Friars Bay Beach

By Teala Howell

Nestled between Marigot and Grand Case, Friar’s Bay is a beautiful little beach on the French side of the island. If you drive through Marigot and continue on the main road for about a mile there will be a left turn and a sign that says “Rue de Friar’s Bay”. The road to the beach is one of the few dirt roads that remain on the island today. Follow the road to the end in order to get to the beach, do not make any right turns or you will end up in a residential area.

Upon arrival you will see that there is plenty of parking on the outskirts of this little beach. The water is a beautiful blue and very calm, making Friar’s bay the perfect beach for people of all ages. In the distance there is a spectacular view of Anguilla, a neighboring island. To the rear of the beach there is a salt pond; it can be very pretty for photos but can also get a little odiferous at times. Never the less, Friar’s Bay often has a lovely breeze and great snorkeling off to either side of the shore.

At the beach you have quite a few seating options. There are two restaurants—Kali’s Beach Bar and Friar’s Bay Beach Café—both of which rent chairs and umbrellas for 5€ apiece. However, if you prefer to sit on your towel and bask in the sun there is plenty of space between these two little restaurants to do so. The great thing about Friar’s Bay is that it is a great place to simply lay back and relax; the beach is rarely crowded during the day.           

Friar’s Bay Beach Café is a fun way to spend your beach day. They’re open from 9AM until sunset each day, the waiters speak English, French and Spanish, and their menu never gets boring because it’s changed often. You can either sit at one of their little beach cabanas simply on a beach chair (which is free when you eat at the restaurant). Appetizers start at 6€ and main courses start at 13€. The food is superb, they serve sandwiches and salads and other various dishes, however, the service isn’t the best. They, as do most French restaurants, end the meal with free rum shots for everyone old enough to drink. These rums are homemade and are usually banana or vanilla flavored. So if you’re not in a rush and you’re having a great time on island time, this is definitely the place for you! Another nice thing about this little café is that they go above and beyond in regards to what they offer their clients. If you want to make your beach chair more comfortable they have mattresses for 3€, they also have towels and beach balls available for free with a deposit.

Kali’s Beach Bar is a little less upscale and a little more relaxed. Painted in Rasta colors—red, yellow and green, Kali’s Beach Bar also has a small store that sells beach dresses, towels and that sort of thing. There is also a watersports area that rents out kayaks. Kali’s food is reliable and delicious; some even say that they serve the best barbeque on the island! Furthermore, Kali makes his own homemade rum, called Bush Rum, and it is definitely something worth trying while at Friar’s Bay. The prices are about the same as that of Friar’s Bay Beach Café but the food is completely different and all depends on what you’re feeling for. However, Kali’s Beach Bar is not only known for their barbeque but also for their Full Moon Parties hosted by no other than Kali himself. Once a month, people from both sides of the island come together to party in a true Caribbean fashion. There is plenty to drink, reggae music and a bonfire at midnight. The party usually goes on to the wee hours of the morning and is great fun and a great way to spend an evening. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting on a beach and staring into the red-orange flames of a bonfire without a care in the world, if only for a night.

Friar’s Bay is a lovely way to spend a day relaxing while enjoying the island’s beauty and charm. It is great for people who are looking to spend a quiet day on the beach as well as for people who are looking to party and have some innocent island fun once a month with the famous Full Moon Party. One last thing to keep in mind is that euros are worth between 20-30% more than US dollars and the prices you see are in euros, not dollars. 

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