First time to Benicassim - a few questions..
Hi there guys, new to the forum and would appreciate your help; A group of friends and I are going to Benicassim this year for the first time and we're planning it at the moment and just have a few questions:
1. Is it worth going there for the 9 days? - I've heard that the campsite fills up quickly and unless you get there early (5 days before the music actually starts) then you're unlikely to get into CampFIB (supposedly the best camp?) or even get a decent spot anywhere. Is that true? If it is, I think we'll go for the whole 9 days; also, what goes on for the first 5 days there without music?
2. Money - On average per day, how much would should we expect to spend there daily? That's another concern about going there for 9 days, we don't want to spend a ridiculous amount (more than £20 a day) on food, alcohol (I personally don't drink though, it's more for friends!) and whatever else we might want. Food and alcohol is important in particular, we're thinking of bringing a lot of our own food but we're all just taking hiking rucksacks so we won't be able to fit in that much. I know at Reading for instance, you had to spend the best part of a tenner just to fill yourself up if buying from the stalls or else go to town which was a bit of a treck!
3. Trains from Barcelona - How much do they cost and how frequent are they? We're getting plane tickets to and from Barcelona as we're going to spend 6 days in Barca after Beni. Just need an estimate of how much it'll cost.
Any other tips for newcomers are welcome as well - I do appreciate you taking the time to write a reply; it'll go a long way to ensuring we have a great trip for what it's worth!
Thread not appearing correctly? Click here to rebuild | Report this
Twitter
Facebook
Last.fm
SoundCloud
MySpace
Friendster
RSS
I went last year.
1. I'd recommend getting there early, we had a weekend in Barca and went down to Benicassim by train on Monday evening. Arrived in Castellon (15 mins drive to Benicassim) at about 11pm and CampFIB was full, didn't go in but we spoke to people outside and they didn't have space to put 2 tents next to each other. We were in a group of 16 so we walked to Benicamp. It had just opened so there was loads of space, managed to set our tents up in a circle facing inwards with a space in the middle.
We only had Tuesday and Wednesday before the festivities started and there's plenty to occupy you. The beach is close, there's restaurants and bars in town, go karts, water park etc. We just got a load of booze in and spent the evenings in the camp talking to our neighbours and having a laugh, it flew by and didn't feel like we were waiting for Thursday.
We'd heard that CampFIB was supposed to be better, and to be honest it did sound pretty special when we were outside. However, they both have advantages and disadvantages. CampFIB is closest to the town, Lidl (best place to get booze), and the nicest part of the beach. Benicamp is closest to the festival arena, and it makes a massive difference when you only have a 5 min walk home as opposed to a good 30 mins back to CampFIB, especially at 6am! We're planning on staying in Benicamp again this year, I guess they're each as good as you make it, but I wouldn't worry about "missing out" if you don't get in CampFIB.
2. Money: Tricky one, it's easy to go crazy and spend loads but if you're sensible you can get away with saving a lot. If you get food and booze from the supermarkets rather than cafes you'll save a fortune. We just used to get a french stick of bread, some chorizo, cheese and some biscuits/snacks through the day and they kept us going.
Inside the festival arena, be prepared to spend shit loads on food/beer. They have a voucher system, last year it was 2.50 euros for one voucher, and a litre of heineken or a spirit and mixer (better value as the spirit was free-poured rather than measured) was 3 vouchers, so 7.50 euros. A litre's just shy of 2 pints so 3.75 a pint isn't outrageous, but it feels like a lot. With the pound being worthless, it'll seem like a lot more.
Wouldn't bother bringing food with you, the supermarkets (there's a Lidl and 2 spanish ones) that sell most things you'll need at cheap prices) In Lidl the 70cl bottles of gin/vodka/whisky where only about 4 euros so stock up early, they sell out towards the end of the week.
I took £450 last year and would've been fine had I not been pickpocketed in Barcelona, bastard stole 100 euros and my bank card so had to lend 70 euros of a mate. If you take at least £400 you could make it with a weekend in Barca including hostel, trains there and back, and just enough to get buy. Take £500 if you can.
The thing that saved me was taking a camelbak, cost £10 from argos and I just filled it up with gin every night before going in the arena. I put a bottle of water and some tickets/cigs etc in the front pocket of the camelbak for distraction, and when got to the security barrier I offered them to look in the pocket. They took the water, smelled it and kept the lid, then gave it back to me to go through. Worked every night and I didn't buy one drink inside! Life saver...
3. Travel from Barca. If you can, it's hugely advisable to get them booked before you leave. Try renfe.com or raileurope.com, last year we were unable to so turned up at Barca train station, queued for about an hour to get single journey tickets to Castellon for about 35 euros each. We were lucky too, got the last 14 standard class tickets so had to buy 2 first class ones as well.
For the return trip, there's a travel shop in Beni town centre that sorts out trains/coaches back to Barca and Valencia. The woman who owns it speaks perfect English, but be prepared to queue for a long time. If possible, get down there as soon as you get to Benicassim to book it. We left it till Friday and all the trains had sold out, so we had to get a coach leaving at 8am on the Tuesday.
Whatever you do, don't turn up and expect to get on a train and pay whilst you're on. It's not like England in that respect. A couple of friends we know said the train station was a nightmare on Monday to get home. Everyone just rushing for the doors and grabbing a seat, and people with valid tickets missing out. If you can go back on the Tuesday I'd recommend it, everything's quieter and not as busy.
We had an amazing time last year and we're all going again this year. Just booked flights from Manchester so all set! Let me know if you need to know anything else.
they must have opened it up again
cos we go on that campsite again last year on the Wednesday. We always turn up on Wednesday as any longer is too much I think. They don't organsie the camping very well so I suppose they shut them then think "oh hang on we can cram in a few hundred more people over there" and open them again.
But as to the comment further down about being a badly rganised festival (sorry not your comment I know but it wont let me reply to main post for some reason), I don't agree. The camping is but the festival is organised well, for Spaniards! :-)
If you don't mind cheap wine we buy Don Simon from the supermarket to dirnk before we head down there. It's table wine so the locals probably feed it to the pets but I think it's quite yummy for us Brits. And it's about 20p a litre. And I'm not a scally, honest!
Haha Don Simon for the win!
deadonthestairs
is pretty spot with all his advice. been the last three years and have had an absolutely amazing time. We've always managed to get a spot in CampFib(bonet) and while I would highly recommend getting there early to do so it's not the end of the world if you end up in campbeni I've had friends who've pitched up there and they had a tremendously fun experience. 9 days seems like a long time especially in that heat but it flies and before you know it's monday night. £500 sounds about right if you factor in trains and incidentals although you can get by with less. There's a free shuttle to the festival for those who arrive via valencia. we've always come in from barca and have had to deal with the renfe ques a couple of times. Pre book your trains if you can and make sure it's the 2 hour one. there's a cheaper 4 hour one that doubles back on itself that is torcherous. Food and alcohol can be dirt cheap if your sensible and buy from local supermarkets. baguette, chorizo and cheese some fresh fruit and your laughing. Like Mr Stairs if you have any other question just ask and i'd be happy to try and answer.
take the 9 days at least.
the weather (although uncomfortably hot) makes the whole festival much more comfortable than any English festival that I have been to, much more like a holiday.
9 days camping?
I think I'd rather die.
Sorry this is not helpful in the slightest.
9 days camping with THAT heat!
I remember me not being able to sleep any longer than 8am due to the intense heat inside the tent.
Never again (been there 3 times), I'm too old for that.
get there early
else you will have nowhere to camp. 1st camp filled within 2days and the 2nd one shortly after that. Food is pretty damned cheap (bonnet camp is dead close to lidl and another supermarket). Drinks in the festival site were something like 7euros a pop, but they fill up the glass with spirits about 7/8 full, so its kinda value for money. Trains will need to be booked in advance as the decent times sell out damned quickly (basically as soon as they're released about a month and a half in advance). Theres hardly any chance of just turning up and being able to get a train.
first timer also
Can you give details of this free shuttle bus from Valencia? We're flying to there from Glasgow.
Also, we're going to be at T in the Park until Monday (13th July) and are hoping to get there as soon as possible, how long do we have before the campsites are full? I heard as well you need to queue to camp, what's the deal with that?
AND (sorry) what's the best way of getting out? when Dead said wait until tuesday if you can, is a Mon/Tue stay included in the 9 days?
Sorry for being such a freaking noob.
Not sure about
the shuttle bus from Valencia, we went from Barca last year and are doing the same again. The fiberfib.com website will have info about it though.
The campsite does get busy but there'll be plenty of room. Depends on how many tents you want to pitch next to each other I guess but people were still arriving on Wed/Thur last year and finding spaces, you might just be a bit further away from the camp entrance.
The campsite is open until midnight on Tuesday so you can stay quite late. Most people leave on Monday so everything's a bit busier and more rushed whereas Tuesday is more relaxed and quiet.
Don't about the whole queueing to camp thing, depends what time you arrive I guess. If you're turning up Mon/Tues it won't be a problem - I assume that applies to people turning up Mon morning before the gates open. People arrive in gradually from Monday and no-one's rushing around because the actual festival won't have started yet.
Ideally you should get return train/coach tickets when you're in Valencia to minimise the risk of missing out, but like I said, there's a little travel shop in Beni where you can get tickets sorted if you get there early enough.
Hope that helps.
if you leave on monday
don't have an early mornign flight that day or you'll miss it! getting a space on the shuttle bus didn't used to be so bad but now more brits go they dont seem to have enough buses. The trains aren't the best on that day either! we alwasy fly home on the monday but later on and never had any problems but there have been some close calls and I've seen plenty of people crying on the pavements from missing flights home!
Yes you queue camp, I think one year we queued and then had to go to the other site anyway, but every other year I've got onto my favourite campsite. But don't worry about it, no matter what day you arrive you will get a space somewhere and you will have to queue no matter what. So first thing you do, get a beer from the campsite bar while you queue! It will be the best beer of your life!
PS. earlier post about if food is decent/cheap at festival...it is freaking awesome! And it does fill you up. In fact some nights instead of a pub crawl we do a food stand crawl cos we can't decide which stall we love the best. Mmmmm.
Oh and another tip, in regards to the drugs post further down. If you're going to do it then don't take them in ON THE FINAL NIGHT.
(and they do do strip searches!)
Cheers
Thanks a lot guys. Big help!
Go early
Take it all in.
Everyone raves about Bonet or CampFIB as it's now called. I must have missed all of this so called excitement. The 24 bar is great though. And pizzas.
Do everything in advance - Benicassim is the single worst organised festival I have ever experience.
Shame about the beer prices - I remember it being 6 euros for a litre when I went in 2006. It was brilliant.
I spend approaching £750
Also there aren't many bands on the line up
So be prepared for some horrific clashes
go early!
definitely, the town is lovely, nice beach, spend some time wandering and relaxing, the water park is brilliant fun too! staying longer and taking it easy makes it feel like much more of a holiday. the atmosphere is a lot more relaxed than british festivals as the bands don't start til late in the afternoon / evening and you spend the day on the beach.
whilst it is stupidly hot the AMAZING (if very naked) showers, as well as most of the camping being in the shade (another reason to get there early) make it much better than i was expecting.
we stayed at the camp right next to the arena a few years ago which was great, no walk home. i think all the camp sites have their different advantages, shade and shower proximity would be my number 1 factors!
as for getting there and back, i would advise against doing anything which means you have to be out of beni in any rush on the last few days..... to get to barca you have to get a long distance train which means reserved tickets which of course disappear in seconds, loads of people missing their flights, tears, not the best way to end the trip! to get to valencia you just take a local train and then a tube to the airport, which was all very straightforward. however i had got the beni coach from the airport, you pay a silly price for a return ticket and then had to take the train back as i stayed a few days in valencia. i couldn't have got a bus to the airport anyway as the queues were so stupidly long.
easiest and most stress free way of doing it would be to fly into valencia and take the train to benicassim station. valencia is a lovely city, a smaller and less touristy version of barca, but with plenty to do, lovely people, etc.
argh i want to go again now!!! although reports from friends who have been more recently have said it is turning more and more in a total drug fest...
go early
We went last year for 2 weeks and time flew over,so much to do and had a week to get ready for the festival,the beach is great and i agree about the watepark,we went twice,brilliant!
We've already booked our flights for this year and the accommodation and transfers from the airport too with benitravel,we used them last year and were excellent.
I spent around 800 for two weeks including the apartment which we shared between 5,food is cheap if you use the local supermarkets,same with the alcohol.
Enjoy!!
i've been the last 3 years ...
last year was the first time we stayed in a hotel and it made the whole experience much more enjoyable. As much as the 2 years before were great in the campsite (we stayed is campfiber both years and managed to get in on the wednesday afternoon) i'd recommend anyone that can get a hotel to spend that bit more.
Last year we flew to barcelona and drove down on the tuesday and left the following tuesday. Make sure you go to the pre-party on the wednesday night as well. Jeff Automatic has run it for the last few years. It just over the foot-bridge from the festival site.
Can I cool my tent down by covering it with foil?
hello
1. Yeah it is worth going for as long as possible before the music. The camps fill up really fast. We arrived 2 days before the music and we were lucky to get a good spot at the campsite nearer the music. The one near the beach was completely full. There's quite a lot to do. We basically just spent the days and evenings without music at the beach or drinking and chatting to the many drug users at the campsite. It was fun.
2. Its a pricey festival. As far as I remember, a beer cost 7.50 euros. Which is mental in Spain. Also, there aren't any taps for drinking water at the camp (which is also completely mental), so you have to buy all the water you're going to drink, either at the bar or at the supermarket in town. Basically just buy the bare essentials in town. Like some bread. Mercadona is an amazing supermarket. Dont remember how much I spent, but it was quite alot flights considered.
3. Didn't get the train. Valencia > Rome > Heathrow. Yeah never again :(((
Basically its an amazing festival. Make sure you get there early for good camp spots, but mainly because its just so damn awesome. The sound on all the stages was unbelievable. Sigur Ros on the first night last year was "life changing". Leave straight after the music finishes. Hanging around the campsite because your plane doesn't leave for 3 days wasn't great. Also we had to sleep one night at Valencia airport where they don't turn the "ambient" music or lights off at night. You can have quite good trolley dashing contests there though. You wont get any sleep whilst you're there. Be careful about the people selling drugs around the camp too. My friend had heroin planted on him sometime in Spain and we only realised it on the way back from Heathrow. Also dont be a twat and carry drugs around with you in your bag because they have police checkpoints at the camp exits. In fact just DONT DO DRUGZ. I'll be booking my ticket again this year if they announce some decent bands.
Oasis just announced as headliners...
Although I love Oasis, I hope this doesn't attract any of the tossers that other people have mentioned.
it shouldn't do
best year i ever experienced with the least tossers too was 2005 when they last headlined.
Also announced,
The Psychedelic Furs
Friendly Fires
White Lies
The Bishops
Boys Noize <3
Getting a little bit excited now, I just hope The Knife are announced. They'd go down so well.
Another first timer...
If we went on Thursday 16th, would we be able to get any camping space? By the sounds of it it seems highly unlikely but going on this day would be much more convenient...
Yeh, you'll definitely get a camping space
Depends on how many tents you're pitching as to whether they'll be next to each other though. You should be ok though.
tv on the radio just self-confirmed
now i'm glad I got a ticket!!
Where did you see this?
More additions:
+ Aldo Linares + Anni B Sweet +The Bishops +The Coronas + Glasvegas + Mystery Jets + Naive New Beaters + No Reply + Oasis + We Are Standard +
+ Boys Noize + Fight Like Apes + Joe Crepúsculo + Kings of Leon + Magazine + Nacho Vegas + nudozurdo + Paul Weller + Yuksek +
+ Aeroplane + Bell X1 + Franz Ferdinand + Josele Santiago + Lily Allen + Tadeo +
+ CatPeople + Friendly Fires +The Killers + Late Of The Pier + Laurent Garnier +The Psychedelic Furs + TV on the Radio + White Lies +
http://fiberfib.com/cartel/2009/fib09-cartel-lineup.jpg
More...
Maxïmo Park
The Horrors
The Walkmen
Elbow
Peaches
Lykke Li
Steve Aoki
The Mighty Stef
Klaus & Kinski
Too many drugs
Went last year and there were just sooo many people completely fucked on drugs. Unfortunately some (mostly foreign, and yes, mostly UK) visitors to the festival kind of miss the point (cheap beer, beach and good music) and prefer to walk around in a daze for 4 days, bumping into everyone and puking up their burritos. Last year someone actually started pissing on the people standing directly around him during the Babyshambles gig, he didn't even realize what he was doing. I can only imagine what it will be like with Oasis playing this year...
Other than that rather unfortunate experience, it's a lovely festival. The supermarkets in town are VERY cheap and the beach is lovely. The setting is also great, the view of the mountains behind the festival ground is particularly beautiful. DO however book a hotel if you can afford it, as it will vastly improve your experience. The campsite gets VERY VERY VERY full and yes, it's very loud. Also, if you are staying at the campsite nearest to the festival ground, I suggest maybe renting bikes, as it's a hell of a (HOT) walk to the beach/town.
Here are some pics from last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sendintheclouds/sets/72157606595919571/
Is anyone selling a camping ticket for Beni this year?
Out of all our mates, there's one who hasn't bought his yet and wasn't expecting it to sell out as early.
Would be great if anyone's selling one for face value or for a slightly inflated price. PM me or reply on here.
Cheers.
I also know someone in the same boat.
PM me as well please.
Hire or not?
Me and 5 friends have had a rather insane idea to hire a car as it works out between us quite cheap although I am slightly concerned about where we will be able to park it whilst at the festival.Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?First time at Beni so all comments welcome!Cant wait-woop woop!!
if you speak to the organisers in advance you reserve space
for vans etc near CampFib. Not sure if it applies to cars.
Last years our Spanish mates stayed on a campsite that was not associated and paid for it (it was gorgeous, had a pool and really cheap), you can park up next to your pitch there but it would mean parking on the car parks at the festival and driving back the next morning ot your site. Prob not best idea.
There are tons of spaces on the car parks but we've only parked when we've been down with them and one of them didn't drink so always drove us back the next day - so I don't know if you can park there for say the whole festival.
Email the organisers....
However why would you want the car? Just to get to the and from the airport? Not much point unless you're driving on to somewhere else afterwards to be honest.
We're thinking of renting cars this year,
Can get them quite cheap and it means we don't have to arse around waiting for trains/coaches and can leave when we want.
I seem to remember people parking right next to the campsite (camp fib) last year but may have imagined it! Would be worth finding out, it won't be much fun if the car park is too far away from the campsite.
Help we need somewhwere to sleep
Hi Everyone. My self and my lovely girlfriend are rather worried as we got the last of the four-day tickets a couple of weeks ago just before they sold out. We were made up and we're really excited about going (My second time her first). The tickets however are the four-day 'no camping rights' ones. We would have prefered to camp for the atmosphere and being seasoned festival goers but it was not to be as they all sold out before we had the chance to get them. Instead We just thought we would have to spend a little more and spend the weekend in a hotel. (To be honest i was actually thinking yay to air con and a proper bed!) But we cannot find a single available hotel/hostel ANYWHERE in Benicassim for that weekend. Looked everywhere on avery conceivable website. Everything just says fully booked!! Really rather worred now as trains, flights and festival tickets bought.......but were are we meant to get our head down??!!??! Someone mentioned there are websites in Benicassim that you can pay to use once there, but i'm still worried about leaving that to the last minute. PLease any advice anyone??! Should i call the Benicassim tourist board or something?. Thanks A
correction to last thread
I actually meant 'campsites' you can pay for once you get to benicassim, not 'websites'. Thanks.
There's a LOVELY campsite
called boneterra but it's a bit of a pain to get to if you don't like walking. Though you could walk down to the Fib campsite and get the bus from there or hire a bike as they were hiring them out at the festival site last year.
My Spanish friends ALWAYS stay here and it's fab!
They're going somewhere else this year just to be a bit closer as they've been on this one for 14 years and can't be bothered anymore. I'll let you know if they find anywhere else that's closer.
http://www.bonterrapark.com/w/principal-uk.htm
Have you linked to that before?
I've seen it, it looks amazing!
I may have done
I remember being pretty impressed with it last year. We stayed one night when we met our mates there, having a pool and a proper bar, and hairdryers in the toilets...well it was just all too much for me! :-)
by the way
this isn't CampFib or anything, this is an independent campsite.
Thanks Scout!
Thanks for the reply! A friend of mine mentioned this place. People keep telling me i just need to show up on the thursday, pay our fees and will get a spot on the site. But again my girlfriend and her mates are somewhat nervous about not gettign things sorted before we fly (daft I know!). I have just been on the website and says can't book for that weekend.......take it there just not allowing booking and could prfob get a place when we turn up? I do believe its a good campsite though and pretty chilled. questions questions!!
I wouldn't worry too much,
You'll have tents/sleeping bags etc so if worst comes to worst you just have to find a patch of grass somewhere to crash on.
Why is Campfib so good??
I was at the festival lasy year and went straight to BeniCamp as it was closest to the festival. Was great there but keep hearing the Campfib is the place to be. Can someone explain why its so good??
I find myself asking this question too
and i've stayed on the both of them. I hated it!
The showers are in proper cubicles so if you want a shower you have to queue for AGES. They cram you in even more on the grass too.
However, the bar is pretty good and its a bit more campsite like than BeniCamp. BeniCamp used to be a lot better but the passed few years they've been shoving more and more people onto the sites and to be honest they've all got good and bad points, and it's only a place to leave your bags anyway.
Well it is for us, we leave the festival, change in the tent and head straight for the beach where we sleep all day, shower there and then quick change in the tent again and back to festival. So really it doesn't matter!
i know dead ont he stairs
But have you tried tellinfg a bunch of liverpool girls that we'll just find a patch of grass? Jibbed off!! lol
more of a pickle
Hi everyone need more help..... again!!
Our flight arrives in Barcelona on the Thursday 16th at 10.25 am I was just about to book the train (12.00pm) to Benicassim from Barcelona's main train station. But its sold out!! And so is the next one at 3pm!! The only train avaialble is at around 17.30 later that evening - which would get us into Beni far too late...and the other is at 11am, - 30 mins after we get off the plane so cutting it too I think..... arghhhh!!
Help!! How can four of us get to Benicassim from around midday Thursday from Barca without breaking the bank? Or you reckon we could catch the 11am train from barcelona if we arrive at the Airport at 10.25 am? Any help or advice would be really great. Antony
!!
also...
someone mentioned eufest that are like a coach tranfer people going from the main airports to the festival. sounds a bit dodgy to me, anyone been with them?
I assume you've looked into booking
1st class train tickets. we did this a couple years ago and it was only about 40euros more expensive which at the time was about £25. got ourselves a nice meal and a couple free drinks to wet the whistle on the journey.
I'm hiring a car now. 160 euros for the whole week. There's 4 of us so 40 squid each. Not bad. Even standard class was 33 euros each - each way from Barcelona. so blow that!
car hire for 160 euros?!
Where the hell did you find that?! Been looking for the last month and can't find anything cheaper than £370 or so... admittedly that is for ten days but still!?
Yeah me too, even on themoneysupermarket site you recommended?
Looks like I'm gonna do the whole 'sitting in the train station for hours' thing again...
I have a spare 9 day camping ticket if anyone's interested.
One of my (computer illiterate) mates has now dropped out because he can't afford to go, long story but he won't be persuaded otherwise.
It's an e-ticket so he doesn't want to sell it on eBay, as they don't seem to be making face value, which is all he wants for it.
PM me or reply if interested.