Nightlife and going out to  clubs in Playa Del Carmen is almost a right of passage for most tourist. Playa Del Carmen nightclubs are  legendary! Playa Del Carmen sets itself up as one of the best destinations for going out.

For people staying in the Riviera Maya along the coast, many choose one night to come into Playa Del Carmen and party for real because nightlife at all inclusive hotels can be, how shall we say, amateur. Since many people have a limited time here, it is best to know where to go and have a plan.

Here is our guide to all the clubs in Playa Del Carmen. See what is a good fit for you.

Nightlife and Clubs in Playa Del Carmen

Here are all the big clubs in Playa Del Carmen. They are mostly located on 10th Street or 12th Street. There is a wide range of these clubs so everyone should have something to fit your likes.

Dance type Clubs

• Palazzo Disco. This club is on the upper level of the building and you cannot see much from the street except the guards and chandelier at the entrance. When you go up you enter a large club with stages and a dance floor. You can get table service here. This club in Playa Del Carmen is just open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 10:30pm. Palazzo is right next to Coco Bongo on 12th Street. If this club sounds like your place and you want an epic night you can reserve a night out with open bar and entrance here.
• Mandala Night Club is a true club that is always busy. It is one of the top three in Playa to go out to for dancing and a full on club experience. It is decorated in deep red and pinks with an Asian theme. The music is loud and parting crazy. This club opens daily at 9:30pm. You can get bottle service at this club. If this clubs is what you are looking for and you want an epic night out, you can book an night here with entrance and open bar. For details just click the button below.

Latin Dance clubs

• Rakata is the newest club in Playa Del Carmen. It is more for the younger crowd and plays Hip Hop and Reggaetón music. The dress code is casual but expect a lot of dacing. 
• Also see La Bodeguita Del Medio below in clubs and nightspots on 5th Avenue.

Entertainment Type Clubs

• Coco Bongo Club and Disco. You will see a lot of advertising for this show. It is advertised as a dance club but it is more like a Vegas style show and you can dance in your place if you want while you watch the show. This nightclub is open Monday-Saturday night. The show starts at 11:30pm and goes to 3:15am. After 3:15 is plays just music and people can enter just for the club until about 6am. This club is best for the show rather then coming late night to dance, leave that up to the other clubs that are all about dancing like Palazzo and Mandala. But if you are walking around you might just want to go in and see the place especially if there is not cover. To see a video of what the club is like and read more, see our article about Coco Bongo here.

Younger People Clubs in Playa Del Carmen

• La Vaquita is a loud club with an open front on 12th Street. The large plastic cows are it’s trademark. This is more for younger crowd 20-29. If you like what you hear and see then step into this club.

  

  Stand or lounge around style clubs

• Abolengo. This sits right at the intersection of all the clubs and is a good place to start your night or calm down a little. This place is more  bar than club. You can read more about Abolengo in our article here.

Our video of clubs in Playa Del Carmen

Clubs and Nightlife on 5th Avenue in Playa Del Carmen

There is actually not as much going on at night on the most touristy and most walked street in town. Most of it is on 10th and 12th Street just off 5th Avenue. However there are a few bars with live music on 5th. Avenue. They are:

• Fah. This is on 5th Avenue between 8th Street and 10th Street. This is an open air space at street level. Here they have a restaurant and bar with a small stage. The atmosphere is mostly light rock. This is more of a sit down and have some food and drinks while the band plays kind of place.
• Thompson Hotel Roof. This lively hotel has DJ’s and events on the roof over looking the ocean and downtown. This is a chic way to spend a night. Some events are free and some have a cover. The entrance for the Thompson is on 12th Street between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue. See their Facebook page or events.
• Bloody Mary. This is an open air bar with small stage. This bar is on 5th between Constituyentes Avenue and 20th Street. There is live music here each day later in the evening.
• La Bodeguita Del Medio. This is a Cuban style restaurant and bar with live music at nights and dancing. The dance floor is small but if you like the Latin sound and some mojitos, this is a good place to go.

Live Music places in Playa

If you want more of a bar and some live music, we have a full list of places here in our guide. 

 Gay Clubs in Playa Del Carmen

There is one gay club that is 100% gay. It is Club 69. This is a bar/club that is down an alley off 5th Avenue between 4th Street and 6th Street. Look for the rainbow flag.

This club is a little older and does have a drag show on the weekend late at nights. This club is usually only busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

Some tourist do find this bar but you should not be limited to just this bar. The truth is many bars and clubs in Playa are mixed and many are 20-25% gay. For more about gay Playa Del Carmen see our complete guide here.

How much are covers at clubs in Playa Del Carmen?

Most clubs in Playa Del Carmen charge about 100 pesos entrance fee to get in. This goes up to about 200 pesos during holidays and special events.

One big tip if you want to save some money is go out earlier. Many clubs will let you in for free before midnight. Some will give you a wrist band and you are in. The bad thing is that if you decide to leave early they will remove your wristband and you will have to pay to enter since it will be later. Many club do this to lure in people to start filling the club. Just note though that sometimes you cannot see into the club and that free entry has landed you in a quiet club, at least for a couple of hours.

What is the best day to go out to a club in Playa Del Carmen?

You would think that being a vacation destination that it would be a weekend any day of the week. This is not true about clubs in Playa Del Carmen. Friday and Saturday are the best times to go out. If you had to pick just one night to go our we suggest Saturday. Usually clubs in Playa Del Carmen are more packed and have more energy this night in part because more locals have off on Sunday.

Many clubs and discos are closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays.

Playa Del Carmen Club Dress Code

What should you wear when going out? Well it depends on what bar or club you are going to. Overall, Playa Del Carmen is a casual place by most standards. Not many actually have a strict dress code but here are some rules to go by.

• Local do like to dress up a bit. Even on those hot summer nights, locals will put on pants and guys will have a button dress shirt. Tourist are usually more casual because you are on vacation after all and most don’t want to bring a huge wardrobe.
• Bars are more casual then clubs. Most bars you can wear about anything you want. You can wear sneakers, shorts, and t-shirts. Sports bars are the most casual and anything goes.
• Higher end nightclubs have a two tiered system for judging people and what is allowed for dress code. Tourist get more of a free pass on casual shoes and shirts. Locals are held to higher standards. Some clubs will not allow tank tops for men or sneakers.
• Mandal  and similar places are clubs in Playa Del Camren where you dress up more. Guys usually have a polo or button up shirt but not necessarily tucked in. Women wear  dressier tops sometimes with nice shorts, pants or a flirty skirt.
• Women normally do not wear too flashy of jewelry. This can be good because it is best to leave the good jewels at home and attract the wrong attention. Outfits are based more on the dress and makeup than jewelry in Playa.
• Coco Bongo is a very casual club and anything goes. Pants might be better here because it is air conditioned. Also comfortable shoes are recommended because you are standing most of the night unless you paid extra for the limited seats they have.

Conclusion

If you are going out to party hard at clubs in Playa Del Carmen, we recommend you read our Dangers and Safety article because there are some things you need to be aware of when going out late.

We hope you have enjoyed our guide to Clubs in Playa Del Carmen. You might also like our Ultimate Bar Guide to Playa Del Carmen here.

Let us know if you have any questions or comments about clubs in Playa Del Carmen in the comments below.

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Mr.Yucatan

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