Fancy a holiday south of the border, as they say? Heard something about Rio de Janeiro but want to know more about the gay life? Well, I did and so I did some searching around to see exactly what was on offer for the gay traveler.
First things first: Rio is a great destination for a holiday, combining sun, sea and sand with bars, clubs and an annual pride event. So get you timing right and you can will able to find the famous carnival, the famous beaches and many other attractions with a gay theme. Many people there will speak English so you don’t need to now the local lingo, though it always helps, and I am sure most men will understand your body language when the time comes.
Rio’s Gay Carnival happens in he height of summer every year. It starts on a Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday, when Mardi Gras takes place. So expect to party for a full weekend and more. Thousands of people come from all over the world for this event so we’d recommend finding accommodation early. Actually the carnival has been taking place for hundreds of years, the first recorded event being in 1723, so it’s certainly a well established parade, made more glamorous by today’s lust for costumes, music and wild and outrageous people.
ipanema.com is a well informed site that tells you about carnival, the gay parade, the samba schools and all other aspects of Brazil’s top city. But for a gay specialist site with loads of information and links then try riogayguide.com. There are links to accommodation here too. You may have seen the famous beach front shots with the massive hotels lining the coast, well, you may have to settle for a straight hotel rather than a gay specialist one, but at least you will have a room close to the beach and the nightlife.
And, when you’re looking for a gay bar, club or place to eat, I mean specifically a gay run, gay owned or just gay friendly one, then the pages at rio.gaycities.com/bars would be a good place to start. This site arranges locations by district of the city, so you can start to put together your own itinerary based on where you have found your hotel. Copacabana is going to be the most popular place, being close to the beach and those mighty hotels, but six other neighborhoods are also listed. Looks like plenty to do and see then!
Actually, just from this one site and its listings I was able to find as wide a range of gay entertainment as you’d find in any major city. These Latino boys and girls know how to have fun. There are sex shops and bathhouses, strip bars, drag shows and dance clubs, places for guys and gals of all ages, mixed gay and straight places and all manner of mouth-watering places to go and eat. Generally speaking the less fussy you are the better. I mean if you only want gay environments then that’s fine but your choices are going to be more limited. If you want the real flavor of the city you’re going to need to get into the salsa bars and clubs, the local eateries and meeting places. But if you do, don’t expect everyone to be as gay as you. Rio is one of South America’s most gay friendly cities, but not every inhabitant will share that view, so always approach with caution and don’t assume.
So, you’ve got your hotel and your flights, you’ve worked out an itinerary to take you from the beach at Farme de Amoedo (popular with pretty boys) to your meal and drink at Bar de Mineiro, and on to one of the seedier but more fun hotspots. What’s left but to enjoy the bossa nova beat and have a great time.
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