Beach bars in the Caribbean have three things in common: “cold beer, a potent rum punch, and a killer view of the sea.” Nothing beats sipping a cocktail with your feet in the sand and a live band competing against the roar of the ocean.
From crowded dive bars where the cocktails are cheap, to the laid back and low-key, these are the Caribbean beach bars we’re raising a glass to. Did someone say cocktails?
Deadmans Beach Bar & Grill
Peter Island, British Virgin Islands
Part of the Peter Island Resort and Spa, Deadman’s serves wood-fired pizzas, buffets, sandwiches and blended drinks. And located on a stunning Caribbean beach, they also offer beach delivery service.
Passing sailors often stop by for a drink. You should order the Coconut shrimp or a rum cocktail, the Peter Island Special.
Sunset Bar & Grill
2 Beacon Hill Road, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten
Located right next to the local airport, this bar is famous for it’s proximity to the jets and planes that fly directly over it. You can take in both an incredible view of the ocean while enjoying an incredible view of aircraft landing! Literally at the end of the airport runway, you can actually feel the planes take off.
The atmosphere here is anything-goes; as in beach party where bikini tops come off for free drinks! There is great food and quick service. The piña coladas are delicious.
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Bayside Beach Bar
Jalousie Plantation, St. Lucia
When you go on a holiday to St Lucia, you have to stop by Bayside Beach Bar at the Jalousie Plantation. The specialties here are mojitos and Creole-style tapas, served up either on a deck overlooking the Caribbean or right on the white sands of Sugar Beach.
Some visitors never get further than the hammocks, though!
Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 79, Noord, Aruba
This pier style beach bar offers breakfasts, lunches, dinner and late night cocktails along with various themed events and music nights.
It is located right on the water of Palm Beach and plays host to some of the best live bands on the island, with breathtaking sunsets as the perfect backdrop! Grab an early seat to catch sunset as they fill up fast. The local brews are Balashi and Amstel Bright.
Iggie’s
7150 Bolongo, St. Thomas
Iggies Beach Bar & Grill is constantly being awarded the title of “Best Beach Bar” in the Caribbean, so grab a barstool, breathe in the fresh ocean air, meet locals, mingle with visitors, order a bucket of VooDoo juice and let the good times begin!
Located a few feet from the water’s edge this is an island hot-spot both day and night. Iggies is the only place on St. Thomas where you’ll find live entertainment 365 days a year. Catch a famous “Bands in the Sand” concert, or their monthly Full Moon party.
It’s an upbeat indoor-outdoor venue boasting eclectic eats, live entertainment, sports on TV & theme nights. Wednesdays are Carnival with steel pans, limbo dancing, costumes, & games.
Soggy Dollar
British Virgin Islands
Home of the famous ‘Painkiller’ rum cocktail, this popular beach bar is known for its musical connections and welcoming atmosphere. It’s a touristy bar, but an icon where you HAVE to grab a drink.
It serves the best Pain Killers and Margaritas on the island, and is located on a spectacular beach with warm, friendly service.
Bomba Shack
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
The famous Bomba Shack is a beach bar serving cocktails from a surfside shack which has been built with love and whatever scrape material that happened to be laying around the island.
It’s essentially a liquor stand assembled from driftwood on the beach. It’s a cultural icon for drinking and letting loose on the West End. Don’t miss the full moon parties here.
Le Petibonum
Plage du Coin 97221, Le Carbet, Martinique
Serving the best Caribbean food of any beach bar in the region, this is a casual drinking hole with French & Caribbean influences. It’s part French bistro, part beach shack, and you should definitely book in advance.
Rick’s Cafe
W End Rd, Negril, Jamaica
Rick’s Cafe is an iconic beach bar on the West End cliffs high above Negril. It’s known for cliff diving and is often touted as the best bar in the world.
Order Rick’s famous Planter’s Punch, a secret mix of rum and fruit juices. Their menu features Caribbean and international cuisine are served from the best vantage point on the island to watch the sunset.
Pusser’s Landing
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
With views out over the water, and simple wooden surrounds, this is a nautical-style bar where sailors dock in the harbor & head straight to the bar.
There is a basic Caribbean menu. You should order a painkiller cocktail in a souvenir naval cup.
Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack
The Strip, Frigate Bay, St. Kitts
This is a relaxed beach bar serving local seafood & Caribbean dishes, a short walk away from Frigate Bay resorts. It’s part of a small local chain and serves incredible island food on the beach.
Grab a picnic table on the sand for killer barbecued ribs and grilled Caribbean lobster. It’s a shack but the food is great.
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Photo credits: Ricks Cafe by Chris Ford via Flickr.
26 Comments
I scrolled through here just to make sure Rick’s made the cut! I’ve never made it to the Caribbean, but it’s very much on my radar.
Love the beach and love drinking. This list is going to come in super handy when I do eventually make my way there.
Wouldn’t be a list without Rick’s! If you love the beach and drinking, Caribbean beach bars sound like your perfect combo … hope you have the chance to travel soon! You could turn this into a bucketlist :D
It cant better that having a Martini by the sea. There are a few shacks in Goa and Thailand as well. But the vibe in Jamaica must be different.
Totally agree! I haven’t yet made it to beach bars in Goa and Thailand, so will be interesting to compare the vibes from one side of the world to another :)
You got me with the first two words – beach bars. Yes, I’m in! Even better that they’re in the Caribbean. There’s something exotic and romantic about sipping cocktails on the beach on an island. Rick’s Cafe in Jamaica looks like a top spot.
Haha it’s a bit like that isn’t it!! I know, you could sit me on a beach with a cocktail in my hand and I would be happy for life!! Rick’s is definitely a top spot :)
Great list. Sunset Bar in Sant Maarten is pretty awesome. We’d also say the Tiki Bar on Rockley Beach and the Reggae Beach Bar & Grill on Cockleshell Beach in St. Kitts should be on the list of top bars.
Thanks Lance :) And thanks for the heads up on the beach bars in St. Kitts – will have to visit them on our next trip!
Great list! Looks like irrespective the time of day one can Bar-hop. Caribbeans is definitely on my list . I just don’t have the date yet :) :) . Rick’ cafe does ot look like your regular beach bar. May be one could do cliff jumping from the bar itself. :)
Thanks Nisha :) Yep, it doesn’t matter what time of day, most of these are open for breakfast or at least lunch, and stay open throughout the night. So you could head to Ricks and have lunch, do a cliff jump, and then enjoy sunset drinks too :D!
This has me dreaming of tapas and cocktails! I think I need a return trip to the Caribbean.
See you there when you do :D!
Lol, some of these bar names made me giggle… I would do any of them and do them right about now! ;)
Haha some are a little bit edgy for sure :D
These beach bars look so amazing. I would love to travel around the Caribbean and visit some of these.
Hope you have the chance to organize some island hopping soon :)
Useful cocktails recommendations for a Caribbean trip. Sometimes during travel picking up the best drink while enjoying and lounging can be really a tough task. The list of beach bars present the promise of some spirited times :) The Tips and recommendation provided will be very much useful.
Definitely many to choose from that’s for sure, so yes, actually narrowing down where you want to go can sometimes be the hardest task!
I’m not really big on beach bars but that Rick’s Cafe is definitely a must visit in my opinion. Looks so beautiful! I even might try cliff diving just for the heck of it haha.
Just make sure you don’t have too many cocktails before the cliff diving :D Alochol and jumping from rocks sounds like a fun combination lol though always better to have the fun, then relax with a drink :D!
Yayyyy a bar from Martinique made the list! ^_^
After your own heart! :)
Shipwreck Beach Bar in St. Kitts. And something about Jack’s Shack in Grand Turk. Just love the atmosphere there, and the conch fritters :) And Floyd’s Pelican Bar in Jamaica :)
Thanks for the recommendations Heidi :) Can’t wait to get back for some more island and beach bar hopping! :)
These looks great, and whilst some seem similar it’s the house cocktails that no doubt make it worthwhile!
There’s amazing bars all around the Caribbean, especially in some of the off-beaten track places like Belize and Curacao, which I was lucky to visit with work and other ventures. Funnily enough, all beach bars there had their own special killer cocktails too, must be a theme!
Thanks for sharing your list, and maybe may make it back over that way to drop a few more Full Moon parties
Keep up the great work :-)
Absolutely – beach bars across the Caribbean may have very similar characteristics from the outside, but the house cocktails definitely set them apart!
Awesome to hear Belize and Curacao have their own killer cocktails too … hopefully I’ll also have the chance to head back for another round soon :)