Beach bars. Love ’em. Love the fancy ones, love the new ones, love the old ones, but the ones we love the most are the ones that are built with a unique Caribbean style.
The following are bars we’ve had the pleasure of spending time at, of wandering through while sipping a rum drink and marveling at the structure and “decorations”. Many have been built by the loving hands of their owners with the help of their friends and family. Some look like they would blow down in a stiff wind and at least one was and was erected again. But all have that laid back, relaxed, Caribbean character. Have you visited any of these unique bars?
As unique as the man who owns it, the Bomba Shack on the West end of Tortola is an eclectic mixture of materials donated by friends and found by Bomba himself. If you stop by during the day, you can enjoy a beautiful view of Capoon Bay and Jost Van Dyke. If you’re looking for a party, be sure to stop by and sample one of the legendary full moon parties!
See more photos of the Bomba Shack here
We stumbled across this one while exploring the beaches on the West side of Antigua. OJ’s Beach Bar & Restaurant is located on a beautiful beach in Crabb Hill and is a virtual explosion of shells, netting and other sea adornments. We didn’t have the chance to sample a beverage here that day, but can imagine we would have enjoyed sipping rum while taking in the décor! We’ll be posting more photos of this one soon.
It’s hard to know what to look at first when you walk into Foxy’s, located in Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke. This very popular bar is decked out with flags, shirts, stickers and a host of other memorabilia left by those lucky enough to have enjoyed time here. Live music, drinks made with Foxy’s Firewater Rum and the ultimate entertainer himself, Foxy Callwood, make this bar a must experience.
Read more about Foxy’s here
Buy an old bus, stick it on a beautiful beach and turn it into a bar? What a great idea! That’s exactly what the owners of Karacter Beach Bar on Simpson Bay in St. Maarten did. What a great place to hang out too! Karacter has picnic tables, beach chairs and umbrellas, delicious drinks (the Ti Punch and Rum Punch are tasty) and a prime spot on the beach. Great place to hang out for a sunny afternoon.
Check out our post on Karacter here
Simply fascinating. Jante Ramage, the owner and creator of Happy Island created, over a period of years, his own island out of conch shells in a shallow bay just off of Union Island. Accessible by small boat, you can visit Happy Island and enjoy a Rum Punch while gazing off into the clear blue water. Janti was more than happy to give us a tour of his entire compound which includes living quarters, kitchen and bathroom in addition to tables and chairs on the deck for his customers. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch an exciting kite surfer zooming right over your head!
Read more about Happy Island here
Tucked away on the far side of Long Bay Beach in Tortola, there’s a little establishment called Nature Boy Beach Bar. If it weren’t for the signs announcing it’s presence, it might be hard to see as it blends right into the foliage. The hours aren’t exactly set in stone, but it’s a small business and we were thrilled to pass by while Winston, the owner was behind the bar. We ordered two beers, sat in the blue chairs in front of the bar and chatted with Winston a while, while gazing at the beautiful beach Nature Boy Beach Bar sits on.
Read more about our visit to Nature Boy Beach Bar here
While strolling down Rendezvous Bay, Anguilla on our way to experience musician Bankie Banx’s bar, Dune Preserve, we spotted a small, extremely colorful shack. Originally we wondered if it were a lemonade or ice cream stand, but upon closer inspection, we learned it was a beach bar called Sunshine Shack. The name fit. Painted in bright Caribbean colors and murals and placed right smack in the middle of one of the prettiest beaches in Anguilla, we felt like we were basking in sunshine. We ordered a tasty Rum Punch and chatted with the very friendly owner, Garvey. Couldn’t stay long during that visit, but we’ll certainly spend more time at the Sunshine Shack on our next visit!
Located on the west side of beautiful White Bay, this fun and funky beach bar adorned with a variety of tee-shirts, buoys and other fun junk is a great place to hang out and enjoy a Bushwaker and Lobster Quesadillas. If owner Seddy is in the house – ask to see some of his magic tricks. It’s usually quieter on busy afternoons than bars farther down the beach making it a good place to catch a few moments of beach peace…
And last, but certainly not least, Floyd’s Pelican Bar in Jamaica. What would a list such as this one be without this ultra-cool bar, located 3/4’s of a mile out to sea on the SW side of Jamaica. Accessible only by boat (duh!), it is a marvel to behold and leaves one wondering how it stands during a storm. The planks of wood are carved with the names of those fortunate enough to make the trek out to the bar in the sea to enjoy a Red Stripe with a view like non other.
Read about our trip to Floyd’s here
Have you visited any of these beach bars? Tell us about it!
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