It seems as if everyone in town is out strolling along "la Quinta" until midnight; there's pleasant browsing, dining, and drinking available at the many establishments on the street. Here's a quick rundown of the bars that you won't find on Quinta Avenida. The beach bar that is an institution in Playa is the Blue Parrot (tel. 984/873-0083). It gets live acts, mostly rock, and attracts a mixed crowd. It's between calles 12 and 14. Just to the south is Om (no phone), which gets a younger crowd with louder musical acts. For salsa, go to Mambo Café (tel. 984/803/2656) on Calle 6 between avenidas 5 and 10.
Alux (tel. 984/110-5050) is a one-of-a-kind club occupying a large cave with two dramatically lit chambers and several nooks and sitting areas. It's worth going to, if only for the novelty. The local conservancy group approved all the work, and great care was taken not to contaminate the water, which is part of a larger underground river system. The club books a variety of music acts, usually with no cover. Often there's belly dancing, which is quite in keeping with the surroundings, and I couldn't help but think that I had stepped into a scene from a James Bond film. The bar is cash only and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 7pm to 2am. Take Avenida Juárez across to the other side of the highway -- 2 blocks down on your left.
For movie going, Cine Hollywood, Avenida 10 and Calle 8, in the Plaza Pelícanos shopping center, shows a lot of films in English with Spanish subtitles. Before you buy your ticket, make sure the film is subtitled (subtitulada) and not dubbed (doblada).
