Now that working remotely will permanently be a thing, it got us thinking about the idea of “remote.” Then we started thinking about beer. Because that’s just something we think about a lot. So we wondered, how far is too far to go for a beer? When the destinations are as cool as these, distance means nothing. Hike in, fly in, take a boat—the ten most remote bars in the world are always worth the trip.
Vernadsky Research Station Faraday Bar, Antarctica
With 75 research stations and a summer population of around 4,000, Antarctica isn’t exactly Las Vegas. But you can bet humans have established a way to get a drink there. The Vernadsky Research Station is home to about a dozen researchers and workers each year—and the Vernadsky Research Station Faraday Bar is a place where they (and tourists) can get a drink, play pool, and enjoy some vodka distilled right on the premises.
The Old Forge Pub, Scotland
To get to the tiny settlement on the Knoydart Peninsula (population: 120) on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands, you can take a 40 minute ferry ride from the fishing port of Mallaig. But to really earn your visit, take a three-day hike through one of the last wild places in the UK, the Rough Bounds. At the end of the trail you’ll find the glory of The Old Forge, currently on the market with a movement underway to bring the beloved pub under the ownership of Knoydart residents.
Thirsty Camel Bar, Mongolia
On the central southern border of Mongolia lies the Ömnögovi Province with a population density of one person per square mile. To get to the luxury Three Camel Resort, you can drive for eight hours across the Gobi Desert, take a puddle jumper to Dalanzadgad then drive an hour–or you can just land your private plane on the resort’s air strip. Once you arrive and before heading to your Ger, head to the Thirsty Camel where a sweeping selection awaits at Mongolia’s best whiskey bar.
The Irish Pub, Namche Bazaar, Nepal
As you make the 20-hour trek from Lukla to the south base camp on Everest, you’ll come to Namche Bazaar, a small town whose 11,290-foot altitude will help you acclimate to the elevation. While you’re there, stop in at The Irish Pub, officially the highest Irish pub in the world (160 feet higher than Paddy’s in Peru). With no roads, everything—including the 800-pound pool table and all the Guinness—is carried in on foot.
The Birdsville Hotel Bar, Queensland, Australia
Look at a population density map of Australia and you’ll notice there’s not a lot going on in the middle—about nine in ten Australians live near the coasts. Built in 1884, The Birdsville Hotel sits in the Outback on the northern end of the Birdsville Track, a road originally used for driving cattle to the railway in Maree. Now, 137 years later, the Hotel Bar is a welcome place for a cold drink, in a place where summer temps can reach 121 degrees.
Floyd’s Pelican Bar, Jamaica
Sitting on a sandbar in the ocean off the western coast of Jamaica, Floyd’s Pelican Bar began like the best bars do—as a place for Floyd and his friends to hang out. Getting to the palm-frond and wood-plank bar requires hiring a boat out of Parottee Point. Once you’re there, don’t expect a formal dining experience or a bathroom, but Red Stripe is always on offer.
Marisco Tavern, Lundy Island, England
Lundy Island sits in the Bristol Channel off the southwestern coast of England. It’s three miles long, a half mile wide and has no cars, roads, or street lights. The Marisco Tavern serves British beers and selections of meat from the rabbit, sheep, and pigs living on the island. With the pub’s no-electronics policy, you might start to feel like a sailor who swam to shore from one of the island’s many shipwrecks.
Farren’s Bar, Donegal, Ireland
We’ve seen the highest Irish bar, here’s the most northerly. Situated on Malin Head, the northern peninsula of Ireland, Farren’s Bar is where locals from the tiny village, tourists on their way to the wild cliffs at the edge of the island, and (in 2017) the cast and crew of Star Wars: The Last Jedi come for a pint.
Brooklyn Tavern, Cosmopolis, Washington
In possibly the most ironically named entry, the Brooklyn Tavern in Cosmopolis is the opposite of what you think of when you think of either Brooklyn or a cosmopolis. It’s not full of hipsters. It’s not a teeming city. Technically, the nearly hundred-year-old bar is about 20 miles outside of Cosmopolis proper, on a winding logging road. It’s the only business for miles in any direction and the 40s of Bud are always served up cold.
Albatross Bar, Tristan da Cunha Island
Literally in the middle of the ocean, about halfway between Africa and South America, you’ll find the volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha, a British Overseas Territory. It’s about six miles in diameter and has an inhabited area called Edinburgh of the Seven Seas where 250 people live. To get there, sail for six days on one of the few ships that sail there per year. Once there, head to the Albatross Bar where you’ll find South African beer and good conversation with some of the most happily isolated people on the planet.