When you are looking for the best nightlife in Cancun, Coco Bongo should definitely be on your list. Inspired by the film, the Mask with zany Jim Carey; Coco Bongo is a club, a cabaret show, a concert and a little bit of Cirque du Soleil all with a Las Vegas style!

Confused?

So was I when I entered the huge arena looking for my seat for the ‘show.’ There were no seats – just people standing and dancing on a packed dance floor.

Coco Bongo

‘I thought this was a show?’ I asked one of the guys from the hostel who was already queuing up for the unlimited ‘free’ drinks that came with your hefty ticket price. I was not drinking, having booked a date with whale sharks at 6.30am the following morning. I was not getting on that boat with a hangover.

‘It’s everything,’ he shouted above the loud beats and people ‘wooing’ in the background. ‘Just wait.’

Now, Cancun clubs have a reputation for their incredible party atmosphere and being a place where anything seemed to go, I had already encountered a Hooters and a Hard Rock Cafe upon our walk from the bus stop. Now, I was about to experience the best club in Cancun.

‘It’s Spidy. Oh my god, it’s Spiderman,’ squealed the guy as spiderman swung himself onto the stage in the middle and paraded around for all to see. He turned to me and hugged me. ‘He’s my hero,’  he said.

I looked at him blankly. Was he for real? This was a twenty-something world traveller who was now living in Cancun and his idol was a comic superhero?!

He was now jumping up and down in excitement and his enthusiasm was actually becoming contagious.

‘Woo,’ I shouted from the stands joining in with his whoops of glee as ‘Spidy’ took on his green-masked enemy in a rather too tight latex rubber suit.

Moments afterwards, Spiderman walked past our stand and the guy (who for obvious reasons – spiderman fetish – will remain anonymous), grabbed him and handed me his camera to take the cheesiest picture I have ever taken in my life. I personally blame the unlimited booze.

Some of the Best Cancun Nightlife

Then it was back to the dancing and as Gangnam Style blasted out from the speakers, the camera panned in on the only South Korean man on the dance floor. His face displayed for all to see on the giant screens above the podium, where the impersonators and dancers take the stage. After a flicker of realisation he gave in to the chorus of:

‘DANCE, DANCE, DANCE,’ and began to dance in true ‘Gangnam Style’ with his Korean girlfriend even joining in.

Then, just as he thought it was over and everyone was applauding him, the song started again and he was off, riding that invisible horse for all to see.

As the crowd erupted when the song finally came to the end, the security guard who was guarding the stage waltzed over and shouted over the R&B beats.

‘Come and dance on the podium,’ he said, beckoning me to the side of the stage.

I glanced over at the podium that I had seen others girls dancing on which stood up high overlooking the crowd of people on the dance floor below. This is where the impersonators stood when they strutting their stuff to Michael Jackson or Christina Aquilera. It was now empty. The security guard was still there waiting for my answer.

Now, I have been known to dance on bars and even giant speakers and if there is a podium – you can guarantee I will be on it. I looked again. It was still empty and crying out for a dancer. I was so tempted but…

…I hadn’t had a glass of alcohol and thousands of people would be watching me.

I thought long and hard. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t – and that it was only 3 minutes of my life and I could say: ‘I have danced on the podium at Coco Bongo.’

But just as I was about to answer, the security guard turned around and walked off, lost in the crowd. My moment of fame had passed.

Not dancing on the podium in the best club in Cancun is going to be a regret I have to live with for the rest of my life. Did I let it spoil my night? Hell no, I partied until the early hours of the morning – those whale sharks were just going to have to wait.

In the words of Jim Carey himself, “P-A-R-T-Y? because I gotta!”

Until next time Coco Bongo…