Beaches and nature are things that come to mind when one thinks of Tulum, but the most popular activity for sure is experiencing the notorious Tulum nightlife. Complete with jungle raves, day clubs on the beach, nightclubs with electronic music, grungy hostel parties, and exclusive Tuluminati parties, there is no shortage of nightlife in Tulum, no matter what you’re looking for.
While there are a host of many bars, beach clubs, and nightclubs in Tulum, we’ve come up with a pretty simple guide to get you started, as the number of places to choose from can seem overwhelming. We also have a Tulum nightlife community here you should consider joining.
Tulum Nightlife Tips
As of January 2024 Smoking is prohibited in public places, such as bars, nightclubs, patios and even on the street and beach. Designated smoking areas, where permitted, must be located in open-air spaces. In Tulum it currently seems like this is not being enforced.
Starting November 1st, 2022, Tulum City Council has enacted a new bylaw to control the cities noise. After 1:00am, bars and clubs are prohibited to play music above 65 decibels (which is essentially a normal conversation volume). Furthermore, they are also not allowed to serve food or drinks after this time. This may greatly impact Tulum’s nightlife and party scene. This rule is currently not being enforced.
Bring Cash Unlike other spots in Mexico, most bars and clubs in Tulum only accept pesos, this includes even the fanciest places. They will accept Mexico Pesos and also American Dollars.
Always Tip This is the custom in most of Mexico, especially in the more touristy spots. The basic rate is 10-15% and is usually not included on the bill unless there is a charge for ‘propina.’
Location You’ll find that most of the Tulum nightlife is located in the main town and also the Middle Beach Zone. The places in the town are generally cheaper and not as upscale, as the beach on the jungle side of the road, offering a much more upscale and fancier environment, and of course much more expensive.
Safety While this may be common sense for most of Mexico in general, and especially at night, take care of your belongings and watch out for pickpockets. Don’t take your expensive iPhone 14 Pro Max out a night, carry a little cash, and don’t wear a lot of jewelry.
Venues For the top 6 nights out in Tulum the most popular bars and clubs take turns hosting a night. The list is as follows:
Tuesdays & Wednesdays: Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar in the town
Thursdays: Casa Jaguar in the beach zone
Fridays: Gitano in the beach zone
Saturdays: Papaya Playa Project in the beach town
Sundays: Salsa Night at La Zebra Hotel in the southern beach zone
Tulum Nightlife Costs
The cost of Tulum nightlife obviously varies on which area you’ll be partying and at which clubs or bars. Of course, the beach clubs and bars along the beach are going to be much pricier than those in the town itself.
Best Bars in Tulum
Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar
A bar popular during the day to chill out and enjoy some drinks in the town center turns into a lively party at night with live music with a large crowd. Famous for their Mojitos with freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, this place is a must-go during any day of the week and is one of the most popular places for Tulum nightlife in town. Prices are 150 pesos for a Mojito and 50 pesos for a beer.
La Zebra Hotel
This hotel features a salsa dance event every Sunday night, great for families, couples, and singles. They offer free lessons from 6:30 to 7:30 afterward the party picks up with a bunch of people mingling and dancing with each other to live music. Located by the beach, their bar the ‘The Mulberry Project’ makes amazing cocktails for you to enjoy while you dance the night away on the beach.
Kin Toh
Located within the famous Azulik resort, Kin Toh is more of a restaurant/bar but its uniqueness consists of “hanging nests” situated above the bar with epic sunset views over the Yucatan jungle. While the drinks are expensive and the minimum consumption is 500 pesos ($25 USD), we think it’s definitely worth it and an excellent place to start off the night, sipping on cocktails.
Straw Hat Hostel
While it is a bar within a hostel, visitors are still allowed to visit just the bar, and trust us – it’s worth it! With some of the wildest and downright dirty parties in Tulum, it’s a must. They have many drinking games, cheap drinks, and a pool to cool off. With a very friendly atmosphere, you’ll have no problem meeting others here.
If you want to experience Tulum nightlife to its fullest, we recommend coming here! You can come here anytime but the party really starts at around 10:30pm
Naná Rooftop Bar
Naná Rooftop Bar is a Mexican-Japanese fusion restaurant and bar that has some unique, delicious cocktails and views of the Tulum town below. They are famous for their mezcal-inspired drinks and usually have DJs spinning tunes into the night, making it a good place to party.
Tulum Social Pub Crawl
If it’s your first time in Tulum and you want to experience the Tulum nightlife the best way, then the Tulum Social Pub Crawl is your best bet. Meet people from all over the world and gain access to the hottest venues with the guidance of our party professionals. Enjoy mini-games and drinks all night long. Operates every Tuesday, and every Thursday to Sunday starting at 8:30.
Best Clubs in Tulum
Bonbonniere Tulum
One of the most expensive clubs in Tulum and one of the only ones open until sunrise. Bonbonniere has an absolutely incredible sound system, and regularly features some of the best DJ’s from all over the world. If you manage to get in here, be prepared to spend a lot (cover ranges from 1000-4000 pesos).
Casa Jaguar
When people aren’t partying here this place is a regular, hip Caribbean restaurant, but every Thursday night this place transforms into amazing jungle parties hosted on their terrace. Show up after 11:00 pm to enjoy the wild crowd dancing to international DJs, making it one of the most popular spots to enjoy the Tulum nightlife.
Gitano
The popular spot for Friday nights out, Gitano is a must if you want to experience the real Tulum nightlife. Located on the jungle side of the beach road, the DJs start spinning the decks at 11:00 pm, so this is definitely a late-night place that you’ll want to stay until the early hours of the morning.
Featuring an authentic Mexican restaurant out front and a classic Mezcal bar out back there’s something for everyone. This place also has smaller parties on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
Papaya Playa Project
Considered the largest and best party of the week, Papaya Play Project gets their turn to host on Saturday nights. They also have spectacular and wild Full Moon parties every month held on the Saturday closest to the full moon. Popular DJs from around the world get featured here and play until 4:00 am so get ready to have a blast all night. Cover usually starts at 500 pesos ($25).
Santino
Another cool spot located in Tulum town that is cheaper than the others listed here. It has a fun, relaxed vibe which is a great place to eat, drink, and dance with friends on their lively dancefloor (if you like reggaeton music). They are popular for their cheap and delicious cocktails.
