Party at sea: Festive floating bars in the Caribbean
When it comes to the Caribbean, there’s almost as much variety between floating bars as there is among bars in a large city. Some floating bars will slide a bottled beer in front of the customer and offer up a paper plate of grilled food, while others will go the elegant route, with signature cocktails and expertly prepared cuisine. Some bars are offshore, and can only be reached by boat, while others are on piers and jetties, surrounded on three sides by the Caribbean Sea, or are ships that set off from shore every day, ready to deliver a bistro-on-the-briny good time.
Floyd’s Pelican Bar – Jamaica
Floyd’s Pelican Bar on the south coast of Jamaica can lay claim to being the most intriguing and colorful floating bar in the Caribbean. From the shore, it looks like a tangle of flotsam and jetsam resembling the nest of a giant sea bird. Get up closer and you’ll catch a hint of movement and the glint of a Red Stripe bottle between rustic walls. The Pelican Bar sits on a sand bar about a quarter mile from shore, and is reached via boat. Passage can be arranged at the beachside hotel, Jakes, or by approaching boat owners on nearby Treasure Beach. Back in 2001, the bar was built by local fisherman Floyd Forbes. The image of a floating bar on stilts came to Floyd in a dream and with hard work and help from his fishing buddies, the Pelican Bar became a reality. Today it’s an amazingly serene spot to sit back with a brew or a rum punch, and enjoy a swim while Floyd fries up the catch of the day.
The Willy T – British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are noted for their Caribbean-inflected reserve. But every buttoned-down destination needs its escape valve, and in the BVI, it’s the William Thornton Floating Bar & Restaurant, affectionately known as the Willy T. The bar is docked in the waters of the southwest corner of The Bight, an anchorage found off the shores of Norman Island. The Willy T has been pouring drinks and serving meals since 1989. The first craft was a wooden Baltic trading vessel built in 1935, which sprang a leak and sank in 1995. The Willy T was subsequently reborn as a steel-hulled, 100 foot ship. Things can get raunchy aboard, and blue noses would probably find themselves paddling for shore in a hurry. In times gone by, women who dared to jump naked from the ship were given a William Thornton T-shirt. While the practice of jumping is officially forbidden, when Willy T shotskis prevail -- shotskis are a ski with four shot glasses glued to it, with four drinkers downing high proof alcohol at the same time -- anything can happen.
Pinchos - Aruba
Pinchos takes the floating bar concept beyond the white bar towel to white glove service and cuisine. Pinchos sits on a pier, suspended over the water, with the sea practically close enough to touch. This is chic seaside dining, complete with candlelight, tropical cocktails, and a grill menu offering unexpected fare, such as Pickled Cucumber and White Grape Salad, Seared Ahi Tuna, and Black Angus Filet Mignon with a Truffle Butter Sauce. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, there’s live music.
D-Boat - Antigua
Getting tanked takes on a whole new meaning aboard D-Boat, a former oil tanker docked at Antigua’s Shell Beach Marina. The ship has been scraped and repainted until it’s a gleaming entertainment machine that can deliver thrills for the whole family. In addition to having an open bar, D-Boat is something of a floating water park, with slides, rope swings, trampolines, and options for an off-boat snorkel. Day excursions can also include visits to Stingray Park, where passengers can get into the water to interact with live stingrays. For a real party-hearty atmosphere, check to see if D-Boat is having one of its full moon parties during your time on island, when the D-Boat transforms into a hip nightclub on the sea.
La Balandra – Bonaire
La Balandra is a floating bar that has a tenuous hold on shore, since it’s actually on a jetty that thrusts out on the sea. The floating bar aspect is accentuated by La Balandra’s design, which mimics a Spanish ship. It’s a good choice for those in search of a bit of elegance, since the setting is sophisticated, with an emphasis on dock-to-dish cuisine utilizing fresh-caught seafood. In fact, the chef usually picks and chooses from fishing boats pulling up beside La Balandra displaying the day’s catch, which might include everything from rainbow runners to lion fish. Breakfast is also served at La Balandra, and nocturnal bar flies may find it the perfect place to recoup after the excesses of the previous evening.