Dominican - NightLife

SANTO DOMINGO

The Malecón is the traditional focus of nightlife; along with some of the city's finest dance halls, the boardwalk is crowded with outdoor restaurants that start getting crowded around 10pm and stay open into the early morning. There are also clubss across the city that specialize in Cuban son. Weekends see plenty of activity, but the busiest night for local clubs is Monday, when most are booked with big-name acts.

The Zona Colonial is a great place to go bar-hopping. At night the ruins are especially atmospheric, and dotted around them are a variety of neighbourhood joints, jazz bars and slick New York-style clubs. The other major centre is the Plaza Central, where most wealthy young Dominicans hang out. The Malecón also has a number of informal set-ups with a liquor shack surrounded by tables and chairs; most popular of these is Plaza D'Frank, two blocks west of the Centenario Hotel.

Bars

Agua Lounge Hostos and El Conde, Zona Colonial. Super-hip, tremendously popular small club on the second floor of Caribbean Blue. The crowds show around 1am.

Meson D'Bari Hostos and Ureña, Zona Colonial. Atmospheric after-work gathering place notable for its soundtrack of traditional bachatas, merengue périco ripao and old-style Cuban son.

Ocho Puertas José Reyes 107, Zona Colonial. Trendy techno bar set in a gorgeously restored colonial warehouse, with lounge rooms and a young, wealthy scene.

Discos and live music

Zona Colonial

Aire Mercedes 313 www.aireclub.com. Home to the beautiful-people set in the city, this is a pretty remarkable, high-end rave joint with a mixed straight and gay crowd. Check out Wednesdays, which is "Foam Night", when the entire club is filled with four-feet-high, thick bubble foam.

Malecón

Jet Set Independencia 2253 tel 809/535-4145. Very nice seventh-floor disco with great views of the city. RD$50 cover.

Jubilee Malecón 367, Renaissance Jaragua Hotel tel 809/688-8026. Luxurious hotel disco featuring great sound and light systems, though serving expensive drinks. RD$100 cover.

Mauna Loa Calle Héroes de Luperón at Malecón, Centro de los Héroes tel 809/533-2151. Super-suave nightclub and casino with tables looking out onto a big-band stage reminiscent of the Roaring Twenties. If you love Buena Vista Social Club, this place is a must. RD$25 cover.

Outer Barrios

La Guácara Taina Av Mirador del Sur tel 809/530-2666. The most famous club in the city, set in a huge natural cave.

Vieja Havana Av Máximo Gómez, Villa Mella. Great outdoor son hall best on Thursday and Sunday nights, when they hold old-style dance contests.

East of the Ozama

Monumento del Son Av Charles de Gaulle and Los Restauradores, Barrio Sabana Perdida. Famous outdoor son hall 5km north of the Las Américas highway.

Puerto Plata

Fed by a metropolis full of dance-crazy Dominicans and vacationing foreign hordes, Puerto Plata's nightlife establishments are crammed with dancers until dawn. While Playa Dorada resorts and their restaurants are off limits to non-guests, the discos are open to all.

Andromeda Heavens Hotel. Large, modern dance floor with mostly Dominican music despite the foreign clientele.

Hemingway's Cafe Playa Dorada Plaza. Haven for crazed drunken tourists intent on having a good time. Friday's ear-splitting karaoke night is the most popular; Thursdays and Saturdays feature good rock 'n' roll.

La Barrica Circunvalación Sur and Av Colón. Hip, strictly Dominican music disco catering mostly to city-dwellers cutting vicious moves. There are no lights in the entire club - the waiters use flashlights.

Orión 30 de Marzo and 12 de Julio. Slightly intimidating, but the most popular dance spot in town, featuring strictly merengue and bachata.