The Best Floating Bar in Antigua

You’ll spend a lot of time in the water when travelling to Antigua. After all, the island is known for its 365 beaches, one for every day of the year. But what if I told you that you could drink while floating on Antigua’s crystal blue waters? Well, if you’re anywhere near the most popular beach on the island, you can do just that. Off the shore of Dickenson Bay, you’ll find the very best floating bar in Antigua. Spending a few hours at the Kon Tiki Bar and Grill is my fondest memory of this beautiful island nation. Surprisingly, I hadn’t heard much about it before travelling to the island, so I feel its a bit of a hidden gem. Read on to learn more.

• Antigua is a beautiful Caribbean island that I highly recommend visiting. To read more about travelling to Antigua and Barbuda, you can read my guide HERE.

Kon Tiki Bar – The Best Floating Bar in Antigua

• Where? Off Dickenson Bay, Saint John’s.
• When? Currently the bar is open daily from 1.30pm – 7.00pm.
• How much? Transport to the bar from the shore is free. Obviously you’re buying your food and drinks.
• How to get there: Dickenson Bay is located in St John’s parish, just a short drive from the nation’s capital. Once you’re on the beach, you can wave down the staff who will pick you up by small boat.
• Website: No website, but you can check out their Facebook page.

About Dickenson Bay and How to Get There

To get to the floating bar in Antigua, you’ll first need to get to Dickenson Bay. If you only have time to visit one beach in Antigua, make it this one. Its in the island’s north west and is a very short drive from St John’s. There’s a whole bunch of luxury resorts and all-inclusives in the area (most notably Sandals), but access to the beach is open to all. Stepping out onto the white sands and seeing the perfect blue waters, you’ll be soaking up those Caribbean vibes the moment you arrive.

While you could easily lay back on a deck chair and soak in the sun here or take a seat at one of the many resort bars, there’s plenty of water activities available to partake in as well. Dickenson Bay’s waters are calm, making it perfect for families travelling with children. Being on the west coast, it also offers breathtaking sunsets.

Owing to its close proximity to St John’s, getting to Dickenson Bay is really easy. Only about a 15 minute drive from the heart of the capital, if you’re navigating the streets, you’ll first need to find Anchorage Road. This main road leads you north out of town. Keep following it (you’ll pass the Anchorage Inn and the excellent Nigel’s Restaurant). As you approach Sandal’s take a left onto Ford Road, which will take you right up to the beach. I had a friend driving me, but I hear taxi rates are reasonable.

Getting to the Kon Tiki Floating Bar

If getting to Dickenson Bay was easy, getting onto the Kon Tiki Bar is even easier. On the sands of the picturesque beach, you’ll see the floating bar out in the bay’s calm waters. Signal in the direction of the bar and a few moments later, one of the bar’s employees will whisk on over to you in a small boat. We got in with a few others and enjoyed the very short ride over. It was such a unique way to get to the bar that made the experience all the more memorable. We hadn’t even arrived and I was loving this floating bar in Antigua.

Letting the Rum Punch Flow

Once you’re at the bar, the real fun begins. The bar staff were extremely welcoming and happy to have a chat while serving up drinks. Sitting around the tiki bar on the deck was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in the Caribbean climate. You’ll quickly make friends, both locals and tourists alike as you find yourself completely surrounded with the stunning blue waters of the Caribbean sea. After ordering your first drink, take in the views back towards the beach and out to the sea. Chances are you’ll be posing for plenty of photos while you’re at the bar.

As with many countries in the Caribbean, Antigua is famous for its rum punch, so make sure you order some while here. Its especially refreshing on a hot and humid day. English Harbour is the local rum of choice and I loved it. So good. When you get hungry, there’s a cook on the deck that can whip up delicious sandwiches with fresh fish. Need to cool off? Dive into the water and do a loop of the bar (but maybe sober up first!). I spent about 2 hours at the Kon Tiki Bar in Dickenson Bay, and honestly, if I didn’t have plans to see more of the island, I could have spent the entire afternoon out there. The energy was that great.

When you’re ready to head back to land, just catch the next boat back to shore. The boat goes back and forth regularly to pick up more guests.

The Kon Tiki Floating Bar in Antigua is a hidden gem that I was very glad to have discovered on my visit to this island nation. Hopefully I’ve now put it on your radar as well. I’m not sure why more guidebooks don’t mention the bar, but it really caps off a visit to Dickenson Bay. Spending an afternoon with rum punch on the water is one of my best memories of Antigua. Make sure you check it out if you’re ever on the island!