Alcohol is available in Antarctica and you will enjoy it. Having travelled to Antarctica a few years back I outline my tips on how to drink alcohol there and in fact this is now a top 6! Get on that boat and see the penguins, but relax while you're doing it. That beer will be cold and sweet.
1. Alcohol in Antarctica - drinking on Antarctic land
OK so strictly speaking this is illegal as you should take only water with you on your treks. But on our last landing in Antarctica, myself and 5 others all took a drink each onto the land to toast to our amazing trip. We chose either wine or beer and burst them open by some rocks near the Henry Arctowski Polish Station at Admiralty Bay on King George Island. It is probably the best place I have ever had a beer. Just there in the wilderness with penguins in behind. A must for drinking in Antarctica!
2. Drinking in Antarctica: Out on Deck!
OK so we were sailing down the Gerlache Strait and were welcomed by an amazing snowstorm. I was sitting in the indoor bar onboard our ship, the MS Expedition when my drinking buddy on the trip, Russell and I turned to each other and said almost at the same time "Let's go outside for a beer". It had to be done. We sat out on deck in the snowstorm - Russell in his shorts and flip flops/thongs! We were joined out on deck by Canadian Mike MacSween who even came barefoot! There was no need to keep the beers chilled as it was absolutely freezing! Great place for a beer. Try and get as many from the boat to join you, even if it's just for 5 minutes or so.
3. Alcohol in Antarctica - Happy Hour at the bar on the boat!
For the budget travellers this is a great option. Each excursion to Antarctica will of course be different, but ours had a Happy Hour from 5 - 6pm every day in the Lounge Bar. This also coincided with the daily gathering of everyone on board in the lounge to discuss the day's events and plan ahead for tomorrow. Our ship, the MS Expedition had two onboard bars and alcohol was available normally after 4pm on each day. There were 3 places to buy booze onboard, these were the two onboard bars and the restaurant:
- The lounge bar on board the boat is open from 4pm - 7pm normally.
- The Polar Bear Bar was open from around 8pm until closing time (whenever you wanted to stop drinking)
Alcohol was also available at dinner, served to you in the onboard restaurant, everything you ordered was added to your bill. There was no payment accepted in cash as far as I remember, they just added everything to your bill and you paid at the end of the trip. Be careful not to get too happy though, as even Happy Hour in Antarctica is more expensive than what you are used to!
4. Alcohol in Antarctica - take your own booze
This is also a backpacker style option and where the real money saving is - buy some beer in Argentina and bring it on board to enjoy with your travel buddies!
5. Drinking in Antarctica: The Bar at the Ukranian Vernadskiy Station
A great way to enjoy a drink in Antarctica is to actually drink in a bar on the cold continent. You're in luck! There is a bar at the Ukrainian Vernadskiy Station which even serves its own vodka. They actually make a vodka in Antarctica and you can sample it here.
6. Drinking in Antarctica: A Pint at the South Pole
This would be the ultimate planet earth beer, and we didn't go that far, but it can be done. It's costly to get to the South Pole and if you do make it and manage to acclimatise, you will be pleased to know you can have a celebratory tipple, or if you really want to be a cheapskate, bring your own! There was a beer shipped out there last year called Pole Axed!
If you ever make it to the South Pole it would be an incredible moment to open a beer!
So that's the 6 best ways to have a drink in Antarctica! Safe travels to the cold continent!
1. Alcohol in Antarctica - drinking on Antarctic land
OK so strictly speaking this is illegal as you should take only water with you on your treks. But on our last landing in Antarctica, myself and 5 others all took a drink each onto the land to toast to our amazing trip. We chose either wine or beer and burst them open by some rocks near the Henry Arctowski Polish Station at Admiralty Bay on King George Island. It is probably the best place I have ever had a beer. Just there in the wilderness with penguins in behind. A must for drinking in Antarctica!
2. Drinking in Antarctica: Out on Deck!
OK so we were sailing down the Gerlache Strait and were welcomed by an amazing snowstorm. I was sitting in the indoor bar onboard our ship, the MS Expedition when my drinking buddy on the trip, Russell and I turned to each other and said almost at the same time "Let's go outside for a beer". It had to be done. We sat out on deck in the snowstorm - Russell in his shorts and flip flops/thongs! We were joined out on deck by Canadian Mike MacSween who even came barefoot! There was no need to keep the beers chilled as it was absolutely freezing! Great place for a beer. Try and get as many from the boat to join you, even if it's just for 5 minutes or so.
3. Alcohol in Antarctica - Happy Hour at the bar on the boat!
For the budget travellers this is a great option. Each excursion to Antarctica will of course be different, but ours had a Happy Hour from 5 - 6pm every day in the Lounge Bar. This also coincided with the daily gathering of everyone on board in the lounge to discuss the day's events and plan ahead for tomorrow. Our ship, the MS Expedition had two onboard bars and alcohol was available normally after 4pm on each day. There were 3 places to buy booze onboard, these were the two onboard bars and the restaurant:
- The lounge bar on board the boat is open from 4pm - 7pm normally.
- The Polar Bear Bar was open from around 8pm until closing time (whenever you wanted to stop drinking)
Alcohol was also available at dinner, served to you in the onboard restaurant, everything you ordered was added to your bill. There was no payment accepted in cash as far as I remember, they just added everything to your bill and you paid at the end of the trip. Be careful not to get too happy though, as even Happy Hour in Antarctica is more expensive than what you are used to!
4. Alcohol in Antarctica - take your own booze
This is also a backpacker style option and where the real money saving is - buy some beer in Argentina and bring it on board to enjoy with your travel buddies!
5. Drinking in Antarctica: The Bar at the Ukranian Vernadskiy Station
A great way to enjoy a drink in Antarctica is to actually drink in a bar on the cold continent. You're in luck! There is a bar at the Ukrainian Vernadskiy Station which even serves its own vodka. They actually make a vodka in Antarctica and you can sample it here.
6. Drinking in Antarctica: A Pint at the South Pole
This would be the ultimate planet earth beer, and we didn't go that far, but it can be done. It's costly to get to the South Pole and if you do make it and manage to acclimatise, you will be pleased to know you can have a celebratory tipple, or if you really want to be a cheapskate, bring your own! There was a beer shipped out there last year called Pole Axed!
If you ever make it to the South Pole it would be an incredible moment to open a beer!
So that's the 6 best ways to have a drink in Antarctica! Safe travels to the cold continent!
About the Author:
For endless stuff like Drinking in Antarctica visit Don't Stop Living, the nomadic website of Jonny Blair for endless stories and tips.. Also published at Alcohol In Antarctica.