Okay, now for the fun stuff. If ya like to party and got some extra fun tickets, these are a must!

Joe's Oyster Bar

Joe's Oyster Bar

This is da place! Located in the heart of the Zone. Kinda hard to spot though. It's just to the right of Los Sabalos Hotel on the beach.

During the day it's the perfect spot for the over thirties to kick back, have a Pina Colada and listen to some tunes. You can hang your feet off the wall and peoplewatch the beach or haggle with the hundreds of vendors that cruise the beach. These guys will drop a great deal in price if you stick with it.

Note: You can buy any of this stuff a little cheaper in the market. But remember, many of these vendors come from as far as 1000 miles away from their native village where the most of the village has spent the entire year preparing for this season. A lot of these villages depend on the money these guys return with. If at all possible, help out.

Back to the bar. They have thousands of CD's in this place and a 6000 watt stereo system. Slip the music guy 10 or 20 pesos and make several requests, chances are he's got it.

This is beyond a doubt one of the priciest places to do any serious drinking but well worth the visit. In the golden zone they call me pelon (paylone). Mention my name to any of the waiters or bartenders for a laugh, particularly Enrique, an old friend.

WARNING: After dark this place is a zoo, I mean PACKED with 18-23 year olds. You've been warned.

Gringo Lingo
Fun place in the evening. Has both indoor and outdoor seating. Generally has a two-for-one happy hour most of the day. Great place for lunch. I recommend the fajitas. Mention pelon.

Note: If you're an early riser and need coffee, they have it out front every morning.

Jungle Juice
Around the corner and upstairs. Great old rock and roll tunes to dance to everynight. Get a table on the balcony for some good people watchin'.

No Name Cafe
Real interesting place. Bit of a sports bar, but excellent food.

These are four of my favorites. Bear in mind they're pricey for the area. The further you travel from the zone, the cheaper it gets. Watch for the 2-for-1 signs and it brings the price down by half.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.