Mexico's Riviera Maya, once a long stretch of jungle coastline, has changed over the last few decades with the opening of one resort development after another. All of these huge resorts have their own palapa-roof beach bars, which are perfect places to enjoy a libation steps from the sea. Luckily there are a handful of former fishing towns along the coast, such as Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, and Akumal, where proper beach bars flourish, independent of resorts. These towns have kept pace with tourism development in the region and now overflow with boutique shops, nightclubs, restaurants and — of course — beach bars.

Blue Parrot Beach Club, Playa del Carmen

The Big Daddy of Riviera Maya beach bars is the Blue Parrot Beach Club. When I first visited Playa del Carmen in the '80s, the town was mostly dirt roads and jungle. The Blue Parrot was just being built, and they allowed me to sleep in one of their beachfront rooms — though it was only a sand-floored shell, lacking doors and roof. Even then the Blue Parrot had a sense of hospitality and has since grown into a beachfront bar of international renown. People come for the chill sense of style, epitomized by daybeds, DJs and delicious tropical cocktails. Hints of tacky Polynesian décor don't diminish the club's charm. If a guest wants to move even closer to the ocean, there are plenty of lounge chairs to choose from. At night, the Blue Parrot turns into a sophisticated club with an outdoor dance floor on the beach, a Palapa Lounge also set up for dancing, and a Sky Bar providing a quieter atmosphere for kicking back with friends. Each night at 11 p.m. there's a fire dance show on the beach.

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La Buena Vida, Akumal

Akumal is another of the original towns along Riviera Maya's coast, and has since grown a reputation as being eco-sensitive to the nesting sea turtles along its beaches. Day of the Dead-decorated La Buena Vida is the town's premier beach bar. Situated on lovely Half Moon Bay, La Buena Vida has sand floors and seats on swings doubling as bar stools. While standard drinks are served, adventurous drinkers will want to try some of the signature cocktails and shots, such as the Maya Kiss, a mix of traditional Mayan liquor called Xtabentun with rum and coconut cream; or the Tequila-Politan, combining Don Julio Blanco, Controy, cranberry and a squeeze of lime. They also serve food, with an emphasis on fresh seafood, such as Tic Kin Xic fish, which is baked in banana leaves and served with rice and fried plantains. Chillin' like a villain is easy at La Buena Vida, where they actually have a couple of crow's nest tables set 15 feet off the ground in the beachside palm trees.

Zenzi Beach Club, Playa del Carmen

Zenzi Beach Club is all about sand, sun, and lounge chairs during the day, with a steady stream of refreshments a raised finger away. The club has a different ambience depending on the day. They have a movie night on Mondays, the beats are bossa nova on Wednesdays and, on Sunday, they have a huge all-you-can eat barbeque on the beach. Most nights the music goes live at five. The beach at Playa del Carmen is a Euro-centric show in itself, so a day at Zenzi under the palms will be an eye-opener. If all that elbow-bending gets you hungry, Zenzi serves up standard Mexican beach fare like ceviche and coconut shrimp. Playa del Carmen's main street, Fifth Avenue, is only a few blocks away and lined with superb restaurants. Travelers might want to detour their appetites if they have the energy to walk a few blocks. I can personally recommend, Yaxche (pronounced jag-shey), which serves authentic Maya cuisine with ingredients from locally sourced farms.

La Panza es Primero, Puerto Morelos

The interior decorating scheme is Mexican wrestler at La Panza es Primero (translated, the name means "The Belly is First"). The colorful posters and masks create a lighthearted, whimsical atmosphere. Even the cutlery and dinnerware is colorful, utilizing the ubiquitous blue and white enamel cups and plates, which can be seen on sale in any authentic Mexican market. La Panza is in Puerto Morelos, a small fishing village that keeps a light hand on the steering wheel when it comes to tourism.

"This little beachfront restaurant serves up some of the best margaritas I've had in the area along with tortilla soup or some (of) the freshest fish tacos," says David Lavigne, frequent traveler and director Mexico product development for Delta Vacations and Aeromexico Vacations. "It's very low-key right on the beach. You can watch the fishermen come in from a day's fishing or kids playing on the beach. Low-key, relaxing and just what the doctor ordered."

Order up a bucket of Coronas or a stiff margarita, ask the waiter about the catch of the day and settle in for a laidback afternoon on the beach, with a nice view of the Puerto Morelos dock. It's easy to combine an afternoon at La Panza es Primero with some snorkeling and swimming.

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Freddy's Tequila and Ceviche Bar, Belmond Maroma Resort and Spa, Maroma Beach

While this may be one of the resort beach bars I mentioned before, there's a difference. Many of the resorts along the Riviera Maya coast are of the all-inclusive variety, which means meals and drinks are paid for upfront. This naturally discourages drop-ins, since there's nary a cash register in sight. Belmond Maroma Resort and Spa — an ultra-sophisticated Orient Express property — is old school, so it's easy for non-resort guests to amble over to the hotel's beachfront Freddy's Tequila and Ceviche Bar. Maroma Beach is beautiful and underdeveloped — the kind of serene stretch of sand that clears the mind. You don't have to be a tequila aficionado to enjoy Freddy's, but it doesn't hurt, since they serve over 100 varieties of the best brands of the spirit. They also have a reputation for serving some of the finest ceviche on the coast: six different recipes, prepared fresh at a guest's table. This is blue-chip dining on the beach, with a price tag to match.

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