Category Archives: latin america

Gay Guide to Carnival 2022 in Rio de Janeiro

As the world re-opens for post-COVID travel, hopes are high for Latin America.  Brazil continues to race towards vaccinating its population, and projections a great for the next Carnival.

In 2022, Carnival will begin on Friday, February 25 and run through a wild extended weekend to Tuesday, March 1.  The day after is Ash Wednesday when the parties are officially over (for the most part) and you will find the streets of Rio de Janeiro quietly getting back to normal. Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival is considered the world’s largest, hosting approximately two million participants per day. In 2019, Rio’s carnival attracted a record 1.62 million visitors.



Getting There & Where to Stay

Purchasing a package of a flight including a hotel stay can be a great way to save money.  (Expedia has some of the cheapest package deals we have found with international flights to Brazil.)  Fortunately, many airlines are offering flexible cancellation policies to encourage post-COVID travel.  For great deals, try searching Skyscanner.com, Expedia.com, Iberia,  LAN / TAM Airlines,  and CheapFlights.com

Will you need a visa to enter Brazil?  In 2019, citizens of the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan received visa-free access to Brazil for tourism. Get the full list of nationalities and visa requirements from the consulate of Brazil.

For lodging, Booking.com remains the best, cheapest, way to find both hotels and flats (with Expedia ranking a close 2nd.)  Visit our full list of gay-friendly places to stay in Rio de Janeiro by clicking on the link below.

View all gay-friendly hotels in Rio »

Day-By-Day Schedule to Carnival 2022

Hopefully, you can arrive before Carnival week (and stay after.)  By January, Rio will be in full swing.  Visit any of the gay bars and clubs on our list and you will find a good time.

Like VamosGay on Facebook and/or join our email list below to get the 2021 schedule as soon as it’s available.

Gay Block Parties? LGBT-Friendly Blocos

From the butch, to the femme, and everyone in between, Carnival in Rio offers the perfect excuse to show off your muscles or your glitter.  Here’s our short list of the city’s most  gay-friendly block parties, but you’ll find many of Rio’s blocos are fabulously welcoming.

List of Rio’s LGBT Carnival Blocos »

Travel Tips

To keep this section short, our guide will assume you know how to navigate the dangers of big cities and foreign countries.  Download digital version of Lonely Planet: Rio de Janeiro for the best English-language guide to the city, and a good source for basic travel tips.

  • Mobile data – research the international data packages provided by your carrier.  In Brazil, SIM cards with data plans are cheap and easy to activate.  As a foreigner, you can activate and use SIM cards from TIM, Claro, and Oi.  We recommend Claro. Read our guide to SIM cards and mobile plans for foreigners visiting Brazil.
  • Bring a 2nd phone.  That iPhone 5 in your drawer is perfect for navigating the city with apps.  Phone theft is rampant in blocos and nightclubs.  A second phone can also hold your new Brazilian SIM card.
  • Google Maps – pre-plan your route (by foot, bus, or subway) and save them as “offline” maps.  Download our Google Map now.
  • Bring your drivers license to nightclubs.  Dragging around your passport is not necessary; a driver’s license / photo ID is fine.
  • Avoid mosquitoes  – The zika virus crisis has subsided, but not disappeared.  Bring your own DEET mosquito repellent .  Pharmacies in Rio sell the cheap stuff.
  • Debit/credit cards – Highly recommend one with a “chip.”  Credit card cloning is still a problem in South America.  A pre-paid Visa for small purchases and hotel guarantees is a good idea.
  • Ask your front desk – All of the hotels on our list of gay-friendly places to stay in Rio know the city and are happy to help.  Use them!
  • Watch your drink! – Criminals who drug tourists usually target women, but in Brazil gay men are often targets.
  • Be careful who you bring back to your hotel – At some hotels, you can walk directly to your elevator, some may ask for ID from your guest(s)  The safest bet for hookups is to go to one of Rio’s many gay saunas.
  • Wear shoes – Yes, your new Havaiana flip flops are cute, but don’t be one of gringoes who goes home on crutches.
  • Don’t sweat every little expense – The club that wants to charge a cover of R$50 … That’s about US$9.25 right now.
  • Be OK with the fact you won’t see it all – Don’t overload your agenda.  Make a note of what you would like to come back for in 2023.



Online Resources During Carnival 2022

Get info and ask questions by following VamosGay on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.  Or, leave a comment below!

Sign-up for Gay Carnival in Rio Newsletter


We’ve got all of the inside info, but we love to share it with our friends. Like VamosGay on Facebook and/or join our email list.

This gay guide to Carnival in Rio will give you everything you need to plan your trip before you go, and all of the information you need during Carnival week.  Bookmark vamosgay.com/carnival-rio on web and mobile!

Gay São Vicente, Santos, Guarujá – Guide to the São Paulo Coast

Take a break from the concrete jungle of São Paulo and ride to the sands of LGBT-friendly Santos, Guarujá, and  São Vicente.
⚕️ Updated September 2020: Beaches have officially reopened following months of COVID-19 quarantine.  Nightclubs and saunas remain closed, but gay-friendly beach stands like Quiosque da Cris are open for drinks on the sand. Continue reading Gay São Vicente, Santos, Guarujá – Guide to the São Paulo Coast

New Year’s in Rio de Janeiro

⚕️ Coronavirus News Update:  On July 25, the city of Rio de Janeiro officially cancelled celebrations to celebrate the start of 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the beachfront celebrations brought together 3 million revelers. ⚕️

Rio de Janeiro is one of the best places in the world to ring in the New Year (or, as Brazilians call it Réveillon.)  While the northern hemisphere is freezing, the beaches of Rio are warm … and the men are hot!  This guide for 2020 is split into three sections:  getting there, enjoying New Years Eve on Copacabana beach, and finding the best gay parties.

Getting There / Places to Stay

We recommend that you fly down in late December and spend a week discovering Rio de Janeiro.  (Rates for the high season start on flights departing after December 27.)  To book an international flight to Rio, the best websites are:

Once in Rio, you will need a place to stay.  Ipanema Beach is where the boys are.  Copacabana is amazing as well.  Check out our list of the best LGBT friendly hotels and apartments in gay Rio.

For the plane ride down, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet Rio de Janeiro, the best English language guide to the city.  (United States citizens will also need to apply for a Visa to enter Brazil.  Americans won’t be able to board their flights without it.)

Copacabana Beach

Fabulous and free!  The sands of Copacabana (and neighboring Ipanema) are the place to be this time of year.  The New Year’s Eve tradition is to wear white and pay tribute to Iemanjá, the water goddess at the center of Brazil’s Candomblé religion.  Every year, there is a massive party with live music that fills the sands of Copacabana Beach, however if you stay in Ipanema you will only be 20 to 30 minutes away by foot.  The music starts between 8 and 9PM, and the fireworks begin at the stroke of midnight.

Parties, Parties, and More Parties!

Get every last drop out of 2019 before the year ends.  Rio’s gay bars will be open and ready to party after Christmas Day.

Rio BeatsHouse 2020

You only live once, so open your wallet, book a room at the JW Marriott and reserve a ticket for Rio BeatsHouse 2020.  For the 2nd year, this all-inclusive event will be hosted at the five-star JW Marriott and will be best way to ring in the New Year.  Check the availability at the JW Marriott now and let the countdown begin.

The Week Réveillon 2020

Party boys from across the globe come together every year for Réveillon at The Week RJ.  This year, the mega party will take place at Espaco Costa Hall with a stunning view of Guanabara Bay.  Click here to get more info and to buy tickets online..

Wallpaper Prime Copacabana @ Pestana

Gay-friendly, over-the-top, party to ring in the new year.  The parties organized by the Wallpaper Brasil promoters never fail to impress and this New Year’s réveillon party should be amazing.  Click here to buy tickets online, and to check rates and availability for rooms at the Pestana Rio Atlantica, click here.

Bookmark this page for your gay Rio New Years plans, or subscribe to our newsletter below.

Coronavirus updates gay travel

If you are one of the millions who viewed disco icon Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” hand washing video, you have seen a great metaphor for the current COVID-19 crisis. Let’s stay safe, keep our spirits up, and hold on for the future.

Most major cities across the globe have pride month events scheduled for 2020, and most of them will be forced to cancel and reschedule. Here’s a brief summary for the cities we cover on VamosGay: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Montevideo, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Lisbon. Try skyscanner.com to compare the latest international airfares.
(Note: The information below is current as of July 25, 2020.)

🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Sat, Nov 7 (unconfirmed)
🇵🇹 Lisbon (unknown)
🇧🇷 São Paulo cancelled for 2020, new date June 6, 2021
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro Sun, Sept 27 (confirmed)
🇨🇱 Santiago Chile Sun, Jun 28 (online only)
🇲🇽 Mexico City Sat, Jun 27 (online only)
🇺🇾 Montevideo (Fri, Sept 25 confirmed)

São Paulo LGBT Pride Parade 2020 CANCELLED / 2021 Announced

⚕️ Coronavirus News Update:  Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of São Paulo’s Pride parade announced that the event (originally scheduled for June 14), would be re-scheduled for November 29.  However, as optimism for a quick recovery faded, the group declared the 2020 parade is cancelled and announced the date for the event in 2021.

On Sunday, June 6, 2021, the largest gay pride parade in the world will celebrate its 24th anniversary.  Past parades have attracted over 3 million people took to the streets of Sao Paulo, according to estimates.  In 2021, the city of Sao Paulo will also push back its Carnival celebration from February to an undetermined date in June.

Click to launch our Google Map of the parade route including landmarks of gay Sao Paulo 🗺️

In the days leading up to the parade, São Paulo (already one of the most gay-friendly cities in Latin America) explodes with gay activities.  By day, “gayborhoods” like Frei Caneca and Largo do Arouche fill with couples.  And by night, nightclubs like The Week are packed.

Watch the Replay: Pride Parade 2019

The theme of the 2019 parade was a commemoration of the 50 year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. 

Getting There

For those searching for air/hotel packages, Expedia offers some of the lowest rates for package deals to São Paulo.  Europeans, Americans, and visitors who are  already in South America have a number of inexpensive options.  For international flights, we always use SkyScanner.com to compare airfares and find the lowest rates all of the major airlines.

View airfare deals »

Hotels & Gay-Friendly Places to Stay

South America’s largest city offers hundreds of great places to stay. Here’s our short list of hotels you can enjoy your stay for pride weekend.

View Gay-Friendly Hotels »

Guide to Bars & Club

There are almost 40 different options!  From hole-in-the-wall bars to multi-floor mega clubs, check out our 2019 guide to São Paulo’s gay (and gay-friendly) places to go.

View List of Bars & Clubs »

Saunas & Sex

Every sex club, cinema, and sauna will be very active for Pride Week. We’ve listed them all on one page. Dive in!

View Sao Paulo saunas and sex clubs »

Sign-up for our mailing list and be the first to know the full agenda!

*Note for American visitors :  Travel to Brazil requires a visa.   Get visa info you will need in time for June’s pride parade.  Click here for Brazilian visa information for tourists.

 

Gay Guide to São Paulo

São Paulo is famous across the globe for its Parada do Orgulho, the largest gay pride parade in the world.  However, compared to its tropical brother Rio de Janeiro, foreigners know very little about Latin America’s largest and most populous city.

⚕️ Coronavirus News Update:  The organizers of São Paulo’s Pride parade announced that the event previously scheduled for Sunday, June 14th has been cancelled, and the official new date is Sunday, November 29, 2020.

Guide to LGBT Pride Parade 2020 »

Gay nightlife in Sampa, as São Paulo is also known, rivals major cities like New York and London. (One could even argue the city’s gay nightlife mecca The Week, pictured above, surpasses any gay club in the US or Europe.)  By day, São Paulo offers world-class gastronomy, visual arts, and architecture.

Dive in with the VamosGay 2020 Guide to São Paulo to plan your trip, unlock insider tips, and enjoy the best of the city!

Neighborhoods

Learn more about the diverse “gayborhoods” of São Paulo.

View all »

Bars & Clubs

A to Z listing of every bar, lounge, and club in the city.

View all »

Restaurants & Cafes

The 2019 hotlist of where to eat in a city full of options.

View all »

Sex & Saunas

An up-to-date list of Sao Paulo’s hottest hot spots.

View all »

Hotels & Airfare

Location, amenities, price, and gay-friendly!

View all »

Places to Visit

Museums, parks, street fairs, and more.

View all »

A Day at the Beach

Guide to Santos, Guarujá, and São Vicente

View guide »

Pride Parade 2020

⚕️ Click below for coronavirus schedule change

View guide »

Mexico City: Best of Zona Rosa

As much as we love the Ciudad de México, creating a guide to one of the largest cities in the Western Hemisphere (with nearly 9 million chilangos, as Mexico City natives are often called) is a difficult task.  For first-time tourists, exploring the city can be even more difficult … but absolutely worth it.

We recommend starting with the Mexico City’s best, safest, and most fun gayborhood …. Zona Rosa!

⚕️ Coronavirus Update:  As of May 2020, Mexico City’s Pride Parade (Marcha del Orgullo LGBT de la Ciudad de México) is still scheduled online-only on Saturday, June 27. )


Getting There & Where to Stay

Ok.  First, you will need to actually get to Mexico City.*  Skyscanner.com is our favorite places to search for and keep track of deals.  Some airlines offer deals directly from their websites: Iberia.com and AirFrance.com,  For package deals with airfare and hotels, your best bet might be Expedia.

*Two big travel dates to be aware of in 2020 are Gay Pride Weekend (Jun 27) and Mexican Independence Day  weekend (Sept 15 – 17.)

After your plane lands, we highly recommend using Uber to get around Mexico City.  It’s safe and cheap. Try calculating your fare with the Uber’s Mexico City fare calculator and get a discount with the promo code “ubervamosgay.”

As you search for a place to stay In Mexico City, you will find many openly gay guys renting their spaces through AirBNB (and, the gay-owned and operated MisterBNB is also available. ) However, for a wild weekend in Zona Rosa, you might prefer a hotel for your busy weekend.  We recommend two gay-friendly options:

Room Mate Valentina

This can be a your perfect home base as you spend the weekend bar crawling though Zona Rosa.  Simple, modern, and stylish, the Valentina is a boutique hotel that is literally steps away from the action.  The front desk is very helpful and very gay friendly.   More info, photos, and lowest rates »

Hotel Geneve

The historic décor of this grand old hotel includes antiques and works of art.  Located in the heart of Zona Rosa, the Geneve tops many lists of LGBT-friendly hotels in CDMX (as Mexico City is known.)  More info, photos, and lowest rates »

Aside from our top two picks, we can also recommend these LGBT-friendly hotels in Zona Rosa:  Hotel del Principado, Hotel PF, and Hotel Suites Amberes.

Exploring the City by Day

Mexico City is full of world class museums, shopping centers, and street fairs to keep your daylight hours busy.  Two books available in print and Kindle that we recommend to first-timers is Lonely Planet Mexico and a newer travel book named Mexico CIty: An Opinionated Guide for the Curious Traveler.

From the starting point of Zona Rosa, follow the Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s spacious grand avenue which connects many of the city’s neighborhoods and is a gold mine of museums and art galleries.  Find the most popular locations on our Google map to the Best of Gay Zona Rosa.

Restaurants & Cafes

At any newsstand, pick up copies of Chilango Magazine and Time Out: Mexico City.  They are colorful and informative ways to see the thousands of places to eat in CDMX.  For this quick-and-easy “gaycation” guide, here are two cafes and five restaurants that we highly recommend.

Cielito Querido Cafe

Take your magazines find a comfy spot at Cielito. There are a few locations in and around Zona Rosa where you can have a coffee break (or meet your Grindr date.) You can also try the similarly named Cafe Punto del Cielo.  Both are great alternatives to Starbucks which has many locations in Mexico City.

Cafebrería El Pendulo

A cafe within the grandeur of a library, Cafebreria El Pendulo also features live classical music on the weekends.  Visit the Pendulo website to check out photos and get more info.  Our map links to the the Zona Rosa location at 126 Calle Hamburgo, but there are 5 other branches of El Pendulo throughout the Mexico City.


Bellinghausen

This cherished 100 year-old spot was best described by the Fodor 2016 Travel Guide. “Bellinghausen’s partially covered hacienda-style courtyard at the back, set off by an ivy-laden wall and fountain, is a midday magnet for executives and tourists. A veritable army of waiters scurries back and forth serving such tried-and-true favorites as filete chemita (broiled steak with mashed potatoes) and chamorro Bellinghausen (make-your-own tacos of minced lamb shank).”

La Casa Del Toño

The best place for Mexican classics!  Gays and straights line up for tables at the Zona Rosa location of La Casa Del Toño (one of six throughout Mexico City.)  Nothing posh, just really good food.  Click the menu on their website and prepare to salivate.

La Fonda Del Refugio

Old enough to be the favorite Zona Rosa restaurant of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, La Fonda Del Refugio opened in 1954 as the first upscale restaurant to celebrate Mexico’s humble culinary tradition.  This article from Culinary Backstreet delves into the history of La Fonda Del Refugio and what visiting foodies can expect today.

Bars & Clubs: Zona Rosa’s Top Ten

One question gay first-time visitors always ask about Mexico City …
“How safe is Zona Rosa?”

The honest answer is that bar crawling through Zona Rosa feels as safe as Barcelona, and some might argue even safer than a big city like San Francisco.  On the map below, you will notice that many bars are only minutes away from each other (some are even next door neighbors.)  Our listings link to each club’s Facebook page where you can get the most accurate hours of operations for your visit.  The map also list many bars and clubs that didn’t make our top ten list.

El Almacen

The mature and masculine start the night with cervezas at El Almacen, one of the first gay spots in Latin America.  The layout is perfect for the lost art of cruising (let your Grindr app have the night off.)  While waiting to hook up, enjoy one of El Almacen’s weekend strip shows.  Wednesday are exceptionally wild and strippers go all the way.

BB Show Bar

From muscular physiques to swimmer’s builds, BB Show Bar specializes in male strippers.  Great shows on a good night, but a bit inconsistent.

Botas Bar

“Where the strippers dance for you, and not your girlfriends.”  The motto of Botas Bar is a direct slap at the straight go-go boys who ignore gay patrons to spend time with their female BFFs.  Under the direction of nightlife impresario and former porn star Charly Diaz, Botas Bar features some of the hardest working strippers in CDMX.  They’re always happy to join you at your table and offer “private dances.”  Occasional guest dancers from adult film industry.  Thursdays through Sundays from 9PM to 4AM.

La Botica

Discover the joys of mezcal, a distilled alcoholic spirit derived from the heart of the agave plant.  In Mexico, mezcal is generally consumed straight and has a strong smoky flavor.  La Botica is a friendly bar where you can order a glass, chat with friends, and even enjoy some karaoke.  Save the strippers and drag shows for later.

Cabaretito Fusión

And speaking of drag … Cabaretito (the little cabaret) has some of the best in the city.  There is nothing posh about this Zona Rosa institution, but the dance floors are fun and flirty.  Boys may want to skip Thursdays which are popular with lesbians.

Dirty Dance Bar (formerly Lolipop)

Highly recommended on the weekends!
When Lollipop, one of our favorite nightspots on Calle Amberes, closed for “renovations” we feared the worst.  However, the nightclub’s new incarnation as Dirty Dance Bar maintains the best elements of the multi-level club where you can groove to hip hop, top 40 dance remixes, or latin pop.

Kinky

Upscale, young, attractive, with a nice mix of straight boys and girls.  This multi-level nightspot is not a dive bar, so don’t expect dive bar prices.  The outdoor area in the summer is extremely popular and there is more than enough room to dance.  Lots of lesbians on Thursdays.

Nicho

The best bear bar in Mexico is so much more.  Nicho’s is also the place to cruise for hot 40 and 50 year-olds.

Papi Fun Bar

The perfect place order an Indio (one of the region’s most popular brands of beer) and start the night.  There’s a small dance floor, but Papi Fun Bar is mostly a place to chat, laugh, flirt, and make out.  But don’t be shy … Papi Fun Bar’s glass windows (and the guys inside) are a popular attraction for anyone passing by.

Vaqueros (El Nuevo Vaquero)

Mexican cowboys (known as vaqueros) dress to impress from the cowboy hats on their heads down to their pointy cowboy boots.  Most nights skip the dress-code.  Visitors are welcome to step in for a drink and a good time.

Saunas & Sex

Along the streets of Zona Rosa, there are various sex shops and adult bookstores, in addition to the three popular options listed below.

Club San Francisco

Technically this is a gym (wink wink) with condoms at the front desk.  Club San Francisco gets a nice mix of young Mexican men and American visitors.

Erotika Love Store

With more toys than Santa Claus, Erotika Love Store is a popular destination in the “pink zone” for straight couples shopping for dildos and sexy lingerie.  Their cabinas de pelicula (video porn booths) are a popular with the gays.

SoDoMe

The best gay sauna in Zona Rosa is technically outside of the zone in the Polanco district.  Check out our map and see if the walk isn’t too long for you, or if you prefer to take a quick Uber ride.  Either way, SoDoMe is a spacious, newly-renovated space that you won’t forget.  Check out the SoDoMe website for all of their amenities and photos.

Events & Circuit Parties

Here are just a few of Mexico City’s biggest gay party promoters.  Check the link for each to find out if any events will be held during your visit: KarmaBeat, Living, and VD Mas.

Get More of Gay Mexico City

Zona Rosa is just the beginning!  Follow VamosGay on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to find out when our complete guide to Ciudad de Mexico is available.

Rio de Janeiro Gay Pride 2020

The 25th LGBTI Pride of Rio de Janeiro will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2020.

Rio’s Pride Parade traditionally begins on Copacabana Beach and runs through Avenida Atlantica.

View the VamosGay Guide to Rio »

Join our VamosGay Rio mailing list and get the latest updates.

Plan your trip now with our guide to the top gay-friendly hotels and places to stay in Rio de Janeiro!  And check back for a full schedule of festivities once pride week events are confirmed.

View the VamosGay Guide to Rio »

Travel Deals for 2020

Have you realized a new decade is coming?  Now is the perfect time to plan your travel for 2020!  Here is the VamosGay shortlist of websites with the best travel deals.

Flight Deals & Vacation Packages

Expedia.com – Pretty good for flights, but highly recommended for packages deals.  You may find lower rates if you search hard enough on other sites, but when buying an entire package, Expedia customer support is the strong arm you may need to change or cancel an expensive flight and hotel combo.

Iberia Airlines – European carrier with many cheap flights to South America.  Add them to your list of sites to search and you’ll be surprised.

TAM / LAN Airlines – The merged juggernaut of South American carriers (now known as LATAM) offers many direct deals.

Skyscanner  ★ Editor’s Choice: Lowest Airfares
This site can be simple if you are just looking for the lowest price, but also lets users dig in and compare prices across airline companies and departure dates.  SkyScanner.com is great place to squeeze out the lowest price not just for Latin America, but across the globe.

Cheapflights.com – The name says it all.  If it doesn’t have the lowest price for an international flight, it will definitely link to it.

Where to Stay

Booking.com – Highly-recommended one-stop shopping for hotels.  Consistently low-prices and the option to book without pre-paying makes this a favorite.

AirBnB – Fabulous places to stay across the globe with large number of gay men.  If you’ve never stayed with AirBnB before, start browsing and get a discount.

VRBO – A serious AirBnB competitor that is worth checking out.  Over the years, VRBO has been luring properties away from other platforms and has a great portfolio of places to stay around the world.  Search VRBO.com now and see what’s available.

Getting Around with Uber

Taxis in Latin America don’t have the best reputation.  Uber provides a safe and easy option for club hopping or just getting to the airport.  Click any of these links for Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, and Sao Paulo.  (Use the discount code ubervamosgay for a lower rate.)

Tour Guides

Viator Rio de Janeiro – Need a personal tour guide you can trust to show you the best of gay Rio de Janeiro? We recommend Viator’s Guided Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s gay nightlife.