The world’s 10 best beach bars

If your thoughts are drifting towards sandy coasts, emerald seas and cold cocktails, let this list of the world’s best beach bars spur your imagination.

Our pick of the world’s 10 best beach bars includes a hut situated hundreds of yards off the Jamaican coast and one of the most remote pubs in Wales

While some people might be happy to enjoy a somewhat tepid beer from a cooler bag with the sand in their toes, others seek a little more glamour and atmosphere on their seaside excursions.

From haphazard shacks made from driftwood and shells, to stylish bars which are the playground for some of the world’s wealthiest jet-setters, we run through some of the world’s best beach bars.

This list includes venues in the usual luxurious Caribbean and Mediterranean settings, as well as the more unlikely locations of rainy Wales and landlocked Berlin.

Click through the following pages to see our roundup of 10 of the world’s best beach bars. Got a favourite bar which hasn’t been included? Let is know by leaving a comment below.

The Pelican Bar – Negril, Jamaica

Voted the world’s best beach bar by Cheapflights.com, Jamaica’s The Pelican Bar, although somewhat dishevelled at first appearance, sits on a sandbar several hundred yards off the island’s stunning Treasure Beach, along the southwest coast. Eager patrons are required to take a short boat journey to visit the bar, which offers a selection of delicious seafood, beers and cocktails. It is named after the flocks of pelicans that rest on the sea banks. However, due to the remote spot of the bar, there is no toilet and customers are required to relieve themselves at sea.

Badeschiff – Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s very own city centre beach Badeschiff floats on the River Spree. With imported sand, deck chairs and an open air bar, Badeschiff channels the beach way of life in the industrial, landlocked German capital of Berlin. A giant rectangular pool stretches out into the river, while guests are able to float atop huge rafts relaxing on hammocks and towels. The bar opened in 2004 as an art project organised by the Stadtkunstprojekte (City Art Project Society) of Berlin and was created by local artist, Susanne Lorenz, with Spanish architects AMP and Gil Wilk.

Ty Coch Inn – Porthdinllaen, Wales

Any beach bar in the UK might be a surprising inclusion on this list. Wales’s tiny Ty Coch Inn – Welsh for Red House – sits on Porthdinllaen beach, near Nefyn, North Wales, and is one of the most remote beach bars in Britain. To get the the pub, thirsty patrons must walk nearly a mile across the beach or cross a golf course on top of headland to reach it. Ty Coch Inn started life as a vicarage in 1823 but became a pub in 1842 to cater to shipbuilders working at a nearby harbour. The bar made headlines when it swiped third place in Cheapflights‘ list of the world’s best beach bars.

Dune Preserve Beach Bar – Anguilla, Caribbean

Opened by reggae artist, the “Anguillan Bob Dylan”, Bankie Banx in Rendezvous Bay, the Dune Preserve Beach Bar is a patchwork of driftwood old fishing boats and shells. The rustic venue is famed for its live music, chicken, ribs, drinks and warm Caribbean hospitality. Bankie Banx himself can even be found relaxing in the bar, and performs on Wednesday nights. Famed for its relaxed, cool atmosphere, The Dune Preserve has quickly become a firm favourite among Anguilla visitors. The bar was even voted the world’s #1 beach bar by CNN Travel.

Baba Nest – Phuket, Thailand

Based in Thailand’s tourist hotspot Phuket, Baba Nest offers an escape from the hoards with its rooftop setting. The bar features a long deck stretched out over an infinity pool, which in turn seemingly stretches across the ocean, offering panoramic views of Phuket and the beautiful surrounding islands. An exclusive selection of high-end cocktails, fine wines and Champagnes should get the evening started.

Ponta dos Ganchos – Florianopolis, Brazil

Part of high-end Brazilian resort, the Ponta dos Ganchos bar is located on a private peninsula on the country’s glamorous Emerald Coast. Surrounded by lush green hills, sand dunes and turquoise water, the bar is described as one of the most romantic in the world.

Purobeach – Tivat, Montenegro

On a spotless coastline looking out across the Andriatic sea sits the glamorous Purobeach in Tivat, Montenegro. Shirking the somewhat rustic image of some of the other inclusions on this list, Purbeach boasts a luxurious, modern design. Guests are catered to around an infinity pool which appears to spill out into the calm ocean.

Shimmy Beach Club – Cape Town, South Africa

Frequented by glamorous jet-setters, Cape Town’s Shimmy Beach Club features whisky and vodka tasting rooms, two bars, a fine dining restaurant, an outdoor stage, infinity pool and private beach. With beautiful sea views and sights of Cape Town’s mountainous terrain, the venue is a perfect place to relax and unwind in the day, before quickly turning into a lively nightlife hotspot, with appearances by some of the area’s most sought-after DJs. There’s even parking for helicopters – indicative of the bar’s high-end clientele.

The Rock Bar – Bali, Indonesia

Said to offer “360 degrees of sheer glamour on the rocks”, The Rock Bar is precisely what it claims to be – a bar built on a jagged, rocky ledge against which giant waves from the Indian Ocean slam. A firm favourite since it opened in 2009, the venue is located in the Ayana Resort amid an expansive tropical garden that extends 1.3 kilometres along the Jimbaran coastline of south Bali. Delectable cocktails created by experienced bartenders include the sake-based Harakiri and the Cognac-based Hot Couture.

Z-Plage – Cannes, France

The pier cabana bar is located in the heart of the stylish, celebrity-filled city of Cannes, in the south of France. Part of the five star Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez, restaurant and bar Z-Plage is a perfect place for those who want to see and be seen to enjoy a liquid lunch. The venue’s trendy restaurant focuses on fresh local ingredients and summer-inspired dishes. Z-Plage, situated on the Boulevard de la Croisette, has long-been considered one of the most exclusive beach bars in the world.