Caribbean’s True Beach Bar Capitals

Some are filled with them. For others, they’re a rarity. While we all love a great beach bar, not every island is a true beach bar destination — where the beach bar is an art form, and where pilgrims make their way to the best ones.

A Guide to the Best Islands

We like to consider ourselves beach bar experts, and that’s probably because we’ve visited more of them than just about anyone else on the planet, making a point to check out new ones and old reliables whenever we’re on the ground in the Caribbean.

Finding the Best Islands for Beach Bars

Whether you’re beach-bar-hopping on a tiny island in the BVI, or enjoying the gourmet watering holes in the north of Martinique, consider this your guide to the Caribbean’s true beach bar capitals. Note, of course, that we mention several standouts on each island, but this is a guide to the islands themselves, not a comprehensive ranking of the best beach bars. (Fear not, we do that every year, too).

Le Petibonum in Le Carbet, Martinique.

Martinique: A Hidden Gem

Martinique may not be the first name you expected. But Martinique’s beaches just might be one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean. It’s not a small island, and the place just teems with picture-perfect beaches: the chain of white-sand stunners called Anses d’Arlet, the tourist capital of Trois Ilets, the charming southern town of Diamant, the beloved beach shacks in Le Carbet. All of them are blessed with beautiful sand — and all of them come with an outstanding array of toes-in-the-sand spots: think Ti’ Sable in Grand Anse; Le Petibonum in Le Carbet; Barracuda in Trois Ilets; the list goes on and on, and you can visit the island five times and not even come close to seeing them all.