The Caribbean ABC’s – Go Girlfriend

Aruba - pixabay

Three popular “A, B, C islands” make up the southern string of islands just off the north coast of Venezuela. As part of the Dutch Antilles, these Caribbean island gems are extensions of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Drier than it’s northern Antilles rain-forested cousins, the A, B, C islands beauty is in it’s beaches, it’s mangroves and it’s consistent warm dry conditions. Being only about 12’ north of the equator, the sun can be very intense – but the offsetting trade winds keep a consistent breeze blowing to have movement of air (sometimes quite gusty in May and June) that helps the scorching heat. A secondary side benefit of the east-west trade winds is that it is kept out of the hurricane pathway that most often veers northward once it reaches the Gulf of Mexico – thus keeping the islands out of harms way.

As equal opportunity lovers of the humid rain forested Caribbean islands, GoGirlfriend also has a love on for the drier, warmer, windy A, B, C islands. There’s lots to do with rich snorkeling, diving, land-sailing and beachy adventures just not found in the other Caribbean islands.

Aruba “One Happy Island”

With more sunny days than any other island, and beaches fronting all sides, Aruba is big enough to offer some diverse activities, yet small enough to rent a scooter and explore it all. Most activities are centered on the leeward west coast with resorts and hotels abundant north and west of the capital Oranjestad, and the natural beauty of the Natural Bridge and Arikok National Park face the eastern windward side.

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Caribbean Gay Travel Resources

St. Kitts Volcano Crater Hike – Lesbian Travel

St. Kitts Volcano - Mt. Liamuiga - pixabay

Say St. Kitts and images of white sandy beaches, swaying palms and turquoise blue waters come to mind. Ready to go off-beach and really see what the island is all about? Let me introduce you to Mt. Liamuiga – a 3000 ft volcano. She hasn’t breathed fire for almost 2000 years, but a hike to the rim proves she’s still as mighty as ever.

After a winding drive through St. Kitts, we started our 2-3 hour trek upwards. The first hour passed easily beneath banyan trees and more vines than Tarzan could ever hope to swing. Our guide, who hikes the volcano 3-4 times a week, pointed out which plants can save a life and which ones can end one.

He told us about the mongoose, brought over by the English to control the snake population. What the Brits didn’t know is that mongoose also have a taste for tropical bird eggs, which explained the eerie quiet as we hiked. No parrots or tropical birds on the island, but plenty of mongoose.

As we neared the rim, the slope pitched dramatically and the chit chat changed to determined concentration. At points it felt as if we were climbing straight up, grasping at roots and trunks to keep us from falling backward.

By Julia Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Itching to Go to Cuba? – Andrés, OutINCuba

Andrés - OutInCuba

Cuba is a different kind of country, mostly because of its history and the actual consequences it and for that reason it is now at its best! If you are going for the first time, having a tour guide with you to show you around and explain a lot of things will enrich your experience on this great island.

Havana Music - PixabayTo enjoy the country and understand its rhythm and its sights it is better if you have an idea of all the history and gossip that this island has behind buildings, streets, landscapes, food, cocktails, behaviors, words and people.

In Cuba people laugh at their own problems and anything can inspire a joke, a song, a dance or whatever that means joy and you can see and sense how carefree our people are, in spite of all the problems and struggles.

Again, Cuba is a different kind of country full of fun and a sense of freedom to enjoy every minute with no rush.

As a tour guide I always welcome my future friends at the airport, and having a smiling face welcoming you at the airport can be very cheering.

I love the idea of waiting for complete strangers that I’m going to be with for days. The adrenaline of not knowing how it’ll be like.

Cuba - PixabayWe head in Havana in an old American car with AC to make the experience even more interesting. Havana it is a like a live museum of cars, and we are all so used to see them going around, but I know that people also come to Cuba to live the contrast of the old 40ies and 50ies with the influence of modernity.

One of the first things I make clear it is that living and being in Cuba is a big exercise of patience, because there are many things that are hard to find easily, a lot of stuff must be gotten with old fashion means, you are going to be offline most of the time. Things here are not like you know them at home. Cuba in many ways seems to have stopped in time and closed the door, but left the window open and there is a lot coming in through that window

Some people have asked me “don’t you get bored of saying the same thing in the tours every time?” and the answer is no, because the interaction makes it different, the feedback and the individual interests make a change and the information might be basically the same, but again, the interaction does its magic.

For smokers and drinkers Cuba is like a paradise since here you can smoke and drink almost everywhere. For those who love music and dance, it is the same, in fact, there will be a time in which you’ll long for silence because there is music all around.

If you like jogging you can choose the sunrise or the sunset when the weather is cooler and do it through El Malecon with the Ocean on one side and the city on the other side, take little breaks seating in the same Malecon surrounded by fishermen, guitar players, people in love, friends laughing, old cars passing by, sellers, tourists, locals, all type of people, and the best thing: it is really safe. You can even walk around after midnight in the Old Havana without fear.

For night life there are options that can’t be missed. If you want to experience gay bars you’ll have more than 3 options, you can also do some kind of gay hopping since two of them are near each other in the gay friendly neighborhoods. In Havana some things can happen just fast and you can suddenly find a concert or a party going on anywhere.

Cuba - PixabayThere are places in the country that are so worthy to see, and two of them are Viñales and Trinidad.

Viñales it is like one of the most beautiful country sides of Cuba.It will be hard not to fall in love with the sights and the tranquility, the pure air, the food and even the nightlife which is way different than Havana.

Trinidad it is a city that never changed its looks, the colonial architecture it’s original, nothing fake,
The good thing is that the locals mingle with the travelers very well and the American influence in the Cuban culture through the history until nowadays it is very alive.

Gay life in Cuba is not something forbidden anymore, and you’ll find amazing how supportive people can be. Most of the more popular restaurants and bars have gay owners or a story related to a gay character, or gay waiters, so you don’t have to be in a gay friendly neighborhood to enjoy, In fact, it is more likely that you’ll have more fun in a mixed place than in a gay bar. There is always the great gay beach that is just 20 minutes from Havana.

Farewells are always hard and the feeling of becoming friends can come so easily in Cuba, maybe it’s the weather that makes us like that, because even the tourists become more friendly, it can be the alcohol with the music and the heat, you don’t know until you know, but there is a magic in the air of this little country that makes people happy, and believe me, you’ll go home or wherever you are going next feeling luckier and better.

OutINCubaOUTINCUBA comes to you from California Wine Country where we have been offering LGBTQ wine related tours for over ten years. We fell in love with Cuba when a family member married a Cuban and we have traveled to Cuba many times to meet family there and to explore more offerings for our guests. We offer custom designed, legal LGBTQ tours to Cuba through ” Support of the Cuban People”. We do not partner with any government owned businesses in Cuba. Our goal is to help support our LGBTQ team, friends and their families.

We have assembled a team in Havana of four of the best LGBTQ guides. We will show you the “Other Side” of Cuba. We work with seven Havana gay welcoming Casa Particulars that are privately owned inns. All of them are located in Old Havana in what we consider the best and most exciting locations. One of our favorite guides is Andres, who will welcome you at the airport with a sign and a smile to assist you in your Cuban adventure. He can show you art due to him being an artist himself. Take you to private showings at artist studios. Take you out dancing at exciting LGBTQ clubs. There always the great gay beach, Play Este but 20 minutes from Havana that is amazing with the best swimming.

We work with other gay welcoming Casa Particulars throughout Cuba. In Vinales and also Trinidad. We will arrange transportation on your own or have one of our guides travel with you. We offer private cars..bus arrangements and taxi info.

Our tours are small. Usually couples, singles or four friends. We do offer large tours if requested. Our offices are in California and we are here to answer and discuss any thoughts you have on your time in Cuba. You can call us to just talk CUBA!

Cuba Gay Travel Resources

 

Two Days in Cozumel – The Globetrotter Guys

Cozumel - The Globetrotter Guys

Our friends recommended Cozumel to us, and we are glad they did! Cozumel is a popular stop for cruise ships, and its easy to see why. The island is home to beautiful beaches, dramatic coastlines, adventure activities (including some of the best scuba diving) and some amazing places to eat. Best of all, if time is tight, you can get around the entire island in less than a day! We spent 2 days in Cozumel and here is what we think you should do to make the most of your time! (You can see our short video of all the action here).

Scuba Diving

Home to the start of the second largest coral reef in the world, the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Cozumel is a mecca for scuba diving.
It is well known that Cozumel has beautiful, bright coral, a diverse range of stunning marine life and crystal-clear waters. After our visit, we could not agree more.

Back in 2011 we completed our PADI Open Water qualification in Koa Tao. This meant we could do what is known as a fun dive (your equipment is set up and you just follow the dive master). We completed two dives during our stay and can definitely see why people make a special effort to come here instead of diving from Cancun or Playa del Carmen.

The water truly was crystal clear, you could see straight down to the bottom (about 22m) from the boat. We saw multiple loggerhead turtles, lionfish, beautifully coloured parrot fish, and most exciting of all, 3 eagle rays.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Starlight Sailing Charters – Gay US Virgin Islands Sailing Tours

Starlight Sailing Charters

Starlight Sailing Charters provides friendly and fun private sailing vacations aboard the large, modern, and luxurious sailing yacht, Starlight. Starlight sails November through May in the wonderful Virgin Islands and Eastern Caribbean.

During Summer Months, Starlight sails from Sag Harbor, New York on exquisite Hamptons day charters and sailing vacations. A Starlight vacation is wonderful for a special occasion, or a fantastic way to relax and escape in paradise. Starlight accommodates up to six guests, but is also appropriate for smaller groups and solo travelers.

Captain Toby Stull is your host for charters exploring paradise in the Virgin Islands, St Maarten and St Barths, Antigua and Lower Caribbean. With a lifetime of sailing experience and a decade chartering in the Caribbean, Capt. Toby knows exactly where to bring guests and how to tailor your experience depending on your desired activities aboard.

Our vacations can be booked as “captain-only,” on which guests eat half their lunches and dinners at local Caribbean restaurants, or “all inclusive” where a chef joins to prepare all meals. Either way, Delicious onboard meals can be suited to all types of dietary restrictions. Also, the Captain’s adorable yet unobtrusive boat dog, “Bamboo,” joins on all charters.

See the Starlight Sailing Charters Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

AREA Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

It’s Still Gay Key West – The Advocate

gay Key West - pixabay

They have a motto in Key West: “One Human Family.” Coined by James Thompson — an HIV-positive activist, organizer, and designer — it represents Key West, the tiny island best known for its queer inclusiveness.

“Inclusiveness is part of our heritage,” one tour guide told me when I visited last August. Its embrace of diversity and willingness to set itself apart from the Florida mainland goes back to its origins as a haven for an eclectic blend of Native Americans, Spanish, freed slaves, seafarers (including pirates), queers, and creatives. The island known as the “southernmost point in the continental U.S.” sided with the North during the Civil War and later served as home to famous writers like Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, and Judy Blume.

The charm Key West offers is so unlike other Florida cities that many locals call it “Unflorida” and consider the island to be “more Caribbean than the United States.” Its reputation as a refuge for LGBT people has been reflected in local politics: The city was one of the first in the U.S. to elect an out gay mayor (Richard A. Heyman in 1983).

By David Artavia – Full Story at SOURCE

Key West Gay Travel Resources

Santorini in Two Parts – Go Girlfriend

Santorini

Santorini’s reputation began 36 centuries ago with the eruption and implosion of an ancient volcano, creating a mega-tsunami massive enough to end the Minoan empire 120 km (75 miles) away. The Caldera (remember the myth of Atlantis?), ringed with smaller remnant islands boasts 1,000 ft. cliffs upon which perch the whitewashed main capital of Thira.

Santorini cliffsideTowering seaside cliffs and charming whitewashed villages along the caldera coast make Santorini a favorite of cruise ships and tourists with unique cliffside restaurants, shops, hotels and churches. But arriving by cruise ship presents the problem of getting up the 1,000 ft. vertical cliff face. Your choices are to walk the almost 600 steps along the meandering pathway, ride a donkey up this same path or board a cable car for the quickest, most direct route to the top. How energetic do you feel?

How to choose what to see and do in Santorini if your time is limited

Depending on your stay in Santorini, you’ll need to prioritize what you want to see.

sunsets in Santorini1 day or part day (Cruise ship tour) – Set your sites on Santorini’s main city, Thira (sometimes referred to as Fira). The cruise ships dock here so it’s an easy choice. This is the island’s gem with the main shops, restaurants and caldera views all walkable from your ship – you must have lunch on the cliffs. Also consider booking a tour with Viator or Expedia to see some other locations close by like Nea Kameni’s volcanic crater and sulphur hot springs [our GG Recommendation], or a catamaran sailing cruise sightseeing the caldera.

By Stacy Rosien – Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Greece Gay Travel Resources

Colorful Gay Curacao – Chicago Pride

Gay Curacao

One of the first things that catches your eye on the beautiful, colorful Caribbean island of Curacao is, the colors. Specifically, the colorfully-painted homes and businesses.

But there was a time when almost every building in gay Curacao was white, nothing else.

Then, legend has it, a former governor of the island suffered from severe headaches – and he believed the sun’s reflection off the white buildings made his headaches worse. So he mandated that building exteriors be painted any color but white.

That array of colors is one of the calling-cards of Curacao, a Dutch island that is about 40 miles from Venezuela, encompassing about 171 square-miles with a population of about 160,000.

Later it was learned, according to lore, that the governor was a shareholder in the island’s only paint store.

Nonetheless, Curacao is one eye-appealing island.

It’s like the pride flag came to life on homes and businesses.

By Ross Forman – Full Story at GoPride

Curacao Gay Travel Resources

Visiting Cuba: 10 Things To Know Before You Go – Globetrotter Girls

Visiting Cuba - Dani

Cuba had been on my travel wish list for a long time. Every time I visited the Yucatán, I thought about hopping on a flight to Havana from Cancun, but somehow it never happened. The restrictions for Americans to travel to Cuba played a big role in this during my first two visits to Mexico in 2010 and 2012, but in 2017, the timing was finally right.

I found a $100 flight deal from Cancun to Havana, and thanks to the ease of travel restrictions for Americans along with new flight routes from the U.S., my friend was able to fly directly from New York to Cuba. (Side note: The joy was short-lived. After Trump’s new restrictions, I am glad that we went to Cuba this year. If you are a US citizen, read this NYT article to find out how you can visit Cuba under the revised Cuba policies).

Even though getting to Cuba from North America has become easier, the country itself is not particularly easy to travel in. I did a lot of research before my trip to make sure I knew what I’d be getting myself into, and that I would be able to prepare accordingly, from dealing with two currencies to arranging transportation around the country in a place where I couldn’t just hop into a rental car like I’d done in Mexico a couple of weeks prior.

Of course, despite detailed research, it was impossible to find out everything I needed to know, and some things I learned as I traveled the country (the fact that there are more tourists than available seats in public buses, for example!).

To help make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible, I wanted to share with you the ten things I think you need to know before traveling to Cuba.

By AUTHOR – Full Story at SOURCE

LOCATION Gay Travel Resources

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Bolongo Bay Beach Resort – St. Thomas, US Virgin Island

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort

Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay:

Bolongo Bay is an intimate Caribbean resort offering All-Inclusive and Room Only rates. We also offer some fantastic honeymoon, wedding, girls escape, and tour and attraction packages. We’re all about getting away from home and having fun in the sun.

Our Caribbean resort features a variety of complimentary water-sports, gift shop, and a freshwater swimming pool with its own swim-up bar – enjoy a tropical drink under the Caribbean sun while you relax away your cares. Bolongo Bay is home to St. Thomas Diving Club, a five star PADI facility.

We also have a small gym on-site with treadmills, stair-masters, an elliptical cross trainer, and a recumbent life cycle.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort is casual, fun, and private – a Caribbean beach resort with an emphasis on great customer service. We’re on a long, palm tree-lined beach overlooking the lovely waters of the Caribbean on St. Thomas.

We have sixty five ocean-front guest rooms just steps from the sands of the beach, and all of our rooms come with terraces with fantastic water views.

We also offer ocean-front studios and 2 bedroom condos just up the beach from the main property, perfect for families or groups of friends who want larger accommodations on Bolongo Bay.

We have two restaurants on-site, both open air: the Lobster Grille beside the pool lit with romantic candle light and Tiki torches, and Iggies Beach Bar & Grill.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort doesn’t have elevators, marble tiles or chandeliers – we’re not an upscale property, but we offer large, bright, clean rooms with stunning views of the Caribbean – a real Caribbean vacation

Bolongo Bay is a family-owned resort – we’ve run the resort for over thirty years. Do you want to have a true Caribbean resort experience? Come to Bolongo Bay, and experience the Virgin Islands firsthand!

See the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in the US Virgin Islands