Best Tiki Mugs Of 2023
Drum up some fun and frothy drinks for these tropical-themed cups
Tiki bars are just as cool as you remember. Fruity drinks in tiki mugs serve up a taste of the islands. Tiki comes from Maori mythology, indigenous Polynesians who believed the Tiki were the first people created by the gods. They carved these images into trees, and eventually, the visages showed up in statues and Polynesian artwork and found their way to our iconic tiki mugs.
When Trader Vic first crafted the Mai Tai in 1944, he didn't know the drink would be so fashionable that rum supplies dwindled worldwide. That's because it isn't just another super-sweet rum drink. Fill one of the four clear 16-ounce glasses with ice and mix together: two tablespoons each dark rum, light rum, and orange juice; one tablespoon each of triple sec and lime juice; and a teaspoon each of orgeat syrup and superfine sugar. Shake with ice and pour into your double-sided tiki statue rocks glass for an authentic experience. Each dishwasher-safe glass has a three-and-a-half-inch diameter and is 6.4 inches tall.
Buy: Libbey Classic Statue Rocks
Not just tiki mugs, these tall glasses have four unique styles – a yellow and white parrot, a moai (Easter Island head), a green tiki, and a brown bamboo design. The bright ceramic eight-inch tall parrot holds enough that you and your friends can all dip a straw into that 25-ounce fresh strawberry daiquiri. Make a round of daiquiris in minutes in your blender and enjoy it in your tiki-themed mugs. Just blend 12-ounces of frozen strawberries with six ounces of rum, four ounces lime juice, and five tablespoons of sugar. A great housewarming, graduation, or hostess gift, these aren't your mother's tiki mugs.
Buy: Tiki Mugs Cocktail Set of 4
Take your coffee to the islands with these four distinctive tiki mugs. Take a trip to a tropical beach as you sip in some sunshine with your new ceramic tiki buddies Jake, Big Al, Benny, and Artie. Jake is the ceramic green mug with the traditional tiki face, while Big Al is purple and has a more primitive visage. Benny is brown, and Artie is turquoise. When you're not using them, these tiki buddies add a little whimsy to your bar or kitchen or add Polynesian flair as they watch you from their post on the dining room shelves.
Buy: 4 Tiki Tumblers
Create a tropical ambiance with these natural coconut cups. These are just the special touch of the islands to make your tables shine like the South Pacific sun. Each package has a dozen genuine coconut cups adorned with a cute polyester flower. The cups are about four-and-a-half inches tall, but since Mother Nature, or Lono the Hawaiian god of agriculture, makes them, there can be some variation. Give your party a memorable look that the Disney Tiki Room birds would be proud of.
These storable diamond star glasses stack with ease and without getting air in between them, making them difficult to separate. These glasses are designed to stack to look like an actual pineapple. Three of the 10-ounce glasses have the diamond star pineapple pattern. The top glass has the same design but is adorned with green pineapple leaves serving as legs, or as the topping of the pineapple when upright. Standing alone, it looks like a piece of tropical glass art on your bar or counter. Back in the early days of ocean trading, a ripe pineapple shared with guests was a special treat. These tropical tumblers are tough enough for the dishwasher, too.
Buy: Diamond Star Stacking Glasses Fruit Set
Cyndi Mathews is a contributing writer to Islands and recently published her first book and enjoys traveling to Florida in her sailboat. Islands is an award-winning brand founded in 1980 that speaks to international travelers who have an affinity for the Caribbean and beyond. The website showcases destinations, resorts, cruises, and recommendations by the Islands' staff.