World’s Best Floating Bars

By Natasha Dragun

World’s Best Floating Bars
When the sun is shining, there’s no better place to be than at a bar by the water – even better if said bar is floating ON the water.

Cloud 9, Fiji

Floating bars don’t get much better than Cloud 9, a two-level pontoon in Fiji’s Mamanuca Island group. Bobbing over an azure lagoon, the bar is stocked with international beer, wine and spirits, and also offers an impressive range of wood-fired pizzas. Sink into a daybed or slip into the water for a snorkel, gaze at the horizon, order a cocktail and listen to cutting-edge music courtesy of DJs – what more could you want when on holiday here?

The Island Sydney

The Island, Sydney

While Sydney has its fair share of luxury yachts and cruise ships able to ferry you around the harbour, champagne in hand, one of the coolest spots to watch the sun set with a tipple is from the patio of floating cabana The Island. Ocean-side deck chairs offer some of the best views in town, with unobstructed vistas over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Order a cocktail and ease into the evening, or hit the dance floor as darkness descends.

Lagoon Bar Iceland

The Lagoon Bar, Iceland

You can’t visit Iceland and not go to the Blue Lagoon, that menthol-coloured geothermal spa on the outskirts of Reykjavík. A soak here does wonders for your skin and your mood – you’ll be even merrier after a tipple or two ordered from the floating Lagoon Bar. Nothing quite beats an ice-cold slushie while you’re bathing in scalding water. And the best bit? You can leave your money behind and charge all purchases to your electronic wrist bracelet.

Jicoo Floating Bar, Tokyo

Jicoo Floating Bar, Tokyo

Almost as futuristic as the city it calls home, Jicoo Floating Bar travels across Tokyo Bay from Hiriode Pier to Odaiba, stopping every half hour on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday. Needless to say, views of the city’s skyline will dazzle, and are only improved by live music and an interior lightshow dreamt up by the craft’s designer, anime and manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.

Floating Bar, Philippines

The Floating Bar, The Philippines

You can swim, kayak or catch a boat out to The Floating Bar, located just off the shore of Bantayan Island in the Philippines. It’s the perfect perch to watch the sun set with a cool cocktail in hand, accompanied by tasty snacks and live music. If you don’t want the aquatic excursion to end, book one of the boat tours to neighbouring islands and explore the archipelago at your leisure.

Grand Banks New York

Grand Banks, New York

There are, it turns out, a number of floating bars on New York’s Hudson River, most of them only open over the summer months. Pairing two of our favourite things, oysters and good wine, is Grand Banks, a popular place to watch the sun set over one of the world’s great cities. Order a dozen freshly shucked oyster and a stellar cocktail, and pull up a stool at the long bar. Arrive early, as it fills up quickly when the sun is shining

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