The party in Pipa happens on the main street. From around 22:00 the strip turns into an open-air bar, with DJs, live forró, samba, and reggae spilling out of half a dozen venues until well after midnight. The crowd is mostly young, Brazilian, and international in roughly equal measure; the atmosphere is friendly and the prices reasonable.
Calangos is the long-running open-air dance bar at the south end of the strip — sandy floor, live music most nights, and a near-permanent queue. Pedra do Chapadão is the most atmospheric sundowner spot on the cliffs above town. For something quieter, the cafes around the church square serve good espresso and chilled juices from breakfast. If you want to sleep, stay a block or two off the main street.