Ecuador

Gay Quito Travel Guide – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Quito Travel Guide - The Nomadic Boys

Panting for breath after walking just 5 steps…that was our first memory of Quito as soon as we touched down at the Mariscal Sucre airport. Standing proud at 2,850 metres (9,350ft) high, tucked away in the Andes Mountains, Quito is the second-highest official capital city in the world after La Paz in Bolivia. And bloody hell you certainly feel it!

Other than panting for breath every 5 minutes, Quito packs a punch for gay travellers. It’s not only a cultural gem with a really pretty Old Town to explore, it also has an impressive and vibrant gay scene. The capital city of Ecuador is also located right by the equator line from which it takes its name. Locals nickname Quito as “la mitad del mundo” or the middle of the world.

We spent half a year based in the middle of the world during our big trip to Latin America and fell in love with it. It’s an inexpensive place, extremely pretty, never too hot and never too cold. It’s also a very rewarding destination due to the variety of food to try and the variety of hot guys to meet!

We’ve bundled all our first-hand experiences from Quito into this comprehensive gay guide covering the best gay bars, clubs, hotels to stay, things to do and more.

Is Quito safe for gay travellers?

Quito is the touristic and LGBTQ capital of Ecuador – a country that legalised gay marriage in 2019 and was one of the first in the world to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation back in 1998. The city has a very active LGBTQ community, along with quite a diverse LGBTQ scene and a popular Pride every June that has taken place almost every year since 1998.

As a gay couple, we never had any problems in any of the hotels we stayed in. We always felt welcomed and never faced any issues when asking for a double bed. The only thing we’d say about Quito, which applies to all travellers (straight or gay), there are parts of the city which are a bit dodgy, such as the Old Town in the evening after dark.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

Gay Galapagos Cruises – The Nomadic Boys

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Sea lions, iguanas and tortoises – oh my! 

Visiting the Galapagos Islands is very high up on the bucket list for most travellers. If you love island hopping and spotting wildlife, you’ve probably dreamt of one day visiting these incredible volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The ideal way to explore the Galapagos Islands is aboard one of the many excellent gay cruises on offer. Not only is exploring these unique islands with a like-minded fabulous bunch of gays heaps of fun, but it also allows you to visit the more remote islands, thereby getting a deeper experience.

We’ve led our own branded Nomadic Boys cruise to the Galapagos with Ishpingo Tours – a local gay-owned/operated tour company based in Quito. In addition, there are several other gay cruises to the Galapagos to choose from, whether it’s a large group leaving on a fixed date, or aboard a private gay charter. In this article, we’ve rounded them all up so you can choose the best one for you.

OUT ADVENTURES GALAPAGOS GAY CRUISE

Out Adventures is one of the best gay tour companies out there that organises exclusive trips for LGBTQ travellers. They provide a luxury cruise around the Galapagos Islands aboard their private yacht, The Grand Queen Beatriz, and oh boy she sure is absolutely grand!  Amenities include sundecks, a hot tub, bar and very spacious bedrooms, some with private balconies.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

Amazon Gay Traveling – The Nomadic Boys

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Seby took one look at the dark green colour of the Amazon River, turned to Stefan and declared:

“I am NOT swimming in there Stefan. I will NOT become piranha fish food!”

Stefan got his way in the end and managed to persuade Seb to jump in, to the joy of the staff on board the Anakonda cruise who found our bickering (and Seb’s irrational fears) highly amusing.

Irrational fears? Contrary to popular belief, swimming in the Amazon River can be quite safe. Our guides knew the spots where tourists like us could swim safely and conquer their Piranha-phobia. Piranhas are not aggressive or territorial, but more like scavengers. They will not go anywhere near you.

Despite this, Sebastien lasted a whole 7 seconds in the Amazon River before he jumped straight back into our boat…

Piranha-phobias aside, there are many options for gay travellers to explore the Amazon jungle in South America, whether as part of a gay group tour, on a luxurious cruise along the Amazon river or staying in a jungle lodge. This is our guide summarising each of these based on our first-hand experience travelling in Ecuador and Peru as a gay couple.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

Peru Gay Travel Resources

The South American Top Ten – The Nomadic Boys

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South America - The Nomadic Boys

South America is a destination that will make you fall in love with life. The Latino soul is addictive, with music and dance so deeply ingrained at the heart of everything.

After our big trip in Asia, we spent a further 15 months travelling in South America and absolutely loved it. We found it an enthralling destination, with something to capture everything we love when travelling. Most countries are extremely gay friendly, with places like Bogota in Colombia having the largest club we’ve ever been – Theatron, and Sao Paolo Pride attracting over 3 million people making it the largest pride event in the world.

As foodies, we loved the culinary scene of Argentina and in Lima, Peru. For culture, indigenous traditions can be seen everywhere, particularly from the Incas in Bolivia/Peru, as well as the Maipuche Indians in Chile. And finally, for trekking adventures, Patagonia is a must. These are our 10 favourite highlights from South America following our big trip there in 2016/2017.

#1 The Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

The Galapagos are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, around 600 miles (1,000km) from Ecuador’s coast. This is one of the few places in the world where you can get so close to wildlife. There’s also a rich underwater world to discover – we saw sharks, rays, turtles and many tropical fish each time we went snorkelling.

The islands here also have some very dramatic landscapes, which are crying out for a space in your Instagram gallery. We loved the Galapagos Islands so much, we visited twice during our big South America trip. Check out our video from our trip here:

#2 Trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu (Peru)

For us our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was a definite highlight of South America. It’s a tough 4 days trek through the Sacred Valley, reaching altitudes of up to 4,215m (13,828 ft).

The Inca Trail is one of the most famous treks in the world. It is 27 miles (44km) long, and was initially part of a highly advanced network of around 40,000 trails built by the Incas to connect the distant corners of their kingdom. It also had religious and ceremonial importance to the Incas as it was part of their route of pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

The real highlight of course is on the final day when you finally reach Machu Picchu.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

South America Gay Travel Resources

Montanita Beach in Ecuador – Globetrotter Girls

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Montanita Beach, Ecuador - Globetrotter Girls

After spending a week in Guayaquil, which was hot and sticky despite frequent rain showers, I was ready for some beach time. A cool ocean breeze sounded just about perfect.

When I looked into Ecuador’s beaches and tried to decide which one(s) to visit, two names came up over and over again: Canoa and Montañita. Both sounded equally as nice but what made me eventually go for Montañita was the fact that it was quite difficult to get to Canoa.

The bus from Quito takes nearly nine hours (with a change in between), and from Guyaquil around six hours. Montañita was only three hours from Guayaquil by bus. And so Montañita it was.

This little beach town is not only the number one surf spot in all of Ecuador, but it’s also known as one of South America’s prime party destinations. People come from as far as Argentina to celebrate there at massive open air parties in which DJ’s play their sets right on the beach, and the music blasts loudly out of giant speakers, resounding throughout the entire bay.

This little beach town is not only the number one surf spot in all of Ecuador, but it’s also known as one of South America’s prime party destinations. People come from as far as Argentina to celebrate there at massive open air parties in which DJ’s play their sets right on the beach, and the music blasts loudly out of giant speakers, resounding throughout the entire bay.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

The Iguanas of Guayaquil – Globetrotter Girls

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Iguanas of Guayaquil - Globetrotter Girls

I have to admit that I had never even heard of Guayaquil before I flew to Ecuador. And I don’t know if I would’ve gone there had I not started my trip to the Galápagos Islands in Guayaquil, from where several flights a day leave for Baltra Island in the Galápagos.

When I did do some research about the city, I found a few sights that sounded like they were worth visiting mentioned in travel guides, and I decided that Guayaquil sounded interesting enough to spend a few days after my cruise.

However, the city didn’t make it easy for me to love it. It didn’t wow me with its architecture, and it wasn’t particularly charming. It was rainy and cloudy during my stay, and even though I spent five days in town, I never found a place to eat that I truly loved.

…

I had read about a park in the city center that supposedly was filled with iguanas, and even though I’d seen plenty of iguanas in the Galápagos Islands, I wasn’t tired of them yet, and I was excited to check out the park and see if it was indeed filled with iguanas.

The guide book had not lied: there were dozens of iguanas hanging out everywhere in the small park, with people touching them as if they were fluffy little bunnies instead of leathery reptiles.

I was amazed how gentle they were and seemingly unafraid of people – almost like their distant relatives out in the Galapagos Islands. A lady had a stash of ‘iguana food’ on one of the benches – basically just lettuce cut into small pieces – which she was selling. I invested 50 cents in a bag of lettuce and within minutes I was surrounded by hungry iguanas of all shapes and sizes. That afternoon ended up being my fondest memory of Guayaquil.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

Fifteen Things To Know About the Galapagos Islands – Globetrotter Girls

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Galapagos Islands - Globetrotter Girls

My Galapagos Islands cruise was a trip I’d been dreaming about for years, but despite that, it still managed to exceed my expectations, which is rare. But, as well as exceeding my expectations, these far-flung, remote islands ended up being completely different to how I imagined them to be.

Until a few years ago, when I traveled to South America for the very first time, I had pictured the islands to be much more desolate than they actually are – basically only inhabited by wild creatures. Back then, I had already been told by other travelers that the islands are far more inhabited than I thought they were. And while cruising between several islands this year, I learned a few more things that I think are good to know if you are planning your own trip to the Galápagos Islands, or if you just want to find out more about one of the most remote archipelagos in the world.

Here are eleven things about the Galápagos Islands that you should know before you go:

1 THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS ARE FAR OUT IN THE OCEAN

While the Galapagos Islands belong to the tiny Andean country of Ecuador, they are in fact very far from the rest of the country – 560 miles, to be exact. The islands are far out in the Pacific Ocean, and it takes just under two hours to fly there from Guayaquil, the closest airport on the mainland, and 2 hours 15 minutes from Quito, Ecuador’s capital.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

My Galapagos Islands Cruise – Globetrotter Girls

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Galapagos Islands - Globetrotter Girls

The Galapagos Islands have been a dream destination for me for as long as I can remember. I had this image in my head of remote islands with stunning volcanic landscapes and free-roaming tortoises and giant iguanas. I pictured the islands to be mainly uninhabited, and if there were people living on them, they would be outnumbered by wild creatures.

I knew the best way to see the islands was to take a cruise, to sail around the islands for a few days, go on land excursions and snorkeling trips while enjoying life on the water in between. A few weeks ago, I finally boarded a plane to the Galapagos Islands and I was curious to see how the reality of a Galapagos cruise would compare to the picture I had in my head.

After a two-hour flight from Guayaquil, we arrived on the island of Baltra, a small island that, other than being home to one of two airports in the Galapagos, is uninhabited. Flying in, we could see barren reddish ground below us. Baltra is the world’s first “green” airport, which means it is running on renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, wind farms, and seawater desalination.

Galapagos Islands - Globetrotter GirlsBefore we were allowed to leave the airport, we had to pay the $100 National Park fee, and our carry-ons were searched. I quickly learned that it’s not allowed to bring apples onto the islands – or any agriculture goods, for that matter. Later I learned that it is strictly prohibited to bring any food on land with us when we set foot on the islands for land excursions.

From the airport, we took a bus to the ferry pier – everyone who arrives in Baltra has to go to the island of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago. Within minutes of having boarded the ferry, we already saw wildlife: a pelican watched us suspiciously as we were boarding the boat, massive crabs crawled around the shore, and a myriad of birds were flying above us.

By Dani – Full Story at Globetrotter Girls

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

Cruise With the Nomadic Boys – Three Cabins Left!

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Galapagos gay cruise - Nomadic Boys

Fancy visiting the Galapagos Islands with the Nomadic Boys aboard the Passion: one of the most exclusive luxury yachts in the world with an awesome group of gay guys?

You’re in the right place!

Nomadic Boys Do Galapagos

Our first gay cruise to the Galapagos took place in October 2016 and was  such a resounding success, we’re doing it again in October 2017. We’ve teamed up with the highly rated and gay owned Ishpingo Tours in Ecuador to host our second luxury gay cruise to the Galapagos Islands on: 12-21 October 2017.

Spaces aboard the highly rated Passion are limited to 12 people and we expect another sell out in 2017.

And because we love you so much, we’re offering our readers an exclusive 5% discount for this one in a lifetime experience with the promo code NOMADIC5.

THE WILDLIFE OF THE GALAPAGOS

The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean, around 1,000km (600 miles) from Ecuador’s coast. The variety of unique wildlife here not only inspired Darwin back in 1835, it completely captivated our group when we visited in October 2016.

This is one of the few places in the world where you get so close to the wildlife because they are blasé to humans. You’ll be so spoilt, no other safari will be the same again.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources

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Colonial Beauty in Cuenca, Ecuador – Globetrotter Girls

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Cuenca, Ecuador

When my mosquito bite count reached one hundred and my laptop’s cooling fan started making noises as if it was trying to tell me ‘I can’t deal with this heat anymore‘, I decided that it was time to get away from the beaches for a while and give both my laptop and my itching limbs a break. The beach had been nice, but I needed to get somewhere high enough for the mosquitoes to not get there. And so I headed to Cuenca, at 8,370 ft (2,550 meters) too high for mosquitoes to continue to feast on me and cool enough for my laptop not to overheat.

Cuenca is a popular expat destination, with 5,000 mainly North American expats living there, and it is easy to see why. Life in Cuenca is pleasant, cheap and tranquil. Mountains surround the city, and you can walk everywhere in the center. Cuenca has 52 churches and the best preserved colonial architecture in Ecuador, so much so that UNESCO declared the city center a World Heritage site. It was a city that I liked immediately – the first time I had this feeling during my time in Ecuador!

Without many ‘must see’ landmarks, I adapted to Cuenca’s slow pace and got into a nice routine of a daily morning run along the river, followed by a tasty breakfast in one of the coffee shops in the city center. I’d work for a few hours on my laptop and then head out and just wander the streets, curious to see what I’d find. I stumbled upon gorgeous colonial buildings, quaint plazas and plenty of good restaurants. After eating mostly Ecuadorian food for the past few weeks, I was delighted to find Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern and tasty Italian food, including pizza (and I am a hard-to-please pizza snob!).

By Dani – Full Story at the Globetrotter Girls

Ecuador Gay Travel Resources