7 of the Best Floating Bars Around the World

Enjoy a drink at one of these watery watering holes, which include a taco shop in the Caribbean and a historic barge in the Hudson River

A double-decker bar with a thatched roof floating in a turquoise ocean

You’ll certainly be on Cloud 9 at this paradise in Fiji.

Photo by Ignacio Moya Coronado/Shutterstock

Is there anything better than getting out on the water, the wind in your hair, drink of choice in hand? Sounds like a dream to us. But when renting a boat isn’t an option, get to a floating bar. Some are anchored in the sea, so you can splash in between sips. Others are docked but still offer water views—and the convenience of being able to take the subway home after. From a Seine-side perch in Paris to a taco shack in the Virgin Islands, here’s where to have a drink while (gently) bobbing in the water—with no seasickness to fear.

Cloud 9

Mamanuca Islands, Fiji

No list of floating bars around the world would be complete without Cloud 9, which is where you’ll be after a sojourn here. The azure and turquoise water of the Roro Reef off Malolo Island, part of the Mamanuca archipelago, is staggeringly clear. This South Pacific paradise serves up local drinks, international DJs, wild water sports, and wood-fired pizzas; the surfer-chic, two-story platform is outfitted for R&R with daybeds, beach chairs, and plenty of other places to perch. It’s a family-friendly space, open all day, with the last return at 6 p.m. Go for a dip with your own snorkel kit or rent one on-site for $15.

Frying Pan

 A barge full of people, with a row of black and white striped umbrellas on one side

Watch the sun set over the Hudson on a vintage Coast Guard ship

Courtesy Frying Pan NYC

New York City
On any day over 60 degrees from April through October, New Yorkers flock to the Frying Pan, a historic bar barge docked on the Hudson River. It’s not a dive nor is it too fancy: The food menu is solid—think raw bar staples, carnitas tacos, lobster rolls, and a few nonseafood options and, to drink, nautical- and tropical-leaning cocktails by the glass or pitcher. (The watermelon agua fresca or mint lemonade mocktails are super refreshing.) Because the barge faces west, you’ll have wide-open sunset views.

Captain Oak’s Tiki Bar

A small wooden structure floating in shallow turquoise waters, with a blue motorboat and a few short palm trees

Arrive at Captain Oak’s via its water taxi or your own boat or Jet Ski

Courtesy of Visit Turks & Caicos Islands

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Anchored off Long Bay Beach in the warm, calm waters off Turks and Caicos is Captain Oak’s, a day bar—aka a restaurant where people get tipsy and dance—open from noon to sunset. The floating bar is scarcely a 10-minute ride from shore but is still too far to swim to, so come with your own (rental) boat or Jet Ski or book a round-trip ferry ($20).

Tamesis Dock

People on a yellow barge on Thames River, with Westminster Palace and Big Ben in background

Sip a pint with the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben in the background.

Photo by Roserunn/Shutterstock

London
Tamesis Dock, a double-deck “dive” bar (har har) is permanently docked on the Thames between Lambeth and Vauxhall bridges, with the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben in the background. The 1930s-era Dutch barge now lives a second life as an eclectic neighborhood pub and hosts live music nights, stand-up comedy events, and showings of sports matches (football, Olympics, etc.). Given the rarity of warm, sunny days in London, this is an ultra-popular spot when the weather is welcoming, so get in early for your pizza and pint. (It also has a good selection of wine and cocktails/mocktails.)

Casa en el Agua

A thatched-roof two-level building surrounded by turquoise ocean, with flat islands in background

This eco-hostel is an inviting place to sip a tropical drink and find travel buddies.

Courtesy of Casa en el Agua

San Bernardo Islands, Colombia
Two hours from Cartagena by speedboat is this floating eco-lodge in the San Bernardo Islands off Colombia’s Caribbean coast. If you don’t have your own boat, you’ll need to stay over for a night; the lodge’s boat leaves Cartagena daily at 9 a.m. and makes the return at 11:15 a.m. ($36 each way). The ride can be a little bumpy and is always windy, so take precautions if you are prone to seasickness. But by 11 a.m., you’ll be bobbing in the almost ludicrously warm, gently lapping Caribbean, a deep pink papaya juice in hand. Expect dishes prepared simply with that day’s catch (ceviche, grilled fish, or lobster) with vegetarian options, such as roasted eggplant and rice and beans.

Les Maquereaux

Interior of barge parked on the Seine in Paris with a long table and a long row of stools at bar

Les Maquereaux Rive Droite is mostly open-air in warm weather and enclosed and heated in winter.

Courtesy of Les Maquereaux

Paris
The Seine is used for more than just the Olympics’ opening ceremony; it’s also home to a handful of barge-bars, including Les Maquereaux, on both the Right Bank and the Left. Les Maquereaux Rive Droite sits right next to the Pont Marie, one side facing Île de la Cité and the other the row of poplar trees shading the pedestrian path. It’s open year-round—enclosed and heated in winter—serving more or less anything you could want to drink and shareable plates of oysters, burrata, and cod fritters. The Rive Gauche outpost, just after the Pont Charles de Gaulle, has a tiny outdoor pool, a menu similar to its Right Bank sister, and regular DJs. This one is seasonal, open July and August and then Thursday nights in September.

Lime Out

A man in a baseball cap in foreground, with two women in the background sitting on inflated lounge chairs floating in the sea

At Lime Out, your tacos arrive on their own little float.

Courtesy of Visit USVI

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Liming is Trinidadian slang that’s spread around the Caribbean for hanging out with friends, and you’ll never want to stop liming once you get a taste of Lime Out. It’s the ultimate vacation fantasy come to life: tacos served and eaten as you float blissfully in the warm bath that is the Caribbean. Order a spiced tuna taco and a tamarind juice, go for a dip, and repeat, working your way through the menu of 8 tacos and 11 cocktails (plus nonalcoholic options to keep you hydrated). The tiny floating taco shop is accessible by boat only (no swimming over or arriving by paddleboard or kayak); rent your own or book its shuttle at $30/person. Note that the bar is closed for hurricane season, roughly late August to the third week of October.

This article was originally published in 2018 and most recently updated on September 11, 2024, with current information.

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