Cancun When The Sun Goes Down(town)
Is there life beyond the pumping hotel zone of Cancun? Andrés directs us downtown for some nighttime alternatives
Thousands of people can’t be wrong: no other place in the Caribbean offers the nightlife quality Cancun does. We are an international reference in this department. The club area in the Zona Hotelera is probably just as popular as Chichen Itza, no joke. Coco Bongo, Daddy O’, Mandala and many others give the area a vibrant and festive atmosphere every single day. The Christmas and New Year’s celebrations can often reach epic proportions.
I love clubbing around the hotel zone. You can walk from one party to the other and get something yummy along the way (I’m talking about food).
However, I must admit I’m not getting any younger, so driving all the way there is not always something I want to keep doing. Since Uber is most likely going to disappear from Cancun and I’m not the biggest fan of cab prices, I prefer to stay downtown where there are plenty of social clubs and I get to know more local people. Oh, and if I get tired, I’m in my place in 10 minutes.
Han, Ginza and Distrito Cavana resemble the hotel zone clubs’ formula: the latest pop and hip hop bangers and crowded dance floors (but on a smaller scale, which is a good thing). Han has more room to move around and appreciate the decor, which gives it extra points. These clubs are aimed to groups of friends in their early 20s, so that’s exactly what you are going to find. If you are on your own and over 30 you might want to skip those.
Vintage House is a more sophisticated club dedicated to current electronic music exponents every weekend. They pay attention to their audio quality, so music is always at the perfect volume. The place looks great and the drinks are made with care.
If you are in the area, visit Nomads too; it’s not much of a club as it is a restaurant bar, but their mixology is great. One thing these two places have in common is you can dance and have a conversation without losing your voice the day after.
Last but not least is Grand Mambo Cafe, a Cancun favorite with live music every weekend: salsa, merengue, bachata. It’s a great place for dancing or learning how to!
