After a long day of lying on the beach, a siesta and a fabulous dinner, it's time to do what Cancun is famous for...party! Cancun is the home of exciting nightlife, and is among the best places in Latin America to let your hair down and party. With dozens of nightclubs and hundreds of bars, no wonder Cancun is also regarded as one of the premier destinations for spring breakers and party goers. Designed as a party resort town, Cancun rocks from before dusk to the early dawn. Cancun nightlife, famed for intensity and variety, offers the gamut from world-class discotheques, live salsa, and jazz clubs to solo guitar and folkloric dancers. It's said that Cancun has something for everyone, and this is especially true after dark. At night this tropical island switches into high gear and Cancun nightlife starts in earnest.

As the epicenter of the Cancun party experience, the Hotel Zone shakes to assorted beats from mariachi and jazz, reggae, rock and more. Most live music clubs start hopping fairly early to take advantage of the dinner crowd. Disco action traditionally starts late, providing state-of-the-art technology and the newest beats to keep things going until nearly sun-up. Popular discos include the Coco Bongo and Dady'O, while rockers head for the Bulldog Cafe and the Hard Rock. Jazz lovers flock to the Havana Club in the Hotel Zone and Roots downtown for blends of Latin, Cuban and jazz traditions.

The hottest centers of action in the Hotel Zone are the Plaza Forum by the Sea, and La Isla Shopping Village. Many restaurants do double duty as party centers with "all you can drink" specials and waiters who don't hesitate to get up on stage and dance in between serving drinks. Hotels also get in the mix, with happy-hour entertainment and special drink prices to entice visitors and guests from other resorts. Lobby bar-hopping at sunset is a favorite tourist activity for those that want to sample different establishments. Another way to experience the best that Cancun nightlife has to offer is to take a bar-hopping tour. A popular tour is Senor Frog's Bar Leaping Tour. It takes you by way of the "Froguibus" from club to club-- where you'll bypass any lines and spend about two hours in each place. The price includes VIP entry to the clubs, one welcome drink at each stop on the tour, and transportation by air-conditioned bus, allowing you to get a great sampling of Cancun's nightlife.

For a taste of how the locals like to party, head to one of the Salsa clubs or check out the clubs in the downtown area. There is usually a free evening concert in the downtown Parque de las Palapas, and close by are some excellent jazz clubs featuring local musicians. Head to one of the local cantinas for some authentic Mexican nightlife, or join a fiesta at one of the downtown restaurants for a true Mexican party experience, complete with sombreros and mariachi bands. Since its inception in the early 1970's, Cancun has evolved into one of the most popular, celebrated destinations in Latin America. With so many choices and so much to do, it is easy for Cancun to guarantee that visitors will have the time of their lives.

Lee Breeze