Nightlife in Playa begins in the early evening after the afternoon heat breaks. Unlike Cancun, you'll be able to wander around town and easily find places with great music, incredible food, good friends, and even dancing. You generally won't find crazy spring-break style partying in Playa. Instead, most places tend to be a bit more laid back but there are places where you can party like a rock star until 6am. Find out where in this insider article.

The following list is meant as a short introduction to some of the more well-known landmarks. Be sure to check out our nightlife reviews for more thorough information on each venue.

Nightlife centers around 5th Avenida and the beach. Most of the beachfront hotels have nightly beach parties, but the Blue Parrot Beach Club is the most popular. Here you'll find two dance floors and two DJ's. The music is loud, the crowd is young, wild, and touristy.

The Deseo rooftop is hidden out of view of most tourists, but easily accessible on the corner of Calle 12 and 5th Avenida. The atmosphere is young, upscale, and hip. Drinks are expensive, the view is beautiful, and so are the people.

Next door you'll find the Tequila Barrel. This is a caribbean style sports bar which appeals mostly to tourists on their first visit. The food is exceptionally good and it is one of the few places we know of in town where you can watch American sports (definitely a good location for the big game).

For a more laid back atmosphere where you can meet friendly locals and in-the-know visitors, try the beloved and famous Beer Bucket, about 100 feet west of 5th Avenida on Calle 10. This is an open-air caribbean bar with a lot of charm and exceptionally cheap drinks. It's also the best place in town to get your bearings and get the inside scoop from people who will steer you in the right direction.

On Calle 6 between 5th and 10 Avenida, try the Mamba Cafe. This is a large dance club featuring cuban music and salsa dancing. Later in the evening, DJs come in and spin music for the crowds. The crowd is of mixed age, but tends towards the younger side.

As you travel farther south and get near the end of 5th Avenida, you'll run into far more touristy (and less fun) bars, such as Carlos & Charlie's "spring break" chain.

Late Night

Santanera on Calle 12, about 100' west of 5th Avenida is a very cool club featuring DJ music. This club is for the young and beautiful. Expect a long line, cover charge, and a very crowded club. Santanera attracts mainly young visitors from all over the globe, so come prepared to meet people and have fun!

Right across the street you'll find Bali. It sports outrageous cover charges ($25) and expensive drinks. Here you'll be far more likely to find friendly (and well-off) locals. It is less crowded and more exclusive than Santanera. We highly recommend the bottle service here, as you will get your own waiter who will ensure your every need is met. Bali is open until 6am.

Stay Safe!

Don't walk on the dark beach at night. There is plenty of flotsam, boat lines, waves, rocks, and the occasional bad person that you'll want to avoid.

The police patrol 5th Avenida all day and night, so it is very safe. Do not cause a scene, fight, or urinate in public or you will spend a night in a Mexican jail (not a pleasant experience). You may be offered drugs - it is wise to turn down all offers to avoid any run-ins with the law.

After 11pm, 5th Avenida is pretty deserted, so the only thing to do in town after that time is visit the dance clubs.

If you are a male travelling alone or with a group of males, you will likely be accosted by taxi drivers who offer to take you to a "great" party or club. These are actually highly commissioned salespeople who will drop you off at a low budget strip club in town. If that's what you're looking for, you are in luck - it's safe and they will even talk to the manager to waive your cover (if you ask).

The drinking age in Playa is 18.