20 questions with an Ibiza insider: Dawn Hindle
The co-owner of Pikes and co-founder of Ibiza Rocks and Manumission loves Balearic records, farmers’ markets and the fishermans’ huts at Porroig.
Dawn Hindle has been an integral part of Ibiza’s music and nightlife scene for almost thirty years. The co-owner and creative director of the legendary Pikes hotel, she also designs interiors, jewellery and ceramics. She has three children and lives near Santa Gertrudis.
What are your earliest memories of Ibiza and how did you end up here?
I arrived in Ibiza in 1994 from Manchester, England to spend the whole summer of freedom with my partner and his brother and his brother’s then-girlfriend. The four of us ran a wild party at the KU club every Monday night called Manumission. It was a crazy summer of hedonism and freedom and thus began my love affair with the island. Back then Ibiza was a heady mix of nationalities and characters, from the drag queens in KU’s Coco Loco bar to island legends such as Brasilio and Ziggy. Manumission was about music and DJs and surreal clubbing for the previously disenchanted and the party ran for 15 years. 10,000 people came through the doors of KU - later renamed Privilege - every Monday night throughout the summer. Later, my ex-husband and I set up Ibiza Rocks to establish live music on an island of dance. We eventually bought Pikes hotel from its infamous founder, Tony Pike, to revive it as a place to house the bands from Ibiza Rocks and to create a home-from-home for the island’s movers and shakers.
Where is home on the island and why?
For the past five years I have lived in a finca on the hill overlooking Santa Gertrudis. It’s the middle of the island, literally, and my favourite place to live. I wouldn’t swap the location for any other, not even a sea view or on the beach. I feel completely happy here. Santa Gertrudis is a very special village with great restaurants, an international school (with a five- minute school run) and a year-round colourful, creative community. I live with my partner Franky Vincentio, my kids, our dog Bobby and three cats. Living with animals and nature is super important to me.
Sunrise or sunset?
I would have to choose sunset every time. The orange glow as the cicadas buzz and the heat starts to drop slightly. Not heralding the end of the day but rather invoking excitement for the night ahead. In Ibiza anything goes and you never quite know where friends, a glass of wine or good music might take you. It’s the intangible excitement of the unknown and I only feel it here on the island.
North or south? City or campo
I absolutely love the south, but if I had to choose, I would say the north. The hidden gems, the quiet beaches and unspoilt campo. The dusty roads and natural landscape. Although I sometimes crave city life - especially New York or London - this is where I feel most relaxed and at home. It’s the freedom and the clear skies at night with so many stars and the forest walks that make me happy. These things are heaven for me.
What is your favourite place to eat / what dish and why?
This year I’ve totally fallen in love with Nudo – who hasn’t? It’s got a very authentic vibe to it, with no-frills décor and a simple menu that relies 100 percent on the freshness of its ingredients. Nudo feels like it has been there a lot longer than it has, which is a real achievement on an island where things are changing constantly. I love the grilled razor clams with pimento and chilli oil. They also do a fantastic assortment of bikinis – an old-school type of Ibizan sandwich. The one with smoked aubergine and miso paste is delicious!
Where can we find the real Ibiza?
You can find the real Ibiza at the local markets. San Jordi on Saturday mornings and at the Forada farmers’ market where they sell locally grown fruit and vegetables directly from the farms. It’s opposite the great little tapas bar Can Tixedo, which is a really sweet place to eat. You’ll also find the real Ibiza by simply visiting some of the smaller villages such as San Juan and San Carlos and hanging out with the locals.
What is your favourite beach and chiringuito and why?
For a summer beach I absolutely love to head across to Formentera. Illetes is one of the most beautiful beaches on the planet with impossibly clear waters and a super laidback, lo-fi vibe. It’s my favourite stretch of coastline in the world. I always make a beeline for Es Ministre, which is a very low-key beach bar with access to both sides of the beach. The food here is as good as Juan y Andrea and a quarter of the price. It’s a real insider’s secret and I hope it never changes!
Describe the magic of Ibiza to someone who has never been?
You can feel Ibiza’s magic in the warm Mediterranean sun the minute you step off the plane. It’s the mix of people, the freedom of expression and the bohemian vibes mixed with an unmatched musical heritage. The island is unique in that it is filled with people who have travelled the world but have chosen to make Ibiza their home.
What is a lesson that Ibiza has taught you?
Ibiza has taught me to just be in the moment and to relax. Enjoy the ride, don’t try to rush to the end point.
Run me through your ultimate day and night?
My ultimate day in Ibiza would start with no school run and a lazy Sunday vibe, some good music, a black coffee and a dog walk through the pine forest near my house. I’d grab some fresh fruit and veg from La Choza, a great shack near Santa Gertrudis, then I’d meet family and friends in the local cove off to the left of Port de San Miguel. We’d swim to the little caves then relax on the beach. Night would start with sunset at Hostal la Torre with the soundtrack of local DJs like The Brothers Grim or Andy Wilson - true Balearic vibes with a cool glass of good rosé and some olives. Later I like to just enjoy the atmosphere of my local village and sit with friends at Bar Costa. If you sit there long enough the whole of Ibiza’s social scene comes to you! A midnight swim in the pool would be the perfect end to a laidback day outdoors and I’d stay out late stargazing with the sound of the cicadas in the background.
What music is your island soundtrack?
My island soundtrack is definitely Balearic in vibe - 808 State’s Pacific State, Candi Staton’s You Got the Love and Grace Jones’ La Vie en Rose. I also adore Bob Marley’s Sun is Shining and for an old-school drop, Mory Kanté’s Yeke Yeke. Of course, because of Pikes, I’d have to have WHAM!’s Club Tropicana. Khruangbin would be a modern addition.
Who’s on your ultimate Ibiza dinner party guestlist?
OK! DJ Harvey with the tunes, our opera singing drag queen Ruby Murray on hosting duties, Tony Pike brought back from the dead for his endless tales and Roisin Murphy because she’s fun and cool. I’d add a few friends from far and wide and get Jade Jagger to bring her dad.
What or where is your favourite indulgence in Ibiza?
My favourite indulgence in Ibiza is an incredible massage at home with reflexology and holistic treatment by my good friend Dee Netto. She is the best! Also, a once-a-year treat is renting a big speed boat or sailing boat for the day and taking friends and family over to Formentera for a swim and lunch. If I could afford it, my greatest indulgence would probably be owning a boat.
What from/about Ibiza do you miss most when you travel?
I really miss the local island fresh produce. It’s a great way to eat and to live and I love that’s it’s all natural and misshapen and tastes of the island. I also miss my animals and home – I very much feel that a trip away just reinforces what an idyllic and wonderfully rich back-to-basics life we have in Ibiza. And of course, there is always a party to go to! It’s a very social island and everyone you meet seems to have a great inspired story.
What is your favourite island drive.
That’s in the southwest, the winding road from San Jose to Es Vedra along tiny roads lined with pine trees that winding pine trees that skim the coastline. There is a small camino that you can take that winds all the way up Sa Talaia – Ibiza highest mountain - and from the top you get a 360 degree view of the whole island. It suddenly becomes a very small but perfectly formed land mass that expands out to the blue seas that surround it. If you carry on back down the hill and onto Porroig, you can swim in the sea from the fisherman’s huts and gaze at the dramatic cliffs.
What do only locals know?
That there is way more to the island than the nightlife and day clubs! The true beauty of the island lies in the authentic corners, not the big glossy venues and overpriced tourist destinations. Finding a local to point you in the right direction is a must - there is so much to see and so many interesting people hidden just below the surface.
What’s your best tip for a new visitor?
Don’t stay in a big flash hotel but find somewhere with character. Climb to the top of Dalt Vila in Ibiza town and try to speak to a cafe owner in broken Spanish. Eat local, put your feet in the sand and swim in the sea. Have a great bottle of Spanish wine and go with the flow of the island. Ask people you meet what’s on that day and don’t try to have too much of a plan.
If I wasn’t in Ibiza, I’d be….?
I wasn’t in Ibiza I would be in the Joshua Tree desert in California. Energetically it has a similar vibe and attracts a similar collective of well-travelled, interesting characters. Joshua Tree also creates the same freedom to be yourself and explore new opportunities. It is a space to be in the now.
Life in Ibiza in three words is…?
A daily adventure
