[Greece Mykonos Santorini Travel Billionaires Islands (18 of 44)]Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider * THE GREEK ISLAND OF MYKONOS IS KNOWN AS A PARTY CAPITAL AND IS A VACATION HOT SPOT FOR MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES. * Ibiza, Spain, has a reputation as one of the top places to party in the world, with thumping 24-hour clubs, wild pool parties, and gorgeous beaches. * I RECENTLY VISITED BOTH AND DECIDED TO COMPARE MY EXPERIENCES, AS MANY TRAVELERS CHOOSE BETWEEN THOSE ISLANDS FOR THEIR VACATION. * WHILE MYKONOS IS NO DOUBT STUNNING, FROM ITS BEACHES TO ITS RESORTS, I FOUND IT TO BE OVERPRICED AND OVERCROWDED WHEN I VISITED OVER THE SUMMER. IBIZA, ON THE OTHER HAND, FELT ACCESSIBLE AT DIFFERENT PRICE POINTS AND RELATIVELY EASY TO BOOK AND ENJOY, EVEN IN PEAK SEASON. If you are looking for a 24-hour party, Mediterranean beaches, and a place to vacation like the rich and famous, there are probably two destinations that come to mind: Mykonos, Greece and Ibiza, Spain. While Ibiza has long been a party capital of the world, thanks to its association with thumping house music and super DJs like David Guetta, Mykonos is the up-and-comer. Over the past several years, the number of international arrivals to Mykonos has nearly doubled, as the cool rich kids and their freshly scrubbed yachts, superyachts, and mega yachts have taken to the Greek isle's inviting waters. Hundreds of thousands of vacationers have followed suit. I had own expectations before visiting each island. In both cases, I expected to find a bifurcated paradise divided between the world's wealthy and famous having a private ball and crowds of vacationers, hard-partying dance-music junkies, and cruise-shippers peeking in for a glance. While such a dynamic is present on both Ibiza and Mykonos, I found the two islands to be drastically different in temperaments, options, scenery, and vibe. With this in mind, I decided to compare my experiences of visiting Ibiza and Mykonos to see which is the better place to visit for most travelers. Here's how they stack up: MEASURING JUST 33 SQUARE MILES IN SIZE, MYKONOS IS A SUNNY AND COOL GREEK ISLAND STUFFED WITH HIP BOUTIQUE HOTELS, THUMPING BEACH CLUBS, HAUTE COUTURE SHOPS, WHITE SANDY BEACHES, WHITEWASHED ALLEYWAYS, AND SWANKY RESTAURANTS. Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider LOCATED IN THE BALEARIC ISLANDS OF SPAIN AND AROUND 220 SQUARE MILES, IBIZA IS KNOWN BOTH FOR ITS SWANKY BEACH HOTELS AND VILLAS FREQUENTED BY THE WEALTHY AND FAMOUS AND FOR ITS THUMPING NONSTOP CLUBBING SCENE. Shutterstock GETTING TO MYKONOS IS PRETTY EASY, SO LONG AS YOU ARE COMING FROM EUROPE. THE AIRPORT HAS DIRECT CONNECTIONS WITH MOST MAJOR EUROPEAN CITIES (I FLEW IN FROM LARNACA, CYPRUS). BUT IF YOU ARE COMING FROM THE US, YOU WILL LIKELY HAVE TO FLY TO ATHENS FIRST AND EITHER HOP A SHORT FLIGHT OR FERRY FROM THERE. Google Maps SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER SEE ALSO: * I visited Ibiza, the party capital of the world, but the best part of the island is the side no one ever talks about * I hung out at the secluded mountain hideaway in Ibiza that's hosted celebs like Rihanna and Kate Hudson, and it feels worlds away from the hard-partying coast * I stayed at Robert De Niro's ridiculously swanky new hotel in Ibiza — and it makes you feel like a celebrity, if you can afford it SEE ALSO: I VISITED IBIZA, THE PARTY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, BUT THE BEST PART OF THE ISLAND IS THE SIDE NO ONE EVER TALKS ABOUT DON'T MISS: I VISITED THE GLITTERING GREEK ISLAND OF MYKONOS, THE SUMMER DESTINATION OF CHOICE FOR BILLIONAIRES — AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE IF YOU AREN'T SWIMMING IN MONEY
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