There are countless reasons to travel to the Caribbean. But on cold winter afternoons, one image manages to slide into our imaginations more frequently: a cold rum punch at the edge of the Caribbean Sea.
Beach bars just call to so many frequent travelers to the Caribbean, conjuring up dreams of toes-in-the-sand cocktails, endless afternoons bobbing in the ocean and just-caught fish.
While it’s no easy feat to choose the best beach bars in the Caribbean, we’ve whittled down hundreds of bars into our preferred 25 for 2023, offering up a diverse selection of everything from gourmet eateries on the sand to tiny rib-and-rum shacks.
What’s your favorite beach bar in the Caribbean? Let us know your favorite at rum@caribjournal.com.

Maho Crossroads, St John There is no beach bar in the Caribbean quite like this one, set on what is easily one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the region: Maho Bay in St John. This low-footprint bar has become a new Caribbean beach bar Mecca, with its beloved CocoMaho and its fabulous beach bar on Maho’s sugar-white sands.