News

In Nevis, the Art of the Beach Bar

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - July 21, 2013

Above: Chevy’s Calypso Bar (all photos by CJ)

By Alexander Britell

NEVIS — Arms and legs shake, the rum flows freely, the music pulses and, if you concentrate, you can hear the soft reminder of the ocean just a few steps away.

This is Caribbean beach bar country. And here, just off the edge of famous Pinney’s Beach, is the largest concentrated population of beach bars in the Caribbean.

Per capita, that is.

The tiny island of Nevis, with a population of around 12,000, has made the beach bar into an art form, and this corner of the sand at Pinney’s is home to a growing number of them.

Above: Lime

Pinney’s Park? Pinney’s Avenue? The bar portion of the beach might still need a catchy title like neighbouring St Kitts’ “The Strip,” but every bar here is a standout: the world-famous Sunshine’s; the upstart Double Deuce, run by British chef Mark Roberts; Lime, the area’s musical centre and Chevy’s, the brainchild of a Calypso singer.

And there’s a good-natured but competitive rivalry between all of these sandy outposts – meaning visitors will simply have to divide their days evenly between them.

Above: Sunshine’s Beach Lounge

Sunshine, a local celebrity in his own right, has made his bar and restaurant into a Nevisian institution, the kind of place where visitors need to inscribe their names on the walls for posterity.

And Sunshine’s, just like the rest of Pinneys, is somewhere tourists and residents happily mingle together.

Sunshine, one of the local celebrities on this island, has perfected another staple of the Caribbean beach bar — the secret-recipe rum drink. And Pinney’s Beach is home to at least three of them.

Above: the Killer Bee

Sunshine’s Killer Bee first came about during an island-wide cocktail competition, and today it’s Sunshine’s sine qua non — and a drink that has inspired legions of competitors.

A few metres away is Chevy’s Calypso Bar, home of the Stinger Bee cocktail, whose recipe is also a trade secret. At Double Deuce, it’s the Stinger. At Lime, it’s the “Green Flash,” named after that moment just before dusk when the sun appears to glance off the edge of the ocean.

Above: Chevy at work

What do they all have in common? Deceptive strength (just wait a few minutes), and instant relaxation — something which comes in abundance in Nevis.

“Its the ultimate Nevisian experience,” Sunshine says of his beach lounge. “It’s what people expect —it’s a beach bar, something simple, something easy, for visitors and local people to mix.”

He’s right. There’s a general atmosphere of comfort here, where everyone is either a Nevisian or, quickly, an honorary Nevisian.

Above: Double Deuce

“We have the best food, we have nice people around here, we look after people, and we happy,” says Chevy, the man with the calypso background who opened his bar here in 2005, making it through Hurricane Omar (with a rebuild) and continuing to serve Stinger Bees inches from the sand.

Above: Lime dances to the tunes of local band Jazzique on Fridays

Nevis’ government says it is planning to expand the area, with enhancements on the way to add both new vending booths and fresh coconut trees.

Above: the Stinger Bee

ON A GOOD DAY during peak cruise season (Nevis has a small cruise access point in Charlestown), Lime alone gets “hundreds of people” per day, Jeffers says. The plan is to make that number increase, and turn this part of the island into one of Nevis’ go-to destinations, day and night.

Above: Lime’s Green Flash

“This area is going to be the place to be when you’re in Nevis,” Chevy says.

For Jeffers, it’s simpler.

“It’s growing fast,” he says. “It’s like Miami!”

Popular Posts w punta cana

A New All-Inclusive W Hotel Is Opening This Year in Punta Cana 

The first-ever all-inclusive W Hotel in the Caribbean is opening this year in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The hotel, part of a broad expansion for parent company Marriott International, is on the list of expected 2024 […]


Why Grenada Is a New Caribbean Luxury Hotspot

beach house silversands

From its world-renowned chocolate to its pristine beaches to a region-leading focus on sustainability, Grenada is as fascinating and unique as destination as you’ll find in the Caribbean.  But in the last few years, the lush Eastern Caribberan island has […]


5 Adults-Only Resorts to Visit Right Now in the Caribbean 

galley bay

Sometimes you just want that extra degree of serenity, of privacy, of seclusion. There is a reason, after all, that adults-only resorts are booming in popularity, particularly in the Caribbean: travelers want to know that when they arrive, they know […]


Related Posts caribbean rockefeller resort

This Former Caribbean Rockefeller Resort Is for Sale

In 1986, Laurance Rockefeller, the founder of Rock Resorts, developed 27 acres of prime beachfront land into what was for decades one of the sought after places to stay in the Caribbean. Now, the four-star, 150-room resort is for sale, […]


Vote for the 2024 Caribbean Green Awards, from Green Energy to Sustainable Hotels

caribbean green

Hotels serving organic food grown by local farmers. Airports powered by large solar fields. Pristine coastlines protected by marine parks. Real estate developments fueled by clean energy. It’s an exciting time for the Green movement in the Caribbean, a region […]


How to Fly Nonstop to Bonaire Right Now 

bonaire beach bars best

It’s easier than ever to fly to the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire right now, thanks to expanded service from a number of major carriers.  United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and WestJet are all currently operating service to […]


SUBSCRIBE!

Sign up for Caribbean Journal's free newsletter for a daily dose of beaches, hotels, rum and the best Caribbean travel information on the net.


No. Thank You