Floyd’s Pelican Bar Jamaica: Sipping a Cold Red Stripe at the World’s Coolest Bar

Editor’s Note (March 2026 Update):
This article was originally published in December 2021. It has been updated in March 2026 to reflect the reopening of Floyd’s Pelican Bar following the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025. The update includes new information about the rebuilding efforts, the return of boat tours from the South Coast, and the role the bar continues to play in supporting community tourism in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica.

Imagine yourself drinking a cold Red Stripe beer at a bar, laughing at a joke your friend just shared from their last vacation. Seems pretty ordinary right? Now imagine that bar on the pristine South Coast of beautiful Jamaica surrounded by water in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Now that’s starting to sound a lot better. What if I told you, you could stop imagining and experience that very reality in Jamaica? Floyd’s Pelican Bar in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica is just that. A rustic wooden bar built on a sandbank about ¾ of a mile out at sea. 

What is Floyd’s Pelican Bar?

Floyd’s Pelican Bar is a rustic, one-of-a-kind wooden bar built on a sandbank about ¾ of a mile off the coast of Parottee, St. Elizabeth, on Jamaica’s South Coast. There is no road to get there. No bridge. No shortcut. The only way in is by boat — and that’s exactly what makes it special.
It is widely regarded as one of the most unique bars in the world, and it has earned that reputation not through glamour or luxury, but through something far more powerful: character, community, and an almost unbelievable story of resilience.

How It All Started — The Story of Floyd Forbes

What started as a dream for local fisherman Floyd Forbes has grown into one of Jamaica’s most beloved bucket-list experiences. Floyd first built the bar in 2001 as a personal hangout and rest spot — a place where he and fellow fishermen could anchor up, catch their breath, and enjoy the sea they worked every day. He started operating it as a bar a year later, after word got out and people started showing up.
The name “Pelican Bar” came naturally — a large flock of pelican birds had already claimed the sandbank as their resting spot long before Floyd arrived.

In 2004, Hurricane Ivan levelled the original structure. But Floyd rebuilt. Stronger. Smarter. Using lessons learned from Ivan, he reinforced the bar with Guyanese Greenheart piles — a dense, hard wood driven five to seven feet into the seabed, each pile weighing between 500
and 700 pounds. That engineering decision would prove its worth years later when Hurricane Beryl swept through Jamaica’s South Coast in July 2024, leaving destruction in its wake — but leaving Floyd’s Pelican Bar virtually untouched.
Then came Hurricane Melissa.

Hurricane Melissa and the Southside Resurrection

In October 2025, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm — the strongest ever to hit the island. It was a different kind of beast. The South Coast took a direct hit. Parottee Bay was devastated. And Floyd’s Pelican Bar, the structure that had outlasted Ivan and Beryl, was completely destroyed.

“Nothing could’ve been done to withstand Hurricane Melissa,” Floyd said after the storm. “The only way you could’ve prepared was to go inside a cave.”

For the community of Parottee, the loss went far beyond a beloved landmark. Pelican Bar was a livelihood. Nearly every home in the village had a sign advertising boat tours to the bar. Fishermen and boat captains who had spent years ferrying visitors across the water
suddenly had no income. Fishing traps were swept away. The sea that had always provided was now quiet in the worst possible way.

But Floyd wasn’t done.

What followed was not a one-man effort — it was a community rising together. Fishermen transported lumber across choppy waters. Friends arrived with tools. Former employees returned on their own, clearing debris and rebuilding piece by piece. Neighbours brought
meals, encouragement, and labour. Red Stripe — the cold Jamaican beer that has long been part of the Pelican Bar experience — stepped in as a rebuilding partner, reinforcing their commitment to community tourism and small business recovery across Jamaica.

On January 31, 2026, Floyd’s Pelican Bar officially reopened under the theme “Southside Resurrection.”

Music drifted across the water. Plates were passed around. Laughter echoed once more. The boats were running again. And an entire community exhaled.

The Journey There — And Why the Boat Ride is Part of the Magic

Floyd’s Pelican Bar is located about ¾ of a mile from Parottee Bay in St. Elizabeth. The quickest way to get there is from the fishing village of Parottee itself, where local fishermen and boat captains offer rides across. You can also access the bar from Treasure Beach and
Black River, though the journey takes a little longer from those points. Jamaica is full of incredible natural landscapes — from hidden waterfalls to winding rivers waiting to be explored. And here’s the thing — the boat ride is not just transportation. It is the beginning of the experience.

I’ve made the trip three times. And every single time, there is a moment — usually around the halfway point — when the structure starts to appear on the horizon. Just a shape at first. Then slowly, detail by detail, it comes into focus. The roof. The railings. The people. That
slow reveal never gets old. The anticipation builds with every metre of water between you and it.

On my first visit, we came from the Treasure Beach side. It was my birthday. And somewhere along that stretch of South Coast water, a group of dolphins appeared alongside the boat — cutting through the surface, playing in the wake, unbothered by everything. It felt like the sea was putting on a show just for us. That moment alone was worth the entire trip.

If you’re lucky, the sea will do the same for you.

Arriving at the Bar — That Surreal First Step

There is no other feeling quite like stepping onto Floyd’s Pelican Bar for the first time. You climb out of the boat, feel the worn wooden planks under your feet, look up, and realise you are standing in the middle of the ocean. Not near the water. Not beside it. In it. All around you, the Caribbean Sea stretches out in every direction — shallow, turquoise, and impossibly inviting.

Someone hands you a cold Red Stripe. You take a sip. You look around. And then it hits you — this is real. This actually exists. That feeling of surreal disbelief mixed with pure contentment is something that is very hard to describe to someone who has never been. But every person who has stood on that sandbank knows exactly what I’m talking about.

 What to Do at Floyd’s Pelican Bar

Drink and lime. The Red Stripe is cold. The sea breeze is free. That combination alone justifies the boat ride. Sit back, watch the water, and let the rest of the world disappear for a few hours.

Swim. The waters around the bar are shallow and warm — perfect for a dip. Just be mindful of the boats coming and going, because traffic can pick up on a busy day. The boats are frequent, and the captains know what they’re doing, but stay aware.

Eat. Pelican Bar serves freshly caught seafood prepared right there on the bar. Lobster, fish — steamed, roasted, or fried — served with bammy, breadfruit, or festival depending on what’s available. It’s simple, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

Play dominoes. You might catch Floyd himself at the table. Or your boat captain. Pull up a seat, slap some tiles, and become part of the scene.

Leave your mark. The walls, the beams, the floors — they are covered in carvings, initials, and names left by visitors from all over the world. This isn’t vandalism — it’s tradition. And it’s encouraged. Add yours.

Take it all in. The décor inside the bar is a museum of visits past — flags, caps, T-shirts, license plates, you name it — all left behind by people who came from every corner of the world and didn’t want to leave empty-handed.

What to Expect — Practical Tips for Your Visit

Bring cash. You are in the middle of the sea. There is no card machine, no mobile payment terminal. Cash only.

Wear something you don’t mind getting wet. Between swimming, the boat ride, and the general joyful chaos of the place, dry clothes are a luxury.

There is a restroom. It also doubles as a changing room — a welcome addition noted on a more recent visit.

Boats are frequent. When you’re swimming around the bar, be aware of arriving and departing vessels. It is a busy spot on a good day.

Go with no rush. This is not a quick stop. Give yourself the afternoon. The whole point is to slow down and sink into the experience.

Typical Cost to Visit Pelican Bar

Boat trips to Floyd’s Pelican Bar are usually arranged directly with local fishermen or small tour operators along Jamaica’s South Coast.

While prices can vary depending on the departure point, group size, and fuel costs, typical round-trip boat fares are:

• From Parottee: approximately $20–$30 USD per person
• From Treasure Beach: approximately $30–$40 USD per person
• From Black River: often included in organized South Coast tours

Boat rides usually take 10–20 minutes, depending on where you depart.

Because trips are arranged locally, it’s best to confirm the price with your boat captain before leaving shore and bring cash for payment.

More Than a Bar — A Symbol of Community Tourism

What the story of Floyd’s Pelican Bar teaches us — especially after Hurricane Melissa — is that some places are bigger than themselves.

This is not just a bar on a sandbank. It is the livelihood of boat captains, fishermen, cooks, and tour guides across Jamaica’s South Coast. It is the income of boat captains and tour guides. It is the livelihood of fishermen and food vendors. It is the reason visitors come to Parottee, to Treasure Beach, to the South Coast. It is the reason families in a quiet fishing village can put food on the table.

Jamaica is full of destinations that reward travellers willing to explore beyond the usual resort corridors.

When Melissa took it down, the whole community felt it. And when the community came together to bring it back — with lumber carried across choppy water, tools, meals, and sweat — they weren’t just rebuilding a bar. They were rebuilding themselves.

That is community tourism at its most powerful. And Floyd’s Pelican Bar is its finest example in Jamaica.

Floyd’s Pelican Bar: Showcase Jamaica’s Verdict

Five stars. Every single time.

There is nowhere else in Jamaica — arguably nowhere else in the world — quite like this place. It is humble. It is authentic. It is Jamaican to its core. And after everything it has been through, it is still standing.

The “Southside Resurrection” is real. The boats are running. The dominoes are slapping. The Red Stripe is cold. The sea is calm again, and Floyd’s Pelican Bar is exactly where it belongs.

Go. Take someone you love. Let the boat ride build the anticipation. Let that first cold sip settle you into the moment. And when you carve your name into the wood — know that you are leaving a piece of yourself in one of the most special places on earth.

Have you visited Floyd’s Pelican Bar? Share your experience in the comments below.

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Until next time, Walk Good.

Orlando