Coco has two very distinct types of restaurants, sodas and bars : those catering to nationals and those that make some sort of stab at cosmopolitanism to hook the gringos. Nightlife is generally quiet during the week, but things get livelier at the weekend, when the Cocomar   disco starts up.

Bar Coco , opposite the Parquecito. A popular place in a prime position. Good for seafood lunches and dinners or just a beer in the evening.

Bar El Bohio , in the centre of the village. Extensive, gringo-friendly fare, running from Chinese to tacos, with menus in English.

CocoMar Bar and Disco , right on the beach, about 100m north of the Parquecito. Coco's only disco can be very loud at weekends, when it plays a mixture of salsa and reggae. On weekday evenings it's usually a bar unless someone decides to crank up the powerful sound system. Open until midnight; later at weekends.

Da Beppe in the Flor de Itabo hotel. The most ambitious food in town, with prices to match; the fillet of beef and fresh shrimp are recommended if you feel like splashing out. The popular Havana Bar is in the same building.

Pizzería Pronto , 500m before the beach on the right-hand side as you enter Coco. Green salads and large pizzas (the jalapeña is good) for about US$7, served beneath a pleasant canopy. Closed Tues.

San Francisco Treats , 200m from the beach. The San Francisco crowd who run this cheery melon-coloured restaurant offer treats such as home-made lasagne and roast beef sandwiches. Desserts - brownies and pies - are especially good.