Gay people who want to have a great vacation in South America now have a lot more destinations to choose from. The continent has a massive variety of places to go and things to do and increasingly vocal gay rights movements have ensured that it is safer than ever. There are lots of companies now offering gay travel to South America.
Brazil is still the top gay destination in South America. Rio has long been popular with gay travelers as has Sao Paulo the two largest cities in the country. Now there are more destinations north of the cities, along the coast from Salvador to Fortaleza so gay travelers can get out of the cities and explore.
Buenos Aires has been an increasingly popular gay destination for some time and no wonder. This most European of South American cities has tons of gay bars, clubs and cafes. Palermo has some very chic gay friendly hotels and a wealth of top quality shopping and eating opportunities. San Telmo, the neighborhood for tango is also a great place to hang out and you can even take a gay tango class. The residents of Buenos Aires like to think of themselves as modern and liberal and it is possible to have a same sex civil union in the city.
Colombians are famous throughout the continent for their hospitality and ability to have a good time. The country is largely safe for travelers these days and people are starting to discover the many joys to be found there. In terms of gay travel things are also looking promising. In recent years there have been a number of new laws which give gay couples the same rights as straight couples. Bogota has a fabulous gay neighborhood called Chapinero Alto with loads of bars, cafes and gay hotels. The city hosts a gay pride event every June and many free cultural events throughout the summer.
Cosmopolitan Santiago, the capital of Chile is another up and coming gay destination. Thanks to an especially active and vocal gay rights movement things are changing rapidly. A new law has just been proposed to legalize same sex partnerships so gay visitors to the city should not have any problems. The second city Valparaiso is a fascinating city with a LGBT movement of its own. When many travelers visit Chile though, it is not for the cities. The country has an incredible variety of natural habitats from the glacier covered south to the northern deserts and incredible landscapes of all kinds in between. These offer countless opportunities for sports and adventure so a trip to Chile could really include a bit of everything.
There are also many opportunities for adventure travel in South America. Countries such as Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia provide excellent opportunities for trekking, exploring ancient ruins, climbing, jungle exploration and much more. Although they do not really have established gay scenes there are gay friendly places in their capital cities.
There are now many travel agents organizing trips for gay people to South America. Some are dedicated to gay travelers but other mainstream travel agencies are realizing the opportunities and providing gay trips.
Gay tours to South America are growing in popularity. This is because there is so much to offer all over the continent.
Howie Holben oversees Spirit Journeys, a gay travel vacation affliation that focuses on conscious travel. Howie has travelled the world learning from indigenous peoples. There is more about gay spirituality with a spiritual focus at Spirit Journeys website.
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