Tag Archives: bars

Jamaica Pelican Bar
Caribbean, Eat, Jamaica, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Beach Bars: Floyd’s Pelican Bar, South Coast, Jamaica

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Forget market research and business plans. Delroy Forbes didn’t have a grand design when he created the Pelican Bar- he just wanted a place where he could pull up his fishing boat, relax and enjoy a cool drink. Since no such place existed near Jamaica’s Parottee Bay, he set out to build one.

In 2001, he started gathering driftwood and cutting acacia and red mangrove branches, which he ferried out to a sandbar in the bay. Over the course of two months, he pieced together a ramshackle over-water structure that earned its name from the sea birds that soon arrived to roost on the roof.

His first customers were local fishermen, who stopped by to enjoy a cool Red Stripe beer in the shade after a long day on the water. Word got around, and tourists soon joined the mix. Delroy, who is better known by his nickname Floyd, added rum drinks and other spirits to the drink menu, including his signature Pelican Special (ginger beer, sugar, lime, ice and rum). From time to time, he’d also grill up some fresh fish.

In 2004 Hurricane Ivan took the place down to nothing. But soon after the weather cleared, Floyd and his friends gathered more wood and put the bar back together. Today, it remains as one of the Caribbean’s most iconic and original bars, attracting everyone from island fishermen to celebrities on holiday. Stop in and you’ll find Floyd hosting the party, which begins mid morning and can last until midnight.

 

Martinique Pointe du Bout Bar
Caribbean, Eat, Martinique, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Beach Bars: Coco Bar, Point de Bout, Martinique

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It’s the next best thing to going to sea. Perched on pilings in a quiet cove on the western edge of Martinique’s Pointe de Bout resort area, the iconic Coco Bar invites beach goers to abandon their chaise lounges in favor of a shaded over- water barstool. In addition to serving up a range of libations—many based on various combinations of local fruit juices and rums—the bar offers a tasty array of light fare with a French flair.

Midday, the atmosphere remains low key, but as evening approaches, this thatched-roof dock becomes one of the best places on the island to toast the sunset. And after that first indulgence, it’s easy to linger on into the twilight, savoring the refreshing ocean breezes and panoramic views as the lights of Fort-de-France twinkle in the distance.

Soggy Dollar Bar, BVU, Jost Van Dyke
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Eat, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Beach Bars: Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

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It’s hard to imagine how anyone relaxing in a beach chair overlooking White Bay could be feeling any pain. But that doesn’t stop patrons of Jost Van Dyke island’s Soggy Dollar Bar from ordering up a round of the Pusser’s Painkillers that have made this landmark watering hole one of the most famous in the Caribbean. The origins of this signature drink date to the 1970s, long before the island offered paved roads or electricity. Back then, the only way to reach this beach was to anchor nearby and row, paddle or swim ashore—assumedly with a pocket full of soggy dollars to pay for libations.

The bar’s original owner, Daphne Henderson, is credited with creating the savory juice and rum cocktail, which was later made famous by the founder of the Pusser’s Rum company. These days, patrons are less concerned with the history of the drink than with its effects. There are few better places in the world to relax on a sunny afternoon under the soothing influences of a Painkiller or two, with nothing more on the agenda than a few tries at the bar’s much-loved ring game, a dip in the bay, a nap in the sun… and perhaps another round of Painkillers.

St. Thomas Iggies at Dusk
Anguilla, Aruba, Caribbean, Eat, St. Kitts, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Five of the Caribbean’s Best Beach Bars for Live Music

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No island experience is complete without at least one night of we-be-jamming. And the best nights happen when you find just the right mix of atmosphere, energy, potent cocktails and bands so lively that you can’t sit down. We traveled, listened in and danced all night to find the best Caribbean joints delivering colorful atmosphere, good crowds and, of course, live music that keeps you in the party spirit until the wee hours. Read on to rock on.

Dune Preserve on Anguilla

Ladies, watch out: Bankie Banx is the famous founder of this open-air reggae joint on Anguilla, but it’s his son, Omari, who’s the main act now—and his looks are every bit as luscious as his voice. The wooden boat-like venue at Rendezvous Bay is cozy. Every seat is a good seat for watching the acts and the impromptu dancing happening in the aisles and in front of the stage. During the day, the beachside bar crowd is mostly tourists— many straight off cruise ships—but at night, it’s a mix of locals and visitors of all ages.

MooMba Beach Bar on Aruba

Dance with your feet in the sand at Aruba’s Palm Beach hot spot. The lineup of local acts playing Friday and Sunday nights constantly changes, but it’s within a category the bartenders jokingly call tropical rock. The scene here starts early, typically around 7 p.m., so you’ll find a more family friendly crowd. But that doesn’t mean the party is tame. Two bars—one big one under the restaurant’s large thatched roof and one out in the sand— make sure you always have a cold one to keep you in the mood to shake it.

Fort Christian Brew Pub on St. Croix

This dockside, open-air venue sees the biggest crowds on St. Patrick’s Day when they bring in five bands to keep the crowd boogieing all day. During high season, they offer live music four nights a week, including Friday and Saturday. Their regular acts include the one-man band of Kurt Schindler, whose music is a blend of calypso and reggae, and DJ Cypha, who spins his own mix of reggae and rap. Expect high energy from the crowd that’s mostly twenty-somethings off duty from the tourism industry. Earlier in the night, you’ll see a wider range of folks who come in for the five beers crafted on site.

Iggies Beach Bar on St. Thomas

Every night of the year, this restaurant, part of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, serves up live music right at the water’s edge. Wednesday is carnival night with steel-pan calypso music and moko jumbies—masked dancers on stilts traditionally believed to ward away spirits. Sunday sees the all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet, and any night is a good night to try the VooDoo Juice. Iggies is popular with visiting families thanks to the quick delivery of conch fritters, sliders and other island-y pub grub. Find the twenty-something set at the joint’s sand volleyball courts.

Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack, St. Kitts

Frigate Bay on St. Kitts is the place to be Friday night. Pretty much everyone looking to party—the expat community, locals and college kids—flocks to this beachside joint with live music. You’ll hear what’s known as soca music: a mix of calypso, soul and funk. Also, on Thursday, the beachside joint hosts bonfires, and Saturday, it’s karaoke night.

Jost Van Dyke Foxys, biggest parties in the caribbean
Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Central America, Honduras, Play, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Biggest Parties in the Caribbean

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Some say that just being in the Caribbean is a cause for celebration. True, but there are also times when crowds come together to escalate the revelry and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Here are seven of our favorite Caribbean parties. Mark your calendar.

New Year’s Eve at Foxy’s Bar on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

It’s the Caribbean’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Jost Van Dyke is a ferry ride away from Tortola, St. Thomas or St. John—sorry, there’s no airport or helipad, and no large hotels. The rest of the year, the island is sleepy, but for what Foxy’s calls Old Year’s Night. The limited supply of villas and beachfront campsites start to book up the preceding summer, and the anchorages fill up days in advance. For many, the play is to stay up and greet the dawn, then catch a morning ferry out. As for the party itself, it’s an all-night rager, fueled by painkiller cocktails and live reggae.

Carnival on Trinidad

Locals start hand-sewing their feathered and beaded costumes a year in advance. The two-day event takes place on the Monday and Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday and is preceded by days of elaborate pre-parties known as fetes. The energy is infectious thanks to nonstop soca music (think calypso, but faster). Anyone willing to flaunt their stuff can join the parade by signing up with a band and purchasing a costume, which can run from $250 on up. In a nod to the digital age, fete tickets, costume orders and band registration can even be made online.

Sunjam on Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

It’s one night only of all-night dancing, light shows and electronica music, held the first weekend of August. Started in 1996 as a free party organized by former island resident and house DJ Alun Gordon, the festival now draws around 1,500 die-hard fans, who must first make their way to the Honduran island of Utila by plane or ferry. The party is actually on the satellite island of Water Cay (uninhabited and ideal for camping the rest of the year), and local fishermen provide transport. The crowd is mainly twenty-somethings and the vibe backpacker, but all are welcome.

St. Patrick’s Day on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Seven flags have flown over St. Croix—none Irish—but that doesn’t mean the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in downtown Christiansted are anything short of epic. Most locals take the day off work; quite a few start the morning with Irish car bomb shooters. Pacing matters. The streets are shut for the parade that starts midday, followed by an outdoor after-party with live music sponsored by the Fort Christian Brew Pub.

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Four days, four nights and more than 200 boats from 32 countries. It adds up to the Caribbean’s largest regatta, held annually in early March since 1980. Bring your own boat, charter one or grab a slot on a pick-up crew. Otherwise, watch from a beach or spectator vessel. The finish line is just the beginning, as Apres Sail parties become warm- ups for nightly concerts that feature big-name artists and draw huge crowds to match. Past performers include Wyclef Jean, Shaggy and The Black Eyed Peas.

Junkanoo on Nassau, Bahamas

Junkanoo, a loud and lively street parade, happens throughout the Bahamas—and beyond in places like Key West, Florida—on Boxing Day (December 26) and again on New Year’s Day. The biggest celebration is on Nassau, where troops costumed in intricate crepe-paper creations compete for top honors as they move down Bay Street to the incessant rhythm of cowbells, goat-skinned goombay drums, whistles and brass. The action, known as a rush-out, gets started around 2 a.m. and continues on into midmorning. The crowd gets in on the action, and spectators soon become revelers.

Full Moon Parties at Bomba’s Shack on Tortola, British Virgin Islands

The mushroom tea isn’t as potent as it used to be, but that’s good—it’s easier to locate your dinghy come night’s end. The full moon parties at Bomba’s Shack, found on Cappoons Bay on Tortola, have a history dating back decades, explaining why sizable crowds appear every month for the live music. The place has a street-party feel thanks to a flow of revelers who spill from the beach and open-air bar to the grass on the other side of the dirt road where the stage stands. The average partygoer is mid-30s to 40s, and likely to come off a boat. These folks tend to party hard, and the rowdiness lasts well into the wee hours.

exumas, chat n chill, Bahamas bar
Bahamas, Bahamas-Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas-Out Islands, Caribbean, Eat, Trip Ideas

Best Beach Bars in the Bahamas

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Barefoot on the beach, keeping time to an island beat with a tasty libation in hand is the quintessential tropical vacation indulgence. Here are seven of the Bahamas’ best bars where you can do just that.

Nippers

best beach bars in the bahamas, Nippers, Abacos, BahamasGuana-Cay

Nippers overlooks the Atlantic on Guana Cay, Abacos. Photo: Debbie Snow

The view alone is intoxicating. Perched high atop a dune overlooking the blue Atlantic, Nippers is the place to spend the day on Guana Cay. Steps lead up from a sparsely-settled swatch of powder sand to a multilevel complex of decks, outdoor and indoor serving areas and a pair of swimming pools. Beach games, televised sports and live music add to the fun, creating at atmosphere that is festive but still family friendly.

Where: Great Guana Cay, Abacos

Must Try: Nipper Juice

Get There: Fly into Marsh Harbour airport, taxi and ferry to Guana Cay, short walk to the beach

Stay There: Dolphin Beach Resort on Guana Cay; Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour

Chat ’n’ Chill

Join the cruising crowd who take daily shore leaves from the sloops and trawlers that bob in adjacent anchorages. You’ll be rubbing shoulders with grizzled boat bums and CEOs alike, and the action spreads beyond the bar to the pine-shaded picnic tables and volleyball courts. Come for open-air worship on Sunday morning and stay for the pig roast, where banker-turned- restaurateur KB Bowe presides over the pit.

Where: Stocking Island, Great Exuma

Must Try: KB’s Rum Punch

Get There: Fly into Exuma International Airport, taxi to Georgetown, water taxi to Stocking Island

Stay There: St. Francis Resort on Stocking Island; Grand Isle resort or Sandals on Great Exuma

Nirvana

A respite from the hustle of Nassau and the swank of Paradise Island, Nirvana is an old-school board-and-thatch beach club where you can grab a bite, savor a cold one or rent a beach chair to enjoy access to the uncrowded—and otherwise inaccessible—Love Beach. The vibe is low key during the day, but the action heats up at happy hour, and the party can go well into the night.

Where: New Providence

Must Try: Margarita

Get There: Cab, rental car or the #10 bus from Nassau

Stay There: Compass Point Resort is next door; mid-range Blue Water Resort and Sandyport Beaches Resort are a few miles to the east

Billy Joe’s On the Beach

Billy Joe's, Grand Bahama

Billy Joe’s in Port Lucaya, Grand Bahama. Photo: Debbie Snow

This long-time landmark sits beachside, and in appealing contrast to the sleek, upscale Port Lucaya developments next door. There are no apologies for the rough plank flooring or plastic beach furniture because this place is all about direct water views, local music and what many consider the best conch salad in the islands.

Where: Lucaya, Grand Bahama

Must Try: Conch salad and a Kalik beer

Get There: Cab, rental car or stroll down the beach

Stay There: Pelican Bay and the Grand Lucayan are within walking distance; the value-priced Bell Channel Inn is a short cab ride

Bishop’s Big Boy Bar

It’s 45-minute pilgrimage east from Freeport to the quiet settlement of High Rock, where it may take a bit of searching to find Bishop’s Bonefish Resort. The reward is a near-deserted beach, and fresh run-and-juice concoctions served by Mr. Bishop himself. Rent snorkel gear to enjoy the reefs, then head over to the restaurant for some local seafood. It’s a no-frills place, but when sand, sun and sea are the focal points, you won’t miss the crowds, the DJs or the tiki torches.

Where: South shore, Grand Bahama

Must Try: Bahama Mama

Get There: Rent a car in Freeport and drive 25 miles east

Stay There: If quiet and simple are for you, book into Bishop’s adjacent seven-room resort

Sherri’s Paradise

The simple sundeck overlooking Bimini’s spectacular Radio Beach oozes island time; the adjacent yellow clapboard kitchen, with its variable hours and whatever-we-caught menu confirms the pace. Relax and order a cold one, because the cracked conch and lobster are worth the wait. You may want to linger even longer when there’s local music, or to catch a memorable sunset.

Where: Alice Town, Bimini

Must Try: Sherri’s Pina Colada

Get There: Fly to South Bimini and water taxi, or take a seaplane into the harbor

Stay There: Bimini Big Game Club remains the first choice while the future of Resort World is solidified

Pete’s Pub and Gallery

Pete's Pub, Abacos, Bahamas

Unique bar at Pete’s Pub, Little Harbour, Abacos. Photo: Debbie Snow

Eclectic doesn’t begin to describe Pete’s Pub and Gallery. Part beach bar, part art gallery, it features the works of Peter Johnson and his progeny, who form their bronze creations in the on-site foundry. Wade right into the harbor to cool off, climb the upper deck for water views, or walk the sandy path to the surf-washed Atlantic.

Where: Little Harbour, Abacos

Must Try: Pete’s Rum Blaster

Get There: Drive a half-hour south from Marsh Harbour or go by boat

Stay There: On site is Barnacle Bill’s Cottage, or the Abaco Club in Marsh Harbour

 

postcard inn Islamorada, best tiki bars in florida
Eat, Florida, Florida Keys, Sarasota, Trip Ideas

Best Tiki Bars in Florida

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Thatched roofs, bar stools and crazy concoctions, made with lots of potent rum, are what you’ll find at these old and new tiki bars. Set on the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, these Florida bars continue to attract the party folk. It doesn’t have to be happy hour to visit any of the on-the-edge-of-the-water bars, where making new friends gets easier with every sip.

Isle Tiki Bar, Islamorada

Back in the day the old salts packed this bar at the Holiday Isle Resort. And even after a 21st century face-lift and rebranding turned the property into the Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina, the outdoor Holiday Isle Tiki Bar with its thatched roof and vistas of the Atlantic Ocean continues to draw a crowd.

The Drink: Nothing will do but a Rum Runner, which supposedly was invented here.

Casey Key Tiki Bar, south of Sarasota

Any Saturday afternoon, the hogs are lined up roadside at the Casey Key Tiki Bar. Perched on an island between Casey Key and the mainland, the open-air bar is packed with the regulars in T-shirts and shorts and the visitors with signature Tommy Bahama attire. Squeeze in under the fringed roof or hang out on the little beach in the back, where doggies are welcome. 

The Drink: A pina colada on a hot sunny day works really well in this setting.

Stan’s Idle Hour, Goodland near Marco Island

If you’re on Marco Island on a Sunday, you have to make the drive to Goodland, an obscure spot made famous by the late Stan Gober when he opened Stan’s Idle Hour almost 30 years ago. This is a let your hair down kind of place where folks arrive by boat, bike and Benz to party the afternoon away with live music and curious conversation.

The Drink: You got to have the signature Stan’s Buzzard Punch, a concoction of light and dark rums, orange and pineapple juice and splashes of grenadine and sour mix.

Guanabanas, Jupiter

Definitely one of Florida’s more sophisticated choices, Guanabanas’ horseshoe-shaped bar is tucked behind thick tropical foliage under a palm-fringed roof just steps from the Loxahatchee River. Locals, from boaters to golfers, mix with visitors. During season, February to May, the line’s out the door.

The Drink: Topping the list is the My Wave Mojito, made with the Dominican Republic’s Atlantico Platino rum, muddled mint, lime juice and sugarcane.

Lido Key Tiki Bar, Sarasota

This tiki bar is right on the sand, so stroll on over sans sandals. One of the oldest around, the traditional Lido Key Tiki Bar was saved from bulldozers in 2003 by preservationists with help from the Ritz-Carlton, which now owns it. Guests from the hotel’s nearby beach club mingle with the locals who love this breezy Gulf-front spot.   

The Drink: Hurricane Category 5 is one of the strongest drinks served here. Banana, coconut, mango and pineapple rums get a 151-proof-rum floater, and the mix of orange, pineapple and cranberry juices disguises its potent character.