Rio de Janeiro, the Marvelous City, is a destination that has always excited the
imagination of the gay and lesbian traveler. Falling in love with the city and the people is very easy.
Cosmopolitan Cariocas are friendly with gays, lesbians and trans-people, making you feel welcome almost everywhere. Language should not be a barrier. Most people you actually have to deal with understand basic
 English or Spanish. Others will try hard. And body language is universally understood, of course. 

   The beach is the perfect setting to make new friends, and find out what is going on. Go to Farme Gay in
Ipanema, a little to the east of cross-street Farme de Amoedo.  This spot attracts local TV stars,  gays and
 lesbians, international celebrities but, most of all, this is Barbie land. Before you ask, Barbie is a term used
by locals to describe muscular and well-off gay men who live on the South Side. Don’t miss the gay dodge-ball
and volleyball matches on Sundays. You will find more ideas of things to do and see at Rio Gay by Day.

/images/39531-36457/171318760_49ec51c0d3_m.jpeg”> we’ve been doing since 1996!”  – Two bits of advice someone told me. NEVER accepta drink from stranger
there. It is said, that the rage in Rio, is slipping Mickys to tourists and ripping them off. Also, do not take a stranger back to your room. The same rip-off factor applies. And it said, many locals will exchange sex for tennis shoes!
Go figure!

        /images/39531-36457/gay_parade.jpeg”>

The São Paulo Gay Parade is, if not the biggest, one of the biggest events of its kind in the world. In 2005, more
than 2,000,000 people attended the Parade (read BBC and News24).
It is also one of the major tourist events in São Paulo; the event has official support from the city government of
São Paulo. The Parade happens yearly, usually in June; it is the beggining of Brazilian winter, when temperatures
are lower, but rains are rare.

Every year an ever increasing number of gay guys head down to Rio in search of an exciting and ‘hot’ gay holiday destination. They are going to the right place. In the recent years Rio has become an excellent choice for the gay traveller. As the weather is hot all year round, the beaches are all loaded with eye candy all day long.

carnaval which enlivens the city for 3 solid days with music, singing, parties, and balls!

This is one town where anyone can wear a Speedo and not turn a head! Even straight men! With its world famous beaches free to all (such as Copacabana and Ipanema), its splendid bay, one of the loveliest in the world, and its wonderful climate, a blend of summer and springtime, Rio de Janeiro is a city that lives in and for the sun.
                  

Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe.
Estonia has land borders to the south with Latvia and Russia to the east.
The tourism bureau says, “Like Alice in her Wonderland, you will find there is even more
to see in Estonia than you have dreamed about.
The dream world becomes real and the reality is unbelievable.”

                                                                      
Tallinn, Estonia’s capital city is only about 40 miles south of Helsinki, across the Gulf of Finland.
Sweden is Estonia’s western neighbour across the Baltic. Russia is to the east, with St. Petersburg
just across the north-eastern border.

While Tallinn may not be a cultural metropolis like London, Paris or New York, people here do still like to
feed their souls. The town is home to a number of theatres, an opera house, several interesting museums
and galleries, and even an art-house cinema.

Though attitudes in Tallinn have become more in line with those of Western Europe over the last few years,
overt public displays of affection are still rare here. Similarly, Tallinn’s gay nightlife venues, with a couple of exceptions, tend to keep a low profile.

Gay and Lesbian Information Office
Tartu mnt 29
ph +372 5811 6969
gay@gay.ee
www.gay.ee

 Parliament House – how gay is that?!

There has been a gradual improvement for the position of the GLBT community in Estonia since 1990.
Several gay groups have been set up and since 1998 Tallinn has hosted a large and popular gay club.
Estonia’s close ties with Scandanavia would suggest that the position is likely to improve in the future. 
Some friends went to  Estonia and would recommend Tallinn as an interesting
and different city break for gay and lesbian visitors.  –
I just love all those European guys! And the countries are so rich in history and architecture.
The age of consent here is 14! Can you imagine????
For club information and nightlife – check here.

         

From the Winter 2006 issue of The Out Traveler           –

The Caribbean‘s proximity to the United States makes it an easy tropical escape.
Though the region on the whole has a less-than-perfect reputation among gay and lesbian
travelers, a number of standout destinations — many boasting lavish new restaurants, resorts
and spas — are making the gay-friendly grade.

Dominican Republic

The appeal
The Dominican Republic may be Latin and Catholic, but the vibe is refreshingly relaxed and tolerant.
Most of the gay action is centered in the capital, Santo Domingo, where a clutch of bars and discos
cater to travelers of both genders. But the real lure is the city itself. One of the Caribbean’s largest,
it was founded by Columbus’ brother in 1496, and it’s the oldest colonial city in the Americas.

Both Dutch St. Maarten and French St. Martin have long had a gay-friendly reputation, with many
private villas for rent and beaches and bars where gay and straight couples peacefully coexist. St. Maarten’s reputation was sullied somewhat by a 2004 incident where a gay couple was assaulted
near a popular beach bar, but island tourism officials were quick to apologize, and the island remains
near the top of the list for many gay Caribbean travelers.


   

Martinique

The appeal
The second-largest island in the French Caribbean, volcanic Martinique is known for its culture (Paul Gauguin briefly lived here), gorgeous beaches and rum, the island’s main product. You can sample the
spirit from the source at estates such as St. James Distillery. Visit during harvest season — February to June — to witness fresh sugarcane go from field to bottle. Like fellow Frenchie St. Barts, Martinique boasts a similar laissez-faire attitude to gay and lesbian travelers as well as a small scene in the capital, Fort-de-France.

Aruba and Curacao

The appeal
Forced to recognize the recent marriage of two local lesbians, Aruba — like the rest of the Dutch Antilles — leads the Caribbean in LGBT-friendliness. Neighboring Curacao recognizes domestic partners, and both islands actively court and welcome the gay market. Cosmopolitan Curaçao, with its Dutch allegiance, ranks among the most gay-friendly islands in the southern Caribbean, and the island has dozens of fine beaches. Although none claims to be a definitive gay mecca, the broad, magnificent nudist beach below Sunset Waters Beach Resort definitely pulls in plenty of gays and lesbians. Moreover, it’s a stunning stretch of sand, and all sorts of beach equipment can be rented here, from paddleboats to aqua-bikes.

Puerto Rico

The appeal
Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth, is the Caribbean made easy. It has direct air links to every major
U.S. city and an American-style gay scene, at least in San Juan. Stick close to San Juan’s grand resorts
or head to the tiny islet of Vieques, a vestige of tropical Caribbean purity where wild horses run along crystal-clear bays and gay-owned inns welcome off-the-beaten-pathers.

Don’t miss:
On Puerto Rico’s tiny and queer-friendly isle of Vieques, just off the northeast coast. The small beach
in the village of Esperanza opens onto a glorious bay and is a favorite hangout among guests of the
area’s many gay-friendly inns.

Mayan Riviera

The appeal
The region just north and south of Cancun is rapidly emerging as a gay-friendly, luxurious, low-key
eco-focused alternative to that perennially crowded spring-break favorite.


With its fun-in-the-sun destinations, carefree attitude, and myriad couples-oriented resorts, the
Caribbean seems an ideal vacation spot for gay and lesbian couples. But not all Caribbean islands are created equal: some (notably the French, Dutch, and U.S. islands) roll out the welcome mat for gay
couples, while others, like Jamaica, Barbados, and the Cayman Islands, have a reputation for
homophobia. With the help of the travel experts at Gay.com, here’s my picks for the top Caribbean destinations for gay travelers.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to its website and click on “Members.”

 

   

I have never been to Switzerland, but it looks picture perfect! I came across a little book recently –
It’s Only Natural – from  myswitzerland   and it was all about gay and lesbian travel in
Switzerland. It looks amazing! Ritzy Geneva, fairytale towns like Lucerne, and sophisticated Zurich.

Switzerland is a very conservative country but now has very progressive laws on homosexuality.
The gay scene is centred in Zurich and Geneva where there are many bars, clubs, cafes, restaurants,
saunas and organisations. –  The age of consent here is 16! Oh my!



 

A good guide to the city can be found at Zuri-Gay and also at  Gay Agenda.    Zurich is the bigest town and
hence, the biggest gay scene. A stroll through the picturesque Old Town with its historic defence and civic buildings, the Stein castle ruins, the Stadtturm (town tower) and of course the splendid Tagsatzungssaal (Meeting Hall) is impressive at any time of the year. Besides the active nightlife, with its clubs and bars,
Zürich is host to a number of cultural events for gays, such as the “Warmer Mai” (Gay May) festival,
featuring, among other things, the Swiss gay and lesbian film festival, Pink Apple. There are parties in
Zürich seven days a week; from the legendary Weekend Nights at the Labyrinth Club to the large-scale mainstream white and black parties staged by the Angels,
there is a club and event to suit each and every taste. 

 

Whether you want the majesty of the high Alps or a Mediterranean flair, a cosmopolitan city or unspoiled countryside: Every part of Switzerland has its own distinctive character. These regional variations are part of what makes Switzerland so special. But from what I have seen, it looks so unpolluted and unspoiled and
picture perfect, you just expect Julie Andrews to pop out at any minute! Seriously, the landscape looks as breathtaking as it did 40 years ago! Pack my liederhossen!  Let’s go!

 

 

It doesn’t get much hotter than the passionate, piquant Argentine capital!


 
Buenos Aires is really coming into its fabulous own, with a spicy gay nightlife,
progressive gay-rights laws and a strong and vocal gay and lesbian movement.
And the recently devalued Argentine peso will make for a visit that’s both enriching
and cheap!  In this city you will find a mix between the elegance of the Europe capitals
and the spirit of South America .   Visiting Buenos Aires, you will experience a sort of
“deja vù” of Europe while you explore the grand boulevards, expansive parks,
magnificent architecture, and ever-changing fashion of Argentina’s beautiful capital.
Buenos Aires is the city with the most freedom and openness for the homosexual community
in Latin America, and the first one to legally recognize the civil union of homosexuals.

Clive Sanders website editor of London Gay Times Travel says: “Buenos Aires is probably the most liberal and gay friendly city in Latin America. Here you will find a large and sophisticated gay scene.

 

We were very impressed with Buenos Aires which has a gay scene that we felt compared very favorably to any similar sized city in Europe or North America. There are loads of gay bars, restaurants and clubs, several saunas and even a raunchy sex club. the only down side is that being a Latin country everything is of course really late and most bars don’t get started until well after midnight.”



 

There is much to see and do in Buenos Aires!
Shopping, restaurant great museums and architecture! Argentina’s buzzing Buenos Aires has
turned into a top Latin American destination for homosexual tourists, as the capital gets its
gay-friendly message out to lure fresh revenue.

The recent designation of the city as Latin America’s first host of a homosexual football World Cup and an opening of a wine bar catering to gays are some of the latest effects of Buenos Aires’s rising star. The tourism office lists “gay” addresses and themed circuits around the city, particularly in San Telmo, the historic tango neighbourhood. About 20 businesses in the quarter, including the new wine bar, are part of the initiative.
    

For great packages in Argentina – check out BUE GAY. Oh yeah, did I mention the hot men?

 

Sydney, Australia!   The largest city in Australia offers tons to see and do. Attend a performance at the famed Sydney Opera House, surf the waves at Bondi Beach or cruise around Sydney Harbor. At night, rest up at one of the city’s many fine hotels or resorts. (like the VERSACE HOTEL!)

There is no place in the world like Sydney. There is no time like Mardi Gras. The 2007 Mardi Gras Season begins on 2nd February and culminates on the 3rd March with the world famous night-time parade through the streets of Sydney and the enormous Mardi Gras party. It has grown from a small local event to one of the largest parties on the planet!  You can find all you need to know about our events and Gay Sydney on this site.

 

The Rocks Market is Sydney’s leading lifestyle market, featuring
a delectable range of arts, crafts, homewares and collectables.
Situated at the northern end of George & Playfair Streets and
housed under a unique sail-like canopy, the all weather market
is home to over 150 magnificent stalls every weekend.  The Market
was launched in 1991 as part of the strategic marketing program to
reposition the historical Rocks as a venue of quality, innovation and
atmosphere.  It has now established itself as Sydney’s premier
street market and the envy of other markets.

 

Many cities only muster one gay village. Sydney has plenty.

 

The traditional centre of activities has been Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, but it has become more mixed in the last ten years.

 

Nearby Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay have become the home to the smart party set. They both enjoy a stunning harbour setting and close proximity to the nightlife hub of Kings Cross.

 

Further up Oxford Street you get to Paddington. Once a bit of a dive, its rich network of Victorian terraces have long since been gentrified and it’s home to a lot of chi-chi metrogays.

 

Then there’s the beach. North Bondi is the current plage du jour while Tamarama (Glamarama) is home to some very well-to-do gay Sydneysiders.

 

Melbourne  – Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne boasts great festivals and shopping, a passion for food and wine, and fabulous arts. With myriad restaurants and a colorful tapestry of Eurasian ethnicity, Melbourne is a culinary and cultural heaven, situated on the Yarra River. The gay scene spreads over two distinct queer neighborhoods: Collingwood in the north and Prahran/South Yarra/St. Kilda in the South. Outside Melbourne, you’ll find a host of regional attractions, from the Little Penguins to the spectacular Great Ocean Road.