The number of tourists taking international trips increased by 4.4% to 1.2 billion in 2015, according to new figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
This is an increase of around 50 million tourists, and the sixth year of growth in a row. Figures last declined in 2009, by 4%.
The top destination in the world last year was France, followed by the US, Spain and China.
The figures were influenced by exchange rates, oil prices and natural and man-made crises, the organization said.
UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai commented: ‘The robust performance of the sector is contributing to economic growth and job creation in many parts of the world. It is thus critical for countries to promote policies that foster the continued growth of tourism, including travel facilitation, human resources development and sustainability’.
The organization predicts growth of 4% in 2016.
Rifai added: ‘As the current environment highlights in a particular manner the issues of safety and security, we should recall that tourism development greatly depends upon our collective capacity to promote safe, secure and seamless travel.’
He continued: ‘In this respect, UNWTO urges governments to include tourism administrations in their national security planning, structures and procedures, not only to ensure that the sector’s exposure to threats is minimized but also to maximize the sector’s ability to support security and facilitation, as seamless and safe travel can and should go hand in hand.’
Gay holidays in Greece can mean a lot of things. Long nights in the amazing gay bars of Athens, sunbathing at Elia Beach in Mykonos (one of the most famous gay beaches in the world), romantic honeymoons on alternative islands, gastronomic experiences and adventurous walks in some of the most beautiful and breathtaking landscapes of the Mediterranean.
But Greece has something even more important to offer to gay travelers: a distinctive and unique gay scene and mentality, which is different to every other country around the world.
In this guide, we will help you discover some classic information about gay travel in Greece while also revealing a few hidden secrets that will upgrade your trip into a fascinating vacation.
The must-visit places for an organized gay scene: Athens, Thessaloniki and Mykonos
Mykonos
The gay life of Mykonos is widely popular, since this small Greek island is ranked among the best gay destinations in the world, especially for summer holidays.
In Mykonos, you won’t have to go to a gay place to meet other guys, since the island is full of gay travelers like you, who are enjoying this spectacular place.
Smart tips:
1 Spend endless hours under the hot sun at the most popular gay beach, Elia.
2 Party and flirt at the upcoming gay beach hot spot of the island, ’JackieO Beach’ at Super Paradise.
3 Check out the most fun gay hotel in Europe, Elysium Hotel.
4 Mykonos Town (or Chora, as Greeks call it) is perfect during the night. Make sure to have a cocktail at JackieO Mykonos Town.
5 For the more naughty ones, rumor has it that the area behind Paraportiani Church is a popular cruising spot – just be careful of the rocks!
6 Don’t forget that the top gay festival, XLSIOR FESTIVAL, takes place in Mykonos every August.
Athens
Athens, the vibrant and never sleeping capital of Greece, features the most organized gay scene in the country with gay bars, clubs and restaurants, saunas, shopping areas and several cruising spots.
Smart tips:
1 Gazi area (metro station: Kerameikos) and Agias Eirinis Square (metro station: Monastiraki), are the top gay areas in Athens.
2 In Gazi, you can visit Sodade bar – the classic gay bar for many years – or Shamone.
3 Spend some spicy time in the popular saunas of Athens, including Alexander and Flex.
4 When you find yourself in Agias Eirinis Square, make sure to have a coffee at the always crowded ’Rooster’ café/bar.
5 ‘Zappeion’ park close to Syntagma Square and ‘Pedion tou Areos’ park are the best known and crowded cruising areas.
Thessaloniki
In the north of Greece, the second largest city of the country, Thessaloniki, is gradually gaining a reputation as the gay capital of Balkans. Thessaloniki is a beautiful, romantic and cozy city, with quite an organized gay life.
Smart tips:
1 Have fun at the famous gay bar Enola in Valaoritou Street, one of the most vivid neighborhoods of the city.
2 Visit the popular gay cruising bars as well as the famous Splash sauna, located near Vardari area, and especially at Afroditis Street.
3 Thessaloniki is flirty and friendly all around the center, and in the numerous cafés, bars and restaurants you will most probably find guys to flirt with – maybe you are one of them?
4 If you visit Thessaloniki during summer, spend some days in Halkidiki, the nearby peninsula with the paradise-like sandy beaches and the crystal clear waters.
The classic gay favorites: Crete, Santorini and Zakynthos (Zante)
Crete
Over the last few years, one of the most beloved destinations for gay travelers in Greece is Crete, an island which many think of as conservative due to its traditional character. However, this is not entirely true, since gay Crete introduces a new way of gay traveling: the gay adventure holiday.
Smart tips:
1 In and around the city of Heraklion, you can find a few gay-friendly bars for drinks and socializing. 2 The biggest gay attraction in Crete is the several gay beaches around the island, like Sarantaris, close to the Hersonissos region. 3 The gay-friendly Home Hotel, hosts popular Saturday night parties as well as barbecue gatherings during lazy Sunday noons. 4 When in Crete, spend two or three days at each big city – Chania, Rethimnon, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos.
5 If you consider yourself a luxurious traveler, then have a look at the top luxury hotels in the renowned Elounda Area.
Santorini
Santorini, one of the most beautiful and romantic islands in the world, is a must-visit destination for any traveler who wants to have an updated travel journal and a hot choice for gay honeymoons. It’s not just the dramatic landscape with the volcano and the steep cliffs but also the overall luxurious and elegant character that emerges from the iconic island.
Smart tips:
1 Check out the main gay hot spots in the island: the last section of Vlychada Beach and the gay-friendly bar Tropical in Fira.
2 Choose a luxury Caldera view room/suite/villa in one of the numerous gay-friendly hotels in Santorini.
3 Make sure to enjoy as many sunsets as you can – don’t forget that they are ranked among the most impressive ones in the world!
Zakynthos (Zante)
Zakynthos (or Zante), is a beautiful island in the western parts of Greece, mainly known for the fabulous Navagio beach, with turquoise waters – one of the most famous beaches in the world.
Smart tips:
1 Gay life in Zakynthos is not organized, however make sure to stop by the nudist beach of Vrontonero.
2 Try the amazing delicacies of the island, like ‘sartsa (casserole beef), ‘skordostoumbi’ (aubergines blended with large quantities of garlic), and rabbit stew.
Top island hopping choices: Tinos, Mykonos and Paros or Naxos, Ios and Santorini
A great idea when visiting Greece is to plan an island hopping adventure – a combination of stays in a number of islands, which are easy to travel from one to the other by ferry (just make sure to double check the ferry routes and schedules). Particularly in the Cyclades complex, island hopping is a very easy and usual type of traveling.
3 islands for gay couples in love: Folegandros, Milos and Skiathos
Folegandros
Folegandros is one of the most picturesque islands in Greece. What is truly amazing about this magical place is that it always manages to surprise gay couples with its fabulous gay-friendly hotels, which boast impeccable service and excellent staff.
Milos
Over the past few years, a significant increase of gay couples who choose Milos for their honeymoon trip or their romantic summer holidays has been noticed, giving more and more people the opportunity to enjoy the mind-blowing beauties of the island.
Skiathos
Let’s change the scenery: Skiathos is an all-green island with amazing beaches – an excellent choice for gay couples who are looking for a true paradise-like destination for their honeymoon.
The luxury resort destinations: Costa Navarino and Porto Heli
Costa Navarino
Costa Navarino is a newborn resort destination in Messenia, Peloponnese, standing out as a particularly beloved choice for gay travelers in the region. With impressive pools, relaxing spas, excellent hotel restaurants, plenty of wellness and sport options (plus it’s the golf destination of Greece), Costa Navarino will simply amaze you!
Porto Heli
Porto Heli is a top-notch area in the Argo-Saronic Gulf in Peloponnese, which is very well-connected with the famous nearby islands of Spetses and Hydra. One of the latest additions is the stunning Nikki Beach Hotel, which presents a modern and luxurious character, transforming the area into an ideal choice for gay travelers.
For more information about Destsetters, visit the official website by clicking here.
They’ve been a vital part of our culture since way before Stonewall, and despite the onslaught of digital connectivity, somehow the world’s tiny bars survive and even thrive, such as Portland’s, Sloan’s Tavern (above), featured in Travel Portland’s guide to gay life in the city.
The adorable Travel Portland Zine, Tiny Bars, reminds us our appreciation of unique social spaces. Usually catering to a loyal group of regulars, these mini bastions of community can be in remote hamlets (where the clientele’s often a mixed bag of LGBT locals) or huge cities (where they tend to serve niche queer types).
By virtue of their teeny square footages, invariably they’re intimate, and pretty much guarantee friendly interaction, both social and physical. The kind of place found seemingly on every corner in weird, wonderful Portland.
Here are just a few of our fave tiny bars, around the world:
Patrons say: “Friendly crowd of regulars mostly bears & hot dads. Excellent drinks at incredibly fair prices with great Dj’d music nights. The bartenders are sweet, handsome & friendly. I love Ty’s, check it out when you are in historic Greenwich Village NYC, on beautiful Christopher St.” – giovanni.sorrentino, GayCities
Patrons say: “This is the smallest bar I have ever been into. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though. The bartender was friendly as were most the people in the bar. Nice place to just hang for a while and kick back.” – Valleykid, GayCities
Patrons say: “Charming little gay bar with a lot of personality in a tiny place. There appeared to be quite a few regulars at the bar and, though I didn’t enough German to engage in meaningful conversation (the bartender was forgiving), I felt welcome.” – Matthew B., Yelp
Patrons say: “I’ve been going to Pony since they opened the new space and while it is TINY, that kinda makes it fun. The drink beer selection is basic but tasteful and almost everything else is delightfully not. Think Hooters for men who like men amplified and then concentrated in one triangle of Capitol Hill.” – gentihomme, GayCities
Patrons say: “Hole in the Wall Saloon is maybe the last of the cool gay bars in the city. It is bikers, punk and rock and roll friendly. The decoration is insane and if you feel really happy or in the mood you can swing the lights hanging on top of the bar. Bartenders are friendly. Patrons are local and diverse.” – Cristian L., Yelp
Portland, Oregon
Portland is full of weird, wonderful tiny bars, most of which are of the mixed gay straight variety. One such spot is the mixed-crowd watering hole Angelface (above), featured in Travel Portland’s cute Tiny Bar zine.
A tiny bar bonus is that if you bring enough friends, any place becomes your own pop-up gay bar. One place to do exactly this is at the bar of Portland’s fabulous Ace Hotel: Pepe le Moko.
Atlantis Events, Inc., the world’s largest gay and lesbian vacation company, makes history in 2016 with the first charter of Royal Caribbean’s revolutionary 4200-guest Anthem of the Seas megaship sailing from New York City. This legendary voyage marks the celebration of Atlantis’ 25th anniversary.
Anthem of the Seas brings Atlantis guests more innovative experiences than any other ship, including North Star – a sky ride soaring 300 feet above the ocean, RipCord skydiving simulator, and 18 dynamic restaurants. Innovative venues such as Two70 theater, Music Hall concert space, and the massive SeaPlex sport and entertainment complex create spectacular places for Atlantis’ legendary parties and performers. As befits a cruise from New York, Atlantis features non-stop superstar entertainers, including many signature Atlantis performers from the past 25 years. And in true Atlantis tradition, a feature star will be named very soon. Past entertainers have included Jennifer Hudson, Rosie O’Donnell, Patti LuPone, Roseanne Barr, Wayne Brady, and more.
Atlantis President Rich Campbell says, “Our guests have been asking us for this incredible ship since she was first announced and we’re thrilled to be the first to charter her. There simply never has been an Atlantis cruise with so much to offer and it’s the perfect way for us to usher in the new generation of all-gay cruises!”
This unique all-gay cruise sails from New York on May 21, 2016 to Port Canaveral, Nassau, and the private island of Coco Cay — arriving back to the city on Memorial Day Weekend. Fares start at $999USD per person.
The Atlantis 2016 Anthem Caribbean Cruise complements the company’s other cruises and resort vacations to Tahiti, the Mediterranean, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Complete details can be found at atlantisevents.com or by calling 310-859-8800.
Atlantis Events is the world’s largest company specializing in all-gay vacations. In 2016, Atlantis celebrates 25 years of hosting over 200,000 guests on over 190 unique cruises and resort experiences worldwide. Atlantis creates a unique vacation experience for its gay and lesbian guests by chartering entire cruise ships and all-inclusive resorts around the world for their guest’s exclusive enjoyment. The experience is completely customized with world-class entertainers, unique parties, original activities, and a team of talented hosts.
Traveling as a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) person comes with a certain amount of risk — especially when traveling on a global level.
This level of risk is intensified when LGBT travelers stay in unfamiliar locations, or have to rely on apps like Airbnb to book rooms in stranger’s homes or spaces. For this reason, a new app called Wimbify aims to help queer people find safe spaces to lay their heads at the homes or spaces of LGBT individuals, families or allies while abroad.
“When you choose to spend your holiday in an apartment rented online, the risks are right around the corner,” Alessio Virgili of Wimbify told The Huffington Post. “For an LGBT traveler, these risks increase. [What] if the person who is hosting doesn’t like the idea of an LGBT person in their house, or even an LGBT couple or family?”
“Besides avoiding feelings of unease or discrimination, being hosted by an LGBT or LGBT-friendly host makes it easier to socialize and [gain] knowledge of the local LGBT community, especially in destinations where gay life is often lived underground and it’s difficult to find information and to find yourself safe.”
Particularly in parts of the world where being LGBT still comes with heavy consequences — some of which can be life-threatening — apps like Wimbify can serve a crucial function.
Want to see more? Head here to check out the app and safe travels this holiday season!
The Dinah celebrated its 25th anniversary with a bang in 2015 and Girls That Roam was there as a proud media sponsor covering the event.
Girls That Roam is proud to be a Dinah VIP Media Partner for our fourth consecutive year for The Dinah’s 26th all-girl getaway March 30 – April 3, 2016 in Palm Springs, California.
The all-girl weekend sets off its next 25 years brining the best of the best women’s entertainment and throw down the biggest parties for one unforgettable weekend. Women will party under the sun around the swimming pool and late into the night and have those selfie moments with celebrities.
“The Dinah is the best all-girl party in the world and Girls That Roam is proud to be a part of it as a media sponsor,” says Heather Cassell, publisher and editor of Girls That Roam.
The Dinah is the preeminent all-girl spring break, featuring a week of break out and emerging female musicians, nationally renowned comedians, dance and pool parties and so much more attracting upward of more than 15,000 women to Palm Springs annually.
“There’s no better way to kick-off spring than at The Dinah,” says Cassell.
Expect to see memories from the 25th anniversary of The Dinah along with sneak peeks at what’s in the works for and exclusives with celebrities and entertainers performing at The Dinah 2016.
To book your Dinah weekend experience or trip to Palm Springs, California, contact Heather Cassell at Girls That Roam Travel at 415-517-7239415-517-7239. You can find more vacations for- and by-women at Girls That Roam’s Facebook or website or follow www.facebook.com/GirlsThatRoamTravel.
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About Girls That Roam:
Girls That Roam is an online travel magazine and community for independent globetrotting women who are either swinging it solo, traveling with their gal pals, boyfriends, or girlfriends, trekking it with their tots, or road warriors closing the deal. Girl roamers seek and explore new adventures learning about the world and pushing boundaries, doing good and giving back, supporting women-owned – and the boy’s that love us – businesses and organizations. All the while having a great time rocking it through the continents, drinking and eating, sporting it up, sharing stories and tips, meeting new girlfriends – queer, straight, black, brown, white from America to Asia and everywhere in between – and having some fun and giggles along the way. www.girlsthatroam.com. Plan your girlfriend getaway with Girls That Roam Travel, visit www.facebook.com/GirlsThatRoamTravel.
About The Dinah:
The Dinah is a five-day international world-class event packed with non-stop activities, a series of phenomenal pool parties, spectacular night entertainment, live concerts by Top Ten Billboard recording artists, comedy shows, sport-games and social networking opportunities. For 26 years it has been the premier all-girl event hosted in Palm Springs, Calif. coinciding with the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s ANA Inspirations Golf Tournament (formerly the Dinah Shore and Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship). The lesbian spring break, as it is known, was created and is produced by Mariah Hanson under the Club Skirts marquee. http://thedinah.com.
The Pacific Coast Highway may be one of the most traveled, most photographed roads in the country, but Big Sur hasn’t changed all that much in the decades since Highway 1 was built into its rugged cliffs.
That’s exactly the way the locals like it. This sparsely populated region, which stretches roughly from Carmel to San Simeon, is known for its dramatic landscape, where the Santa Lucia Mountains cascade into the Pacific Ocean, redwoods carpet the valley floor, and the serpentine highway seems to hold onto the mountainsides for dear life.
Many people choose to drive through Big Sur and consider Highway 1 (called the Cabrillo Highway along that segment) the destination itself. This trend likely is due to the fact that zoning and building restrictions, not to mention the rugged topography, have kept development in Big Sur at bay, meaning the area doesn’t have a surfeit of lodging options. Tourists either have overnighted at a campground, rustic lodge or motel — or they’ve shelled out big bucks to stay in a five-star resort.
But what about the savvy traveler who wants something in between — something updated, hip and still authentic to Big Sur’s bohemian and eco-friendly vibe? That’s the question Basil and Tracy Sanborn were asking when they decided to purchase Glen Oaks Motor Lodge in 2006. Basil, whose grandparents moved to Big Sur in the 1950s, and whose parents operated Ripplewood Resort for two decades, grew up next door to the Glen Oaks property.
“I worked at both Ripplewood and Glen Oaks as a teen, cleaning rooms, washing dishes, selling gas and waiting tables,” he says. “The seller of Glen Oaks was the second owner and a close family friend. He decided to sell the land and business to my wife and me.” The couple jumped at the opportunity to reimagine it for the next generation of Big Sur visitors.
The purchase included the lodge — built in 1957 — and a campground, nestled in the nearby Redwood Grove, which had been in operation since the 1940s. The motor lodge was always a place for travelers to stop and spend the night before heading out the next morning. A simple motel with humble, adobe-walled rooms, clean bathrooms and a priceless address on the Cabrillo Highway, it had great bones. And the campground, which had many incarnations over the last several decades, had a few humble cabins and a coveted position along the Big Sur River. But the Sanborns were envisioning something more for the motor lodge and campsite, which they renamed Glen Oaks Big Sur.
“At the time we purchased the property, there was quite a disparity between the types of lodging available to guests of Big Sur,” says Basil. “Reimagining our product was actually pretty simple. We asked ourselves, ‘What would we want?’ It seemed pretty clear that there was a market for an upscale but reasonable accommodation. It still took a bit of a leap of faith, trading loyal budget-conscious customers for an unknown volume of new guests interested in high quality for good value, but it turned out OK.”
Basil, who’s trained as a civil engineer and previously worked in construction management, wanted to honor the integrity of the landscape and the original architecture. But he also wanted to give everything a tasteful update. So he brought in San Francisco architect and designer Steve Justrich to reimagine the interiors in a hip — and green — way.
“I like to call it ‘homegrown modernism,’” says Justrich. “We did not take the idea of midcentury design too seriously. We made a conscious choice to be just on the inside edge of trendy and hip — everyone should be comfortable here.”
Inspired by the adobe walls in the lodge, Justrich took his cues from nature when choosing materials. “I feel that the best way to be green is to be minimal, with a thoughtful, conscious and appropriate use of materials,” he says.
Floors and tabletops are made of recycled stone. The sofa upholstery is actually recycled tent canvases, and the bed frames and dressers were made out of recycled peroba wood. Even the mattresses are custom-made from natural and organic materials by local Monterey Mattress Company. The color palette is subdued yet striking — amber, chartreuse, burnt orange and forest green nod to the hues of nature outside.
Over at the campground, they extensively remodeled a few existing cabins and slowly added more small structures, which were built off-site by Cavco Homes and placed among the ancient redwoods. “It’s a beautiful site, and we’ve worked really hard to maintain and enhance its natural beauty by maintaining its historic low-impact use,” says Basil. Light on the land, the new cottages required no grading or foundation. Compact and energy-efficient, they seem to blend into the forest, which was the intention all along.
Just above the river sits the Big Sur Roadhouse, Basil and Tracy’s latest endeavor. Opened in 2013, the restaurant — also impeccably designed by Justrich — gives Glen Oaks’ guests an on-site dining option for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks throughout the day.
With its modern farmhouse aesthetic and thoughtful, hyper-local menu, the restaurant makes a stylish and cozy place for guests to linger by the fireplace or fire pits and enjoy a noteworthy meal — without leaving the property. Executive Chef Brendan Esons blends classical techniques with sustainable practices and keeps hungry patrons coming back for more of his signature dishes, such as duck confit with skin cracklings, or local sea scallops bathed in a sherry pan sauce.
And almost no one leaves without trying his famous homemade pretzel, served with a porter and cheddar rarebit so decadent you’ll use your spoon to scrape the bowl clean.
The Sanborns hired Jeanette Kenworthy, who had worked for 17 years at the famed Post Ranch Inn, to manage Glen Oaks and deliver the kind of customer service for which Post Ranch Inn is known.
“I was really drawn here because of Basil’s vision to create a welcoming and beautiful getaway for guests to experience what I like to call the ‘real’ Big Sur,” says Kenworthy, who’s lived in Big Sur for 21 years. “You can experience the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and coastline all along the West Coast — however, being enveloped in a redwood grove next to the Big Sur River, with the green grass below and sun filtering through the trees above — this is truly Big Sur to me.”
Glen Oaks Big Sur: Rates range from $225 to $590 depending on the room/cottage and the season. 47080 Hwy. 1, Big Sur. (831) 667-2105. www.glenoaksbigsur.com.
Marcella Raimondo and Srinika Narayan are two very busy women with demanding careers and a desperate need to take a vacation.
They needed a vacation in a bad way, a vacation where they completely unplugged and were able to relax.
“Both of us, we really needed to check out, completely checked out,” says Raimondo.
The problem, they were so busy that they didn’t have time to barely think about their vacation, much less sit down at the computer and start doing the research to plan their escape from their daily lives.
“I suppose we would have been able to do this on our own, but it would have been really hard for me,” says Raimondo, pointing out how much work it would have been to plan the trip and “still not know what we were getting into.”
She says she’s not alone. She knows many people who simply don’t have the time to plan their vacation so they can take the time out to completely getaway and recharge, so they end up staying at home where work can find them or not going on vacation at all.
“Colleagues of mine, we are all so busy and just need to get away,” says Raimondo. “Sometimes the planning for the getaway is what creates the biggest barriers.”
So, the two women tapped Girls That Roam Travel‘s Heather Cassell to guide them their perfect vacation.
Girls That Roam Travel is the agency arm of Girls That Roam, an online women’s travel magazine, and operates out of Travel Advisors of Los Gatos, California.
“It relieved us of doing the research, it relieved us of doing all of booking of activities — because that would have been just really labor intensive,” says Raimondo. “Considering how busy my partner and I were and are it just helped to just work with [a travel consultant].”
“[Our travel consultant] turned around and gave me everything all laid out for us,” adds Raimondo, who received three or more different itineraries for each destination they were considering.
That’s a sign of a good travel agent, according to Bay Area’s Consumer Checkbook (which is available for free for the next week thanks to ABC 7 News). Travel Advisors recently received a 100% rating from the consumer advocacy organization.
The two women settled on Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches and eco-adventures.
“We had a great time!” says Raimondo.
When a couple of things went astray during their Costa Rica vacation, in spite of being across four borders and nearly 3,000 miles away from home, Raimondo and Narayan felt Cassell’s presence making sure they were taken care of and advocating for them to make everything right.
Another sign of a good agent and gives you a peace of mind is if anything goes wrong you can leverage their assistance to help you out of a situation.
Outside of handing off the legwork of planning your vacation to navigating visas and other essential travel documents, security and weather alerts, and other not-so-exciting details of planning a vacation your travel consultant many have actually been to a destination or work with trusted travel partners. That insider knowledge is invaluable, especially when it comes to hotels, tours, restaurants, and many other things many people do on vacation.
Dreaming of going on vacation or planning one now? Wondering how you pick and use your travel consultant?
About Girls That Roam:
Girls That Roam is an online travel magazine and community for independent globetrotting women who are either swinging it solo, traveling with their gal pals, boyfriends, or girlfriends, trekking it with their tots, or road warriors closing the deal. Girl roamers seek and explore new adventures learning about the world and pushing boundaries, doing good and giving back, supporting women-owned – and the boy’s that love us – businesses and organizations. All the while having a great time rocking it through the continents, drinking and eating, sporting it up, sharing stories and tips, meeting new girlfriends – queer, straight, black, brown, white from America to Asia and everywhere in between – and having some fun and giggles along the way. www.girlsthatroam.com.
About Girls That Roam Travel:
Girls That Roam Travel in association with Travel Advisors of Los Gatos specializes in women’s travel. Travel Advisors of Los Gatos prides itself as a full-service travel agency. For more than 50 years, their travel counselors have brought five-star service to the adventurers, business and corporate travelers and vacationers. They staff 17 travel specialists that are experts in vacation packages, corporate to small business travel, group vacations (family reunions, girlfriend getaways, events and festivals, destination bachelorette and weddings and honeymoons), cruises, solo travel, and more for any traveler heading to any destination. They can craft the vacation of your dreams.
Travel Advisors prides itself to have a team of travel counselors that specialize in gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender travel (LGBT) and women’s travel ready to help you plan your next adventure. www.traveladvisorsoflosgatos.com. Plan your girlfriend getaway with Girls That Roam Travel, visit www.facebook.com/GirlsThatRoamTravel.
When you arrive at PVR airport, you head south through the Marina Vallarta Hotel Zone to get to Puerto Vallarta. If you head north instead, that takes you to Riviera Nayarit which begins at Nuevo Vallarta and continues north with 200 miles of coastal beauty framed by the majestic Sierra Madre Mountainsthat more and more LGBT travelers are now discovering.
A number of hotels in Riviera Nayarit have recently been accredited as “LGBT friendly,” including the top-end Four Seasons Punta Mita. (above).
From Punta Mita, a secluded beach oasis known for luxury resorts, to peaceful Mexcaltitán Island*, the birthplace of the Aztec civilization, Riviera Nayarit offers traditional and friendly seaside villages, lush jungles, colonial history and quiet beaches. With an array of gay-friendly hotels, bars, restaurants, spas, stores and tourist excursions, LGBT travelers can choose a vacation that best fits their style and mood. (*You’ve never seen anything like it. Mexcaltitán Island, located northwest of Santiago Ixcuintla, is quite literally a magical place.)
Riviera Nayarit is less touristy and more refined than Puerto Vallarta, but is an equally fabulous holiday paradise with a visible, relaxed gay community. There are numerous beachside towns to explore by car, waves to surf, and tantalizing food to eat.
Gay-owned establishments include Billy Bob’s bar in the historic port of San Alas, whose surroundings are the prime bird watching spot of the northern hemisphere, and the Xaltemba restaurant gallery in the town of La Peñita. The “hippy chic” town of Sayulita with its eclectic mix of cultures and surfing attracts the LGBT market year round.
Ultimately it’s the area’s pristine beaches and wide-ranging activities – from whale watching to spa experiences – with its luxury properties and diverse coastal towns, which are the biggest draw. Many of Hollywood’s celebrities have been coming here, because it is less touristy and there many 5 star resorts. Riviera Nayarit’s luxurious accommodations, top restaurants and chefs, matchless nature, and growing number of attractions for cosmopolitan visitors have led Riviera Nayarit to be one of the new top tourist destinations in Mexico for members of the LGBT community.
The region attracts and satisfies vacationers of all tastes and budgets with its wide range of accommodations including chic luxury resorts, eco-tourism boutique hotels and quaint B&B inns. Riviera Nayarit is recognized as a “Virtuoso Preferred Destination.” In 2015, Riviera Nayarit was recognized by Travel Weekly as “Mexico’s new holiday destination on the Pacific coast,” by Yahoo! Travel as “Mexico’s New Playground” and on Conde Nast Traveller UK 2015 Hot Destinations List.
It’s an ideal place for anyone looking to be close enough to the LGBT action without actually being in the thick of it, as Puerto Vallarta’s main LGBT scene is between a 30 to 45 minute drive away.
The fifth edition of the Prague Pride festival will be held from Monday 10 August till Sunday 16 August 2015.
This years slogan will be “We all have a rainbow inside”, visualized by thermal camera pictures. With this theme Prague Pride invites everybody, straight and gay, to join the festival and support that we are all equal. The full festival program is just coming together and looks better than ever before.
The Pride Village will be the main meeting point of the festival, located on the beautiful Strelecky island in the middle of the Vltava river right next to the famous Charles Bridge. The Pride Village is not just a community place, where you can get general information about the festival and meet Czech LGBT organizations, but it is also a place where you can watch LGBT movies, play sports, relax and enjoy various performances.
Of course Prague Pride would not be complete without its famous parties. Dirty Dirty Dancing on Friday 14 August will welcome London’s top DJs Josh Caffe and Borja Peňa. The official After Party on Saturday 15 August in club Roxy will host Hoxton Whores from the UK, Marcelo de Lazari from Brazil, Jonty Skrufff & Fidelity Kastrow from Berlin, Michael Burian from Prague and many, many more.
On a more serious matter Prague Pride will offer space for debates and culture in the Pride House and Pride Theatre. It will bring some top artistic events to the city. Prague Pride visitors are given an extra week of the exhibition of the contemporary British artist Roger Hiorns at the Rudolfinum gallery . The Wenceslas Square will host the photo exhibition “Homophobia in Russia” by the World Press Photo 2015 winner Mads Nissen. On Friday 14 August the London Gay Men’s Chorus will perform at the National Theatre, while on that same day the Pride Village will see the world premiere of the dance Dogtown by Israeli choreographer Nadar Rosano.
One of the highlights of Prague Pride will be the Pride Voices event on Wednesday 12 August, when inspirational speakers will share their personal stories. This year Prague Pride is proud to announce that among the guests will be former Icelandic prime minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Dutch olympic medal winner Johan Kenkhuis, World Press Photo 2014 winner Jana Ašenbrennerová, Palestinian protagonist of the documentary ‘The invisible men’ Abdul Rawashda and Mr. Gay World Klaus Burkart from Germany. On Thursday 13 August the Business Forum welcomes BBC economics anchor, Evan Davis and Lord Browne, former BP CEO and author of “The Glass Closet”.
The main event of the Prague Pride festival will be the parade on Saturday 15 August. The march will start on the famous Wenceslas Square in the heart of Prague and then proceed through the historical city center all the way to Letna park where a big outdoor party with several DJ stages and an information market will be held.
The complete program will soon be released on our website www.praguepride.com. You can also find information about the Parade on our main Facebook Event Page here.
