I’m eating pineapple. Eating pineapple, drinking rosé, looking out over a sea that is trying on blues and greens like a teenager in Topshop, glorying in the heat of a sagging sun that is over the dial but not yet close to giving up, sprawling on a circular white mattress, in the middle of a beach covered in deep, fine sand, and I’m thinking: “That’s today done, then.”

There’s something about the Pitiusas (the name given to Ibiza and its little sister, Formentera, meaning pine-covered islands) that can’t easily be replicated elsewhere. In fact, there’s been something special about Ibiza – something poetic, scenic and calming, as well as something liberating, mischievous and life-affirming – since the Phoenicians washed up there in about 650BC. Getting a taste of what the island was all about, they dedicated it to Bes, their god of dance, and that, I’m afraid, was that.

But another side of Ibiza, its beauty, is often overlooked. For many people, especially the many who have never been, Ibiza means only nightclubs. But judging the island on the cavernous innards of Eden or the palm trees and podiums of Pacha is a bit like saying you know America because you’ve had a Big Mac.

Some of the best times, are to be had not in the crowded, clammy confines of a club in the early hours, but shuffling barefoot in the sand, feeling the breeze and the sun do their double act on your bare shoulders, while people – random, smiling, charming, occasionally doolally, yet still somehow glamorous people – just grin at the sheer deliciousness of it all.

There are more than 80 beaches in Ibiza: big and small; to suit the gregarious and the solitary. They offer anything from nude hippies at Benirras to the look-at-mes at Salinas to the pumped-up party boys at Playa d’en Bossa, but the one that manages to combine laid-back style with elegant sophistication remains Cala Jondal, to the southwest.

There are two main hang-outs on this curve of sand and pebble: Blue Marlin and Tropicana. Blue Marlin (00 34-971 410117, www.bluemarlinibiza.test.daxx.ru) is so cool, it has its own microclimate. When the sun peaks and the smallest bead of sweat begins to form on the bronzed foreheada of the white-clad waiters, a fine mist sprays from the walls of the bar towards those smiling on the sofas and cushions on the wooden decking. On Sundays at about 6-ish, Paco Fernandes, an ageless flamenco guitarist, plays on the beach while his thirtysomething daughter dances in the sand. Phone ahead to book a lounger – one of those large day beds, temptingly close to the massage tent.

To the right is Tropicana (971 802 640, www.tropicanaibiza.com), a beach bar and restaurant that has been there since 1988. At this end, the beach is sandier, the beds are more plentiful (though it’s still advisable to book), the music is that notch more sunstroked, the service a touch more attentive. (You can order drinks from your boat and staff will ferry them out to you, if you’re that kind of person – not judging, obviously.) Once the sun slinks shyly behind the hills, there’s still no reason to go anywhere: both bars play music through the evening. There are showers, so you can refresh, reboot and reemerge in your late-evening plumage – not that anywhere in Cala Jondal makes those demands upon you – ready for another spritzer.

And perhaps some more of that pineapple.

THE SMART GUIDE

What’s the strategy? Ibiza is a small island – barely 220 square miles – but spaced out. Nothing is more than a 30-minute drive away, which takes the pressure off staying on any particular part of the island. For comfort, value and privacy, hire a villa.

The best villas: International Villas (01799 516971, www.internationalvillas.net) has accommodation ranging from the basic to the magnificent; from £175pp per week. Can Jose sleeps 8, in two ensuite doubles and two twins, and has a pool, terrace and parking; from £4,480 per week.

Or try Ibiza Elite (00 34-606 868768, Ibiza-elite.com), a smaller, local outfit that has 12 excellent properties. Ses Cassettes Alto, with fountains, a pool and a barbecue, sits on a hill and sleeps 12. From £6,700 per week.

Alternatively, go for one of a number of agroturismos, which offer a cross between the seclusion of a villa and the amenities of a hotel. One of the finest is Atzaro, in Santa Eulalia (971 338838, www.atzaro.com), a collection of small farmhouses in orange groves, renovated to an excellent standard; from £112 a night for two. Dating from the 19th century, Finca Can Xuxu, in San Jose (971 801584, www.canxuxu.com), only opened for business last year, but has built up considerable buzz, thanks to its beautiful pool and traditional white-stone buildings. A large double for two with private terrace starts at £105 per night, B&B. IBIZA Also new are the eight cabins at Can Manel, in Sant Jordi (971 307192, www.canmanelibiza.com), four minutes from Salinas beach; £100pp per day gets you a bedroom (with child bed), living room, kitchen and bathroom, with a communal pool.

Getting there: there are summer-season (May-October) scheduled flights to the island with EasyJet (www.easyjet.com), from Luton, Stansted and Manchester; with Monarch (0870 040 5040, www.flymonarch.com), from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester; and with British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com), from Gatwick. There are charter flights from 21 UK airports, plus Dublin, bookable through Charter Flight Centre (0845 045 0153, www.charterflights.co.uk), Travel Republic (020 8974 7200, www.travelrepublic.co.uk) and Avro (0871 423 8550, www.avro.co.uk).

Getting around: for car hire, try Holiday Autos (0870 400 4461, www.holidayautos.co.uk) from £22, or Avis (0844 581 0147, www.avis.co.uk). Alternatively, get a cab, through Radio Taxi Ibiza (00 34-971 398340).

The best beaches: Cala Jondal is four miles southwest of Ibiza Town. Salinas is just down the coast from Cala Jondal, near the salt flats from where it takes its name. On Salinas, the Jockey Club beach bar (971 395788) has been going 16 years, while at the southern end of the beach is Sa Trincha, an excellent, if now crowded, bar playing beautiful, deep, Balearic tunes while the sun sinks. Benirras, to the northwest of the island, near San Miguel port, is a more traditional, less commercial spot. There’s a nice, low-key cafe to the left of the beach.

Après-beach: one of the best restaurants on the island is Es Torrent, at Playa d’es Torrent (971 802160, www.estorrent.net), near Cala Jondal. When you book – and you must, days in advance if possible – you will be asked to choose your fish: they catch to order. Or try Balafia (San Juan road; 971 325019) for simple but exquisite grilled meats. L’Elephant, in San Rafael (971 198056, www.elephant-ibiza.com), has an excellent menu and a spectacular terrace.

Smart thinking: Serena Cook at Deliciously Sorted (971 197867, www.deliciouslysortedibiza.com) is to Ibiza what Jimmy Savile was to dreams of joining the circus or meeting Bucks Fizz. She’s Mrs Fix-It and can arrange anything. Try her.

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