This Legendary Beach Bar in St Kitts Has a Great Rum Punch — And a Better Name

There’s a board out front. Some towels on the wall. The specials are on a chalkboard easel. And the rum punch is in my cup. 

It’s amazing how deep a connection a beach bar can engender with a place. For so many Caribbean travelers, that memorable watering hole is the core of their vacation memory, one they access on cold winter nights, one that never goes away. 

They’re often the first stop, too, after the bags have been loaded in the trunk and the first smile starts in the car.  In St Kitts, there are dozens of them. But most stories tend to begin with this one, one that’s easily one of the best beach bar names, well, anywhere: Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack. 

It’s at the end of a row of beach bars on Frigate Bay, the place where tourism largely began in St Kitts. And it remains a landmark, the sort of beach bar that transcends its station, rises beyond its wooden walls. 

And yes, you can find great chicken or ribs here (or a shiggidy diggity dog, of course), and some nights the grilled lobster is the perfect choice; but the reason they all come back is the rum punch: that perfect coral color, a bit of spice, just enough power. 

For those who know, it’s the Eastern Caribbean that makes the best rum punch in the Caribbean (trust me). It’s that perfect blend of sweet, sour and spice, and that’s exactly what you find at the Shack. 

You take your cup, stroll out to the sand and peer out at the green hills and the water. You’ve found your beach bar. And now it’s yours forever. 

Here’s more if you’re looking for other Caribbean beach bars to add to your list.