Feet in sand, cold beer in hand鈥攄oes life get any better? Not really, which is why the highlight of a tropical beach vacation is often the moment you stumble upon a simple beach bar where the lobster is perfectly done, the proprietor tells stories for hours, and the drinks are tasty but lethal. No matter if you鈥檙e camping on the beach, Airbnb-ing it, or bunking at the Four Seasons鈥攁 beach bar without pretense is always a crowd-pleaser. Serendipity is, of course, part of the thrill鈥攕o we can鈥檛 help you there, but here are eight so good they鈥檝e made a name for themselves (some even have websites!) and are worth seeking out.
The Soggy Dollar, British Virgin Islands
This in Jost Van Dyke (the smallest of the four main British Virgin Islands) earned its name by merit of its access route: You had to swim there. Once you鈥檙e good and salty, the drink to ask for is the painkiller, said to have been invented here in the 1970s. It is made of dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, orange juice, and freshly ground Grenadian nutmeg. Don鈥檛 have your own boat to moor nearby? There are ferries and water taxis from Beef Island and St. Thomas鈥攂ut you鈥檒l still get wet.
La Huella, Jos茅 Ignacio, Uruguay
More than a dozen years after opening, the beachfront is still the epicenter of the scene in Jos茅 Ignacio, the thinking man鈥檚 exclusive alternative to casino and tourist riddled Punte del Este. The kind of place you go to unwind without hordes of people. It鈥檚 an accomplished restaurant serving top-notch sushi, South American-style grilled meats, homemade bread, and vegetables from a nearby organic farms. Book well in advance.
Scilly Cay, Anguilla
Eudoxie Wallace calls every woman who sets a foot in the sand of his 鈥淕orgeous,鈥 and he somehow gets away with it. That鈥檚 the first thing you need to know about this Anguilla institution, which Eudoxie and his wife, Sandra, have run for nearly three decades. It鈥檚 become such an Anguillan institution that the Wallaces run boats from the mainland, for visitors to feast on decadent lunches of lobster, crayfish, and chicken. (Skip the chicken. The crustaceans are enormous and delicious).
Pelican Bar, Jamaica
鈥淏each bar鈥 is a bit of a misnomer for this . It鈥檚 a quarter mile from the beach鈥攚ell, from any landmass鈥攁nd 20 minutes by boat from Jakes hotel on Treasure Beach. The proprietor is a local fisherman-turned-barman named Floyd, and it鈥檚 hard to believe the charmingly dilapidated structure is still standing. Stay for a dinner of fried fresh fish鈥攑ossibly a fish that you鈥檝e caught yourself (bring gear) or by one of the fishermen who ferry guests out to the bar.
Sunshine鈥檚 Bar and Grill, Nevis
The owner鈥攃alled Sunshine himself鈥攚on鈥檛 tell you what鈥檚 in his signature drink, the Killer Bee, beyond 鈥渟ome rum, some passion fruit juice, then some more rum,鈥 but you should take his word for it. There鈥檚 a reason has become a Caribbean standout in the 12 years its been around. Sunshine still serves his potent cocktails under a thatched-roof bar that鈥檚 been through five hurricanes and two fires, and still fires up the same barbecue grills that got him started.
Bar do Ulysses, near Ubatuba, Brazil
Close to the cool colonial town of Paraty and the surfer city of Ubatuba, embodies the dream of barefoot Brazilian lifestyle. The best way to arrive is by boat from the nearby dreamy small hotel Pousada Picinguaba; the captain of the hotel鈥檚 schooner will call ahead to arrange for fresh grilled squid and icy Brahma beers to be waiting. There are hammocks on the beach for post-prandial lounging, as well as an easy access point for stand-up paddling.
La Gloriette, St. Barth
A welcome respite from all the dressed-up, champagne-spewing bars on St. Barth, is a classic feet-in-the-sand kind of establishment. The menu doesn鈥檛 extend much further than pizza: the ambitions here are refreshingly in check.
John Moore Bar, Barbados
It looks more like a gas station, but is one of the favorite bars on the island. Brightly painted but simple, the longtime rum shop is now a social community for its regulars and tourists who come to sample the Caribbean鈥檚 finest by the glass. There鈥檚 fresh local fish to soak up the booze.