Fun and entertainment - Yucatán Peninsula in 2024

Practical information : Going out Yucatán Peninsula

Timetable

Mexico is a country that loves to celebrate life with music and parties. In the Yucatán peninsula, the seaside resorts of Cancún and Playa del Carmen are famous for this, and some people come here just to dance until dawn to the sets of international DJs. Cancún, in particular, is a dream come true for American students, who want nothing more than to forget everything during the spring break period in early spring. The idea is to take the pressure off their studies, away from their parents, in the tropics. A week of unlimited partying in a see, sex and sun concept, with unlimited alcohol! If you like big parties, now's the time to come to Cancún, but book your accommodation several weeks in advance. Outside this period, which runs from the end of February to mid-April, Cancún remains a very festive city, especially in the Zona Hotelera, as does Playa del Carmen (on the beaches and Quinta Avenida), with the atmosphere in the beach clubs from early afternoon onwards. Tulum is not bad either, but in a much more chic and/or bohemian style. Elsewhere on the peninsula, in big cities like Mérida or Campeche, the nightlife is much more authentic and Mexican, and much cheaper too, with quaint bars and cantinas where you can meet Mexicans and enjoy concerts by local bands, over shots of tequila or craft beers. In Mexico, people generally go out late, starting on Wednesday or Thursday evenings. On Fridays and Saturdays, the bars are packed.

Budget & Tips

Entrance to dance bars and discotheques is usually charged for men, and free or at a reduced rate for women, often with girl nights where girls can drink as much as they like, or almost. Drinks are much cheaper than in France (between US$1.5 and US$5 for a local beer in a discotheque), except in the elitist clubs and tourist clubs of Cancún or Playa, where gringos pay top dollar. In these places, it's often all-you-can-drink(barra libre), with dance or circus shows, and bikini or wet T-shirt contests... For those who want to get their head turned upside down, expect to pay between US$40 and US$110 for entry with unlimited drinks and an American-style show. Tickets purchased over the Internet, through agencies or at your hotel, are often a little cheaper than at the door. Unlike restaurants, waiters and bartenders are rarely tipped more than 5%, or even just a few pesos in bars. Happy hours in beach bars are frequent, with varying opening times, usually in the middle of the afternoon.

To be booked

In Playa del Carmen, it's important to book well in advance to attend the dinner show "JOYÀ" by the famous Cirque du Soleil. As a general rule, however, reservations are not essential, except for concerts by international stars.

Night transport

Cancún has an all-night bus service to Downtown. When you return from the evening, it's best to take an Uber or a cab (by phone or via an app, but avoid hailing one on the street). Going home with several people is a guarantee of safety, especially for single girls.

Age restrictions

Alcohol consumption is permitted from the age of 18. If you're under 30, don't forget a photocopy of your passport to prove you've reached the age of majority, so you can enter bars and clubs.

What's very local

It's customary to make an effort when going out in Mexico: pants, closed shoes, shirt (or guayabera), for men; jeans or skirts and make-up for girls. Of course, this depends on the type of venue: you don't dress the same for a night out in a bohemian café as you do in a discotheque. Tourists often think they can walk into a club in shorts and flip-flops. This may be true of bars in seaside resorts, but not in Mérida or the rest of Mexico.

Smokers

It is possible to buy single cigarettes from street vendors, who hang around outside bars and clubs in the evening. On the other hand, smoking is forbidden inside cafés, bars and nightclubs, unless there is a designated smoking area, which is not very common.

Tourist traps

Don't be careless when buying drugs. Dealers are sometimes in cahoots with the police, which can only get you into trouble...

Fun and entertainment Yucatán Peninsula

MAMBOCAFE

LE LOTUS ROUGE

EL RINCÓN COLONIAL

BEER LOVERS BY LE CARRÉ - CAFÉ BELGE ET BOUTIQUE

COCO BONGO VILLA DEL CARMEN

COCO BONGO

CASA VIEJA DEL RÍO

THE CITY

MEZZANINE

GLAZZ

LA BOOM

BALI CLUB

SANTITOS

INTERNET

ESTABLO MEXICO

BATEY MOJITO & GUARAPO BAR

LA NEGRITA CANTINA

CERVECERIA PUNTA SUR

CÚBARO

CUNCRAWL

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