2024 dates: September 21-27

Price: £1,590pp

GET SWIMMING LESSONS FROM FRONT CRAWL TECHNIQUE SPECIALIST RAY GIBBS ON ONE OF EUROPE'S MOST SPECTACULAR, AWARD-WINNING BEACHES ... NOW THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SWIM VACATION.

Soak up some late season sun and improve your swimming in Formentera, just a short boat ride from Ibiza. If you would like to improve your technique and learn some open water skills, then this swimming holiday will suit you. On this tour Ray Gibbs joins us as guest coach for a solid week of technique coaching. Ray and the SwimQuest team will closely monitor you, and help you to improve your swimming. This tour will combine morning technique sessions in the pool and the sea, with an opportunity to put your new skills into practice with bay and coastal swimming in the afternoons. The week is suitable for swimmers of all abilities. We should emphasise that this week is about refining your technique, not completing huge distances at speed.

IS THIS WEEK FOR ME?

This technique tour suitable for all ability levels. Because of our small group sizes (max 14), we can ensure that every individual receives one-to-one advice and stroke analysis, as well as the opportunity to complete some stunning open water coastal swims. With a combination of video analysis sessions, pool sessions, seminars and open water coastal swims, this is a varied week resulting in lots of new skills and drills to take home. This tour takes place in September/October, so that you can return home with a wealth of knowledge and skills to practice over the winter months.

ABOUT RAY GIBBS

We are delighted to welcome back Ray Gibbs from Swim Canary Wharf. With over 23 years swimming teaching experience, Ray Gibbs has developed a clear step-by-step approach to stroke technique development, and now runs the swim school, Swim Canary Wharf. Ray focuses on tailored exercises which guests can take home and incorporate into their usual swimming routine.

ABOUT FORMENTERA

Formentera is a small Balearic island just off Ibiza, and home to some of our Technique and Improve weeks. It is well known for its dazzlingly crystal clear waters and long stretches of beach, backed by dunes and pine trees. The island has definitely escaped Ibiza-style development, and instead retains a laid-back, tranquil place. John Coningham-Rolls has a long-standing history with Formentera: his grandparents owned a villa (Can Rolls) in the 50s, and since then John, and now SwimQuest, have maintained a relationship with the island.

Formentera has a magnetic pull for so many of our guests, who return year after year for the ice white sand and and turquoise blue sea. The clarity of the water in Formentera is largely due to the Posidonia sea grass that grows on the sea floor. These under-sea meadows were one of the main reasons Formentera and Ibiza achieved UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.

Playa des Illetes, a popular swim spot on our trips, also won Trip Advisor’s ‘Best Beach in Europe’ award.

USEFUL INFORMATION:

Price £1,590 based a twin share room (see accommodation tab for single supplements and upgrades)
Focus on swim technique, with pool and sea swimming and video analysis
Minimum swimming requirement - basic (i.e. 100m front crawl)
Average daily swimming - depends on ability, adaptable
Approx sea temperature range: 23-25 ̊C
Group size – up to 14 guests
Age range – 16+ (for family enquiries, please contact the office)
Are non-swimmers welcome? Absolutely – non-swimmers are welcome to join the tour and enjoy beautiful Formentera.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

Accommodation at the 4* Roca Bella hotel on the beach of Es Pujols (see accommodation tab for details)
Jam-packed swimming itinerary
SwimQuest guide and Guest Coach Ray Gibbs
Swim coaching and video analysis
Both one-to-one and group technique sessions
Breakfasts
Lunches
Transport to and from swim locations on the island
Transfers from Formentera harbour to Roca Bella
SwimQuest dry bag and swim cap
VAT

WHATS NOT INCLUDED?

Travel to and from Formentera harbour (guests are advised to fly into Ibiza, take a short taxi ride to Ibiza harbour and board one of the half hourly boats to Formentera - we will pick you up from Formentera harbour).
Wetsuits and fins (optional)
Evening meals
Alcohol
Single room supplement (see accommodation tab for details)

HOTEL ROCA BELLA

On this tour, you will stay in the friendly Hotel Roca Bella, situated on the beach of Es Pujols, moments away from crystal waters and Pujols town. Standard Rooms are allocated on a twin share basis. If you wish, you can choose sole occupancy, or upgrade to a Superior Room (only available as sole occupancy or double share), subject to availability. Roca Bella Formentera

standard twin room (SHARING PLACE)

£1,590pp - Standard rooms are simple but comfortable. They all have a terrace and sea view. There is the possibility to rent a fridge or to add a cot (to pay directly at the reception).

STANDARD TWIN ROOM (SOLE OCCUPANCY)

£310 supplement - if you would like your own private Standard room, a sole occupancy supplement of £310 will be added to your booking.

SUPERIOR ROOM UPGRADE (double share)

£250 supplement - upgrade your double share room to a Superior for an extra £250 (Please note these rooms do not offer a twin share set up). Superior Rooms are located in the newer building of the hotel and are recently renovated. All have a terrace with a sea view.

SUPERIOR ROOM UPGRADE (Sole occupancy)

£440 supplement - if you would like your own private Superior room, a supplement of £440 will be added to your booking.

THE ITINERARY

There are two planned swims per day based on how you progress during the week. Most days will also involve a swim seminar, or video feedback session. Please realise that the below is a very rough guide and that we will adapt the week carefully for each individual. Swim guides will advise you each day on what is best for you, but in all cases the main objective will be to encourage you to achieve your personal goals. You’re likely to surprise yourself!

SATURDAY ACCLIMATISATION SWIM

We will meet at 5pm for the mandatory safety briefing. Topics covered include: swimming safely in open water, swim preparation, swim routes, prevailing weather, and safety procedures. We will then complete a short acclimatisation swim in a shallow bay by the villa. This allows Ray and the swim guides to assess your stroke and start preparing an individual plan for you for the week. Following this we will relax and have dinner, with time to discuss the week ahead. (If for any reason guests are unavoidably delayed, the briefing may be deferred to Sunday morning.)

SUNDAY: INTRODUCTION TO TECHNIQUE, FILMING, AND A BAY SWIM

The day is designed to be easy, allowing you to settle in after your journey. After breakfast we will complete the safety briefing (if not completed the night before) followed by the first swim. During the swim session the guides will film your stroke above and below the water. After lunch, Ray will give a land-based talk on swim technique, and you will be given points to focus on for the afternoon session. After dinner, we will watch the swim footage and each guest will be given detailed feedback to take through into Monday’s session.

MONDAY: THE OPEN WATER DIFFERENCE

Improvers Tour, Formentera SwimQuest Swimming Holidays

This morning we will head to the award-winning carribean-white Playa de Illetes beach to put new skills into practice. Depending on your needs, you will be given drills and new skills to try out. After lunch, the focus will be on open water swimming: you will learn about sighting, waves and working with the water, before heading back into the sea.

TUESDAY: POOL SESSION & RELAXED OPEN WATER SWIM

Formentera SwimQuest Channel Swimming Training

After breakfast we will make our way to the pool for a structured swim technique session. This is a great opportunity for Ray to monitor your progress up close and give you personalised skills to work on for the afternoon session and to take away and practice at home. After lunch, we will complete a relaxed open water swim allowing you to stretch out and enjoy your new skills.

WEDNESDAY: UPPING THE DISTANCE

There will be optional one-to-one technique sessions with Ray before breakfast. After breakfast, we will travel by car to a local bay, and depending on the weather, will attempt a slightly longer continuous swim. In the afternoon there will be another land based technique session.

THURSDAY: INTO THE DEEP!

This is your last full day of swimming with two great seas swims. The morning swim is a coastal swim along the peninsula. With amazing shallow beaches along the way, it is the perfect way to stretch out and enjoy your new stroke. In the afternoon we will walk to Punta Prima and use the swim zone, but this time we will head out of the bay and swim back to the beach by the accommodation. The swim is a great way to see the coastline and some underwater sea life. Once back, there will be time to relax and then we will go into town for our last dinner together.

FRIDAY SWIM AM: SHORT BAY SWIM

As this is the last day, there will be a short pre-breakfast bay swim as you will need to pack and prepare for your ferry back to Ibiza.

TRAVEL TO FORMENTERA

TRIP START / FINISH TIMES

We will meet at 5pm on Saturday for introductions and safety briefing. We suggest arriving in Formentera at around 3pm to give you time to check into your room and settle in before the briefing. SwimQuest head office will ask for your travel times pre tour so that our swim guides can pick you up from Formentera harbour and take you to the hotel.
The trip finishes after a sunrise swim and breakfast on Friday morning. Check out is at 10am. Please note, your swim guides will travel back to Ibiza on Friday morning so if you are staying on the island post checkout you may need to book a taxi back to Formentera harbour - the hotel reception can help you with this.

FLY TO IBIZA

Fly to Ibiza and then jump in a taxi from the airport to Ibiza harbour to get the ferry to Formentera (please budget approx. €15-20 for this taxi journey.) Taxis are regular just outside the airport. Tell the taxi driver you are going to get a ferry to Formentera and he / she will drop you off by the Formentera ticket kiosks. For the cheapest flight options, have a look at www.skyscanner.co.uk. If you would prefer to arrive a day early, we would recommend the cheap but friendly and comfortable Hotel el Puerto in Ibiza town, close to the ferry port.

FERRY FROM IBIZA TO FORMENTERA

There are a number of ferry companies offering a regular service (approx. every 30 minutes) from Ibiza to Formentera and back. Trasmappi, Balearia and Mediterranea–Pitiusa are popular options, cost the same and take the same amount of time (approx. 30 minute crossing). There is no need to buy a ticket in advance. Hint – when you buy a return ticket, it is worth checking that your return ferry journey allows you sufficient time to get to the airport, as you cannot transfer your ticket to another ferry provider and will have to purchase an additional single fare.

AN EXTRA NIGHT IN IBIZA TOWN?

RECOMMENDED IN IBIZA TOWN:

Hotel el Puerto in Ibiza town is friendly and comfortable, and just a 2 minute walk from the ferry port should you need to arrive a day early / leave a day later. Please feel free to book a room through Lourdes in their reservations team. Tell them you are booking through SwimQuest and you can claim a 10% discount.

HOTEL CONTACT:

CALLE CARLOS III, Nº 24. 07800 IBIZA // Contact number: 971.313812 FAX.971.317452 // E-mail: Lourdes at: reservas@ibizaelpuerto.com // Website: www.ibizaelpuerto.com

WHAT DO I PACK?

At least two Swimming costumes
Wetsuit - optional*
Two Pairs of swim goggles – ideally one clear and one tinted
Tow float (required) - if you haven’t got one yet, you can find a great range from Swim Secure HERE and receive 15% off with code: 15SwimQuest23
Towel(s) although the hotel provide bath towels for in-hotel use
Small daypack/rucksack to use for your personal equipment/clothing during the day (you will receive a 10L SwimQuest dry bag you can use for this purpose if you wish)
Sandals/aqua shoes/flip flops – for getting wet
Insect repellent & bite relief
Fleece or warm jumper, tracksuit trousers/sweat pants
Waterproof
Sun hat, sun cream and glasses
Travel insurance

HOLIDAY READING SUGGESTIONS

There's nothing better than packing a book to suit your holiday location! Author and adventure activist Jessica Hepburn has kindly put together some suggested 'Swimspiration' for Formentera here.

SwimQuest Swimming Holidays

Open water swimming holidays

RAY GIBBS TECHNIQUE WEEK, FORMENTERA