However, prices can drop if you haggle, especially on weeknights and in the off-season when business is slow. This is particularly effective for larger groups. Look out, too, for " Ladies Free " nights , which, when offered at a place that normally has a "free bar", means women get in for about half price.

Virtually all the clubs and discos are out along Costera in the hotel district, beyond CiCi - they move in and out of fashion with such bewildering rapidity that recommendations are virtually impossible. Some, like Baby-O , try to maintain a spurious exclusivity by turning people away at the door, but most can afford to do this only at the height of the season. Look for queues outside to see what's flavour of the month. Among the more consistently popular discos are Baby-O and Andromeda's in the same area, Bey's Rock and El Alebrije a little further west and, way up on the hill beyond the naval base, the huge, glitzy and extremely expensive Enigma, Bazzuca's and Palladium. Relax , opposite the El Presidente hotel, is one of the better gay hangouts. If you're not easily intimidated you could also try some of the downtown bars and cantinas : you'll find a couple that aren't too heavy around the bottom of Azueta - La Sirena , for example - but these aren't recommended for women on their own.

There are a number of cinemas along the Costera, showing exclusively American films, in English with Spanish subtitles. More traditional entertainment can be found at the Fiesta Mexicana in the Centro Acapulco, which features three weekly performances by a troupe of the Ballet Folklorico . Although the admission is a bit steep, and the waiters persistent, the large-scale show - around sixty singers/dancers/musicians plus full regalia - is undeniably impressive.