Tropical drinks serve two purposes: To refresh beachgoers tanning the day away and to help the rest of us escape to a sandy shore for one sunny moment. Whether you need a drink to fuel your beachside sojourn or a potable ticket to paradise, here are the best drinks inspired by our favorite tropical destinations.
Palomas might be the national drink of Mexico, but if you want a drink fit for tourist-swamped Acapulco, grab this offspring of the Margarita. The drink actually hails from its namesake vacation destination, so its combination of white rum and tequila is an accurate way to conjure the resort townβs sandy, sundappled beaches.
The Essentials
Reposado Tequila
White Rum
Pineapple Juice
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Like many pale, pasty, mid-century Americans desperately in need of a tan, gin made its way to Hawaii in the 1950s, where it was transformed into a beautiful tropical flower. One of the few gin-based tiki drinks, the Royal Hawaiian combines the botanical-heavy spirit with tropical mainstays orgeat, pineapple and lemon.
The Essentials
gin
orgeat
pineapple juice
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With multiple types of rum, including coconut and 151, along with several types of citrus, the Bahama Mama is a shortcut to the tropics. Served in a vacation-ready hurricane glass, the bright red drink doesnβt pull any therapeutic punches.
The Essentials
Dark Rum
Tia Maria
pineapple juice
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You may think of Singapore more as a sprawling metropolis than a true tropical getaway, but it definitely fits all the requirements, especially in the beverage department. Just look at the most famous cocktail to emerge from the city-state. Originally crafted to help ladies drink on the sly in the early 20th century, this inclusive cocktail builds on a base of gin with two liqueurs, Benedictine and Cherry Heering, which give the drink a fruity taste and fun-loving vibe. Sip one and slip off to steamy Singapore.
The Essentials
Gin
Benedictine
Cherry Heering
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If you need to escape the daily grind, free yourself with a tall glass of Cuban rum and Coca-Cola. Born in Havana, the Cuba Libre was created to celebrate the end of the Spanish-American War. It brings together the tastes of the island nation with the all-American soda, and it works equally well as a celebration of the end of the work week.
The Essentials
Rum
Lime Juice
Coca-Cola
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