go was purely based on where we could find the cheapest deals on dates that fit all of our schedules; much less fussed about the destination or heading to some exotic location. We all just wanted to get away since our last trip together in 2017 (to the same place, mind you). 

Still, we had a whole lotta fun; drank PLENTY of alcohol, ate good food, laughed loads, twerked a little (by a little, I mean a lot), sung to the high heavens & drank plenty more alcohol. There was a lot of bonding, conversing, confiding, shared advice & even a few tears. In almost 13 years of friendship, it still felt like we all learned something more about each other. So basically it was Mission Girls Trip: a success.

The timing of our arrival was perfect too; avoiding peak clubbing season but right at the beginning so there was a significant amount of happenings, and all the local shops & restaurants were open for business. The weather was decent, sea temperature - not so much, but all to be expected for the time of year.

Top Tip: it’s important to research season openings when heading to Mediterranean destinations, as some businesses/attractions close during off-peak periods. OR, stay at an all-inclusive hotel like we did, which offers all the amenities and activities you might need.

We hit the strip on the first night that we arrived & caused absolute carnage. Very much “Brits Abroad” I’ll admit, but I’ll spare you the details! [Watch the VLOG here.] Another bit of advice to anyone going on a holiday, in Europe especially, do NOT buy alcohol in duty free at the airport. Save your coins ’til you arrive sis, I assure you! Find your nearest Aldi or Lidl and thank me later ;)

On the first day, we spent about 60 euro in total between the three of us on several bottles of alcohol, a crate of water, mixers AND food/snacks for the room (although we drank ALL c alcohol in one night, lol) then just topped up as & when we needed. A total win.

Although we did go out that night, we found ourselves back in the room before midnight. It was like 5 hours of complete madness, and at this point it’s all a blur. We went so hard, that we never went out again. Every single night for the remainder of our time was spent in our hotel room; despite our plans to “f*ck it up” & party hard. Maybe we just can’t do it like we used to?!

Pre-drinks in the room became night caps before bed (less hangovers on the plus side), swapping our party dresses for PJ’s and indulging in midnight feasts - always nachos & dip - enjoying sunsets from our balcony overlooking the mountain view.

This isn’t the sort of stuff anyone would expect of a trip to Magaluf; which typically includes non-stop partying, shots, shots & more shots. Instead we found more time to enjoy a little cultural activity, hiring pedal bikes from our hotel and riding along the beachfront, a day trip out to the capital [Palma de Mallorca] & visiting sights such as the Old Town, Bellver Castle & La Seu Cathedral. Our time was filled with some much needed R&R; sun-lounging on the beach before starting our own parties back in our room.

Of course there was some misbehaving (it is me we’re talking about, hello!), and perhaps the noise levels we’re a little inconsiderate, which resulted in awkward encounters with hotel security every time we walked through the lobby! But see the reality is, any holiday can be what you make of it. Don’t let a generalised reputation of any destination deter you from going, especially if you are limited based on a budget, schedule, etc. 

And if you need any tips on avoiding those pesky promoters that practically pounce on you as you walk down the street or the beach, I got you! It did grow tiring crossing the road EVERY time we saw them coming. Some tactics that worked for us included speaking (or attempting to) another language as we walked past - our language of choice was French…and no, I cannot speak French. Other times we just simply ignored them, or declined the conversation the second they called us out. It wasn’t long before that got old so in the end we resulted to telling everyone that we were going home that night…and every night until it was actually true! A little white lie never hurt nobody. 

We had a great time, and the flu/chest infection I came back with is proof of that, but having done the Spanish isles many, many times now, it's beginning to feel a little played out. My bucket-list is starting to look a little more exotic these days. The Caribbean, Bali, Hawaii, and the list goes on. But the question is…where to next?

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