Nightlife

Once the sun goes down, Cancun REALLY heats up!  Aside from white sand beaches and turqoise waters, Cancun is also famous for it’s nightlife.  Each year, people flock to Cancun for it’s world-famous nightclubs.  Popular clubs, like Coco Bongo and Dady’O, have long lines of people waiting to enter their clubs year-round.

Cancun’s hotel zone is where you’ll find the 8 major nightclubs, 6 of which can be found in an area known as Party Center.  There are also countless small bars, salsa clubs, & lively restaurants that take on more of a bar atmosphere during the evenings.  No matter what you prefer, you will definitely find a “watering hole” that is to your liking.  Most of the nightclubs only sell Open Bar (Barre Libre).  You pay one price to enter and to drink all night.  The price for most clubs is around $500 Pesos, per person.  Smallers bars charge considerably less, in an attempt to lure you into their place.  You will find bottle service and VIP areas in the large clubs, but the smaller bars usually just serve you by the glass (even if you pay for the Open Bar option).

In Downtown Cancun, Mambo Cafe or Sabor Latino are the biggest clubs (both are salsa clubs), but there are many small, open-air bars & restaurants on Yaxchilan Avenue, or near El Parque de Las Palapas that are quite lively. Many bars downtown have live rock bands 6 or 7 nights of the week.  You will not find Open Bar at the small bars & restaurants in downtown Cancun, but you will find 2-for-1 drink specials, or even 3-for 1 at times!  Prices are quite reasonable.  English is not spoken as much as it is in the Hotel Zone, but don’t let that intimidate you.  You will experience REAL Mexico when you visit the bars and restaurants downtown.

Most visitors to Cancun venture out to the nightclubs in Party Center.  The 7 major nightclubs in Cancan’s hotel zone are Basic, Bulldog Cafe, The City, Coco Bongo, Dady’O, Dady Rock, and, Senor Frog’s.  Senor Frog’s and Basic are not in Party Center, but both can be reached by a short bus/taxi ride.  You will find non-stop fun at every club, but each place has it’s own, unique personality.

Basic

Bulldog Cafe

The City

Coco Bongo

Dady’O

Dady Rock

Senor Frog’s

Sweet

(Travel Tip:  Most hotels have entertainment staff that take guests to the nightclubs each evening.  They visit a different club each night.  When you go with the group from your hotel, you get to skip the line at the front door of the club and, at most clubs, you will also be given a table.  Many clubs also provide a complimentary bottle of tequila for the group, as well.  If you go out on your own, you may not know which night is the best night to visit a particular club, but the hotel staff will always take you to a busy club!)