Gay travel destinations: from Sitges to Provincetown

Some places are so gay, straight people are a minority. In these rarefied towns, you’ll find lots of stylish and attractive gays, looking for other gays. We’ve gathered together a list of some of our favorite gay destinations. They have to meet a strict criteria to get on the list: they must be super gay-friendly and packed with gay bars. Our top gay travel destinations range from Mexican towns overlooking the Caribbean Coast, to pebble beaches on the South Coast of England.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta (also known as PV) is the biggest gay destination in Mexico. It’s home to Zona Romantica, Latin America’s biggest Gayborhood. Most tourists in PV are well-heeled gay men - or credit card queens - from the USA. Rather like the English taking over the south coast of Spain, Americans have claimed this charming Mexican town.

You’ll find several popular gay hotels, as well as more gay bars than you can explore in a single trip. The sheer quantity of LGBT+ venues in PV rivals the gay scenes of London and New York.

Provincetown

This is where the founding fathers landed in the hope of continuing the Puritan revolution. They didn’t quite succeed. Today American gays in tank tops (or less) parade through streets decked with rainbow flags. Provincetown has become a gay-majority town. Straight people, while more than welcome, are very much a quaint minority. John Waters spends most of the year at his Provincetown residence: that’s how gay it is.

Initially a bohemian arty town, Provincetown now attracts the party crowd. That being said, you can also have a more relaxing experience in one of Provincetown’s many inns and explore the New England countryside. You can take a ninety-minute ferry from Boston to Provincetown. 

Mykonos

Greece’s most glamorous island - if you pretend Santorini doesn’t exist - is a magnet for gay travelers. Mykonos is especially popular with the upwardly mobile gay jet set. It’s a place to see and be seen (on Instagram). The action takes place at JackieO’, a beach club named after the former First Lady. Mykonos is packed with world-class (and wallet-destroying) luxury hotels.

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is where European gays go to have fun the sun. And let’s be honest: if you can’t afford Mykonos, you go to Gran Canaria! The action takes place at the famous Yumbo Centre, a warren of gay bars and clubs. Gran Canaria has a reputation for being a bit trashy, but it’s trashy in a fun and unpretentious way. Some of the other destinations on this list may be more glamorous, but they’ll also be filled with Instagram posers. Pick your posion, hun.

Sitges

Many LGBT+ travelers cite Sitges as their favorite vacation spot. It offers the perfect combination of relative affordability, perfect weather, abundant gay bars and proximity to Barcelona. In peak season throughout summer, gays outnumber straights in Sitges. Begin your adventure with a drink on the terrace at Parrots, where you’re forced to sit facing the adjacent side of the street: you have no choice but to check out all of the hotties. Sitges is compact so you can easily walk everywhere. Oh, and it’s pronounced “sit” (like “sit down”) and “jizz” (as in… whatever).

London

The UK capital might be as gay as it used to be: much of the city’s nightlife has gone, especially gay bars. That being said, London still has more gay bars than most cities, especially in Soho. You’ll also find world-class gay clubs in Clapham and a more edgy gay scene in East London. What's more, London has a higher number of active Grindr users than any other city. And with that thought in mind, we’ll move on to the next destination.

Brighton

The UK’s “gay capital” is an hour’s train ride from London. This trashy/charming coastal city is home to the UK’s largest LGBT+ population (as a percentage of the population, at least). Be sure to get lost in the winding streets of The Lanes and explore all the independent boutiques. Take a stroll down the seafront and sit on the uncomfortable pebble beach. When you’re ready to explore the gay bars later in the evening, head over to Kemptown. Unlike London, Brighton is compact so you can easily walk around the city.

Bangkok

Thailand is probably the most gay-friendly country in Asia. Bangkok is packed with gay bars and clubs, especially around Si Lom Road. It’s also one of the best destinations on the planet for street food. You’ll encounter some of the friendliest people in Thailand, and your money goes further here, so you can indulge your senses without breaking the bank. As a side note, Travel Gay began as a gay guide to Thailand before expanding to cover the rest of Asia and then—with lots of globe-trotting!—the rest of the known world.