It may seem like a list of 50 beach bars is a lot. But when we finished compiling this momentous list, we weren’t even breathing hard. That’s because the Caribbean is the beach bar capital of Planet Earth, and we could easily have placed another 100 beach bars on here. But these are our favorites, whether it’s because of the beach itself, the famous cocktail, the food, the service, or the personalities. The primary prerequisite? The bar has to be located on the beach itself — not just on the water, or across the road from the beach. There has to be sand! These are the Caribbean beach bars we’re raising a glass to. Here they are: the 50 best best Caribbean beach bars.
The Soggy Dollar Bar — Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
This isn’t just a beach bar. It’s a legend. It’s a place that attracts pilgrims from all over the world to taste its famous Painkiller; it’s set on a spectacular beach in Jost Van Dyke; has warm, friendly service; and makes every guest feel like a proud adventurer. It’s the best beach bar in the Caribbean.
Le Petibonum — Martinique
Guy Ferdinand’s beach bar in Le Carbet is a work of art; everything is done with the eye of an aficionado, from the selection of rums to the menu, which offers the best and most imaginative food of any beach bar in the region.
Sunshines Beach Lounge — Nevis
This bar is about two things: the eponymous host, Sunshine, a famous figure in St Kitts and Nevis, and his secret-recipe Killer Bee, a sweet rum cocktail that packs a serious punch.
Ti’ Robinson — Guadeloupe
This is the Caribbean’s great secret beach bar — not even those in the know know about it. Pay a fisherman a few Euro and he’ll take you to this tiny islet off the coast of Grand-Terre, Guadeloupe, home to Ti’ Punches and fresh grilled lobster.
Juanillo Beach, Food & Drinks — Dominican Republic
Tucked away in the tony Cap Cana enclave of Punta Cana, this is a laid-back, bohemian beach bar with a surfer’s soul. And the snow-white Playa Juanillo doesn’t hurt its case.
Sunset Bar and Grill — St Maarten
It’s one of the most famous bars in the Caribbean: Sunset, where thousands upon thousands enjoy their beach cocktails and watch the big jets land right over the heads at SXM Airport.
Cow Wreck Beach Bar — Anegada, British Virgin Islands
Caribbean beaches don’t get much better than Cow Wreck Beach on the island of Anegada. Sit back on one of the bar’s colorful chairs, grab a Wreck Punch and enjoy the show.
Dune Preserve — Anguilla
Music star Bankie Banxx, Anguilla’s Minister of Cool, is the man behind this beach bar-music complex that’s almost beyond classification. But it’s also a destination in its own right.
Garvey’s Sunshine Shack — Anguilla
It’s no surprise that one of the Caribbean’s best beach destinations should have quite a few entries on this list. Garvey’s is a terrific little beach shack on a magnificent stretch of Rendezvous Beach.
Foxy’s Tamarind Bar — Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
It’s home to the most famous New Year’s Eve party in the Caribbean, but this legendary bar on Jost Van Dyke is a classic beach bar the other 364 rkys of the year, too.
Da Conch Shack — Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
You simply haven’t been to Providenciales if you haven’t been to Da Conch Shack, the venerable beach bar where the conch is caught right before your eyes, then washed down with the bar’s famous rum punch.
Nippers — Great Guana Cay, The Bahamas
What’s so great about the Abacos’ Great Guana Cay? This beach bar and restaurant, where the notorious “Nipper Juice” packs a real punch.
Cosmo’s — Jamaica
In Negril, this beachfront institution has been dishing up heaping plates of curried goat and fried conch for more than 30 years, but it’s also the perfect place to just kick back and survey the scene with a Red Stripe in hand.
Chat n Chill — Exuma, The Bahamas
Pair a Kalik (or three) with this Stocking Island, Exumas’ beach bar’s legendary conch salad, made fresh with orange juice instead of the traditional lime.
Goatie’s — Petit St Vincent, St Vincent and the Grenadines
You might not be able to afford the rates at Petit St. Vincent (the tony private-island resort in the Grenadines), but you can surely afford to stop in for a beer at the resort’s relaxed beach bar, which is open to the public.
Gwens’ Reggae Bar and Grill — Anguilla
Beer, barbecue and one of the island’s best beaches at Shoal Bay East: What’s not to love about this easygoing Anguilla favorite (and its friendly proprietor)?
Que Fresco! — Tulum, Mexico
This beach restaurant and bar at Zamas hotel typifies the Tulum vibe: relaxed, carefree and addictive.
Elvis’ Beach Bar — Anguilla
This Sandy Ground beachfront tavern, converted from a class C racing sailboat, is where Anguilla’s reigning “king” presides, serving Ron Cortez-laced rum punch he claims is the best on the island.
Paradise Club — Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Set on a famous stretch of Cane Garden Bay in Tortola, this little beach bar has some of the best painkillers in the British Virgin Islands.
Bikini Beach – St Martin
Orient Bay is the beach bar capital of St Martin, but it’s also one of the epicenters of the Caribbean beach bar world. It all seems to happen here, and there’s none better here than Bikini Beach.
Alfred’s Ocean Palace — Jamaica
Come for the rum cocktails; stay for the live reggae shows, three times a week a this beach bar, restaurant and guesthouse midway along Negril’s famous seven-mile strip.
Lily’s Beach Bar — Martinique
It’s a bit of a secret — you have to walk through Fort-de-France’s La Batelière hotel and down a staircase to find it — but once you do, you’ll have discovered a hip, energetic beach bar that’s perfect for sunset-watching.
Basils Beach Bar — Mustique, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Basil. It’s a name that’s rather famous in this archipelago, and it’s well-deserved: Basil Charles has created the must-visit bar on the exclusive island of Mustique.
La Plage — St Barth
We can’t think of a better place to sip a planteur than at Thom Beach Hotel’s water’s-edge bar, where the drinks are as well put together as the crowd.
Bomba Shack — Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Famous for its full moon parties, Bomba Shack is in many ways the original beach shack. But a big part of the story here is Bomba, one of the Caribbean’s great characters.
Elodia’s Beach Bar — Anguilla
This bar on Shoal Bay East has one major claim: it just might have the best rum punch in all of Anguilla. The secret? The Disaronno, a welcome, unorthodox rum punch addition.
Jellyfish — Dominican Republic
This is a place with many sides. By day, it’s all about the beach. By night, the place converts into an upscale beach lounge. It’s got a funky vibe in large part due to its unique, two-story building, which is actually shaped like a jellyfish. And oh yeah, the food is sublime, too.
Ti Sable — Martinique
Set on Les Anses d’Arlet, one of the most beautiful stretches of beach in Martinique, this bar-and-restaurant is a wonderful mix of French and Caribbean cultures with seriously good food.
Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack — St Kitts
Set on St Kitts’ happening Frigate Bay, this laid-back bar is your gateway into the friendly, fun culture of the island. (Don’t miss the lobster).
Pirates Bight — Norman Island, British Virgin Islands
There’s just one thing on Norman Island: this bar. Just make sure you try a Pirate Punch before you leave (the one that comes in the pail).
Sandy Island — Anguilla
Take a small boat a few minutes from Sandy Ground in Anguilla, and you’ll discover beach bar paradise — a tiny speck of sand with its own beach bar. Your only problem will be deciding what’s better — the rum punch or the lobster.
Yellow Beach — St Martin
One of two beach bars on St Martin’s tiny offshore island of Pinel, Yellow Beach is a chic but relaxed bar and restaurant that even has its own tables right in the water.
The Wreck Bar at Rum Point — Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
This is Grand Cayman’s beach bar destination. The aptly named Rum Point is a place where you can spend the whole day. But most importantly, it’s the birthplace of the Mudslide cocktail.
Karibuni — St Martin
It’s right next to Yellow Beach on Pinel Island, but Karibuni offers its own beach bar expression. Here, the kitchen focuses on tapas and good old-fashioned BBQ.
Iggies Beach Bar — St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Iggies Beach Bar, attached to the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, is Ground Zero for beachside parties in St Thomas. Live music is a regular feature, and there’s always a friendly mix of locals and hotel guests.
Jack’s Bar — Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Let’s cut to the chase: Bequia is one of the coolest islands in the Caribbean, and Jack’s Bar on Princess Margaret Beach is its finest beach bar. Need we say more?
Scilly Cay — Anguilla
They say they sometimes serve 600 cups of rum punch every day on this little islet off Anguilla. We’re not sure if that’s a statistic or a challenge.
Lobster Alive — Barbados
It’s a place that defies definition: but there’s really two things to focus on at this Barbados institution: fresh lobster and live jazz. Right on the beach.
Potters by the Sea – Anegada, British Virgin Islands
This is a common first stop for sailors arriving to Anegada, as it’s just off the main dock. It’s also a great lobster spot on what may the Caribbean’s lobster capital.
Bequia Beach Bar —Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines
They won’t tell you how they make the rum punch at the beach bar of the Bequia Beach Hotel, but it’s among the region’s best with a hard-to-reach balance between sweet and bitter.
Hang Out Bar — Bonaire
One part beach bar and two parts windsurfing center, the Hang Out Bar at Jibe City will have you relaxed and chilled out within seconds. Located on beautiful Lac Bay, it’s a great spot whether you’ve just finished on the water or merely want to observe.
Sand Box — Prickly Pear, British Virgin Islands
This is located on a little island called Prickly Pear, and you can only get here by boat. It feels like something out of the end of a heist movie. There’s nothing here — just you and the bar.
Nirvana Beach Bar — Bahamas
Perhaps Nassau’s best-kept secret, this sits on a beautiful stretch of sand at the far edge of New Providence is great for cold Kalik and watching the planes land at nearby Lynden Pindling International Airport.
Karakter — St Maarten
Very close to SXM Airport, this eclectic beach bar is located in an old School Bus, and you’ll definitely get an education in Advanced Beach Bar Studies.
Jacqui O’s — Antigua
This is a sexy beach bar and lounge on one of the island’s prettiest beaches, Crabbe Hill, in plain view of Montserrat.
The Naked Fisherman — St Lucia
If there were an award for the Caribbean’s most exotic beach bar, this would be a front runner. Nestled between hills and the sea adjacent to the Cap Maison Resort, this place carves out its own unique identity as a top culinary beach bar.
Moomba Beach — Aruba
Aruba’s most famous beach bar is also its best beach bar. The best part? It’s even open for breakfast.
The Beach Bar — St John, US Virgin Islands
The best beach bar on St John offers great views in the heart of Cruz Bay. It’s as much a beach pub as a beach bar, and one of the very calm island’s hot spots.
Calmos Cafe — St Martin
While Grand Case Boulevard in St Martin is known for its haute-cuisine restaurants, it’s also home to Calmos Cafe, a nightlife hub perched right on Grand Case Beach with some of the best live music on the whole island (that goes well with Rhum HSE).
La Playita — Puerto Morelos, Mexico
A tiny corner of the fishing village of Puerto Morelos on Mexico’s Caribbean coast is home to this delightful beach bar right on the sand. And if you’ve made it all the way to this slide, you should probably head to your local beach bar. Cheers!