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Gay Tour Travel To Chile PDF   E-mail
Written by Howie Holben   
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Chile is a popular destination for gay travel due to its unique geography, which allows travelers to visit volcanoes, enjoy beautiful beaches, ski or snowboard the Andes and spend a night on the town in Santiago's gay district all in the same day. Chile is a country rich in landmarks and varied landscapes including the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, the penguin colony at Mirador de Chepu, the Easter Island statues, Elqui Valley in La Serena (which is steeped in legends about extraterrestrial activity) and exquisite architecture and churches that dot the cities, countryside and coastline.
by HowieHolben


Chile is a popular destination for gay travel due to its unique geography, which allows travelers to visit volcanoes, enjoy beautiful beaches, ski or snowboard the Andes and spend a night on the town in Santiago's gay district all in the same day. Chile is a country rich in landmarks and varied landscapes including the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, the penguin colony at Mirador de Chepu, the Easter Island statues, Elqui Valley in La Serena (which is steeped in legends about extraterrestrial activity) and exquisite architecture and churches that dot the cities, countryside and coastline.

The uniqueness of Chile's natural, cultural and historic attractions provide the opportunity to plan a variety of gay trips including adventurous excursions trekking through breathtaking Patagonian landscapes and exploring ancient island cultures, ski or snowboard trips to world-famous Andes ski resorts like Valle Nevado, pilgrimages to visit churches and experience the deeply entrenched Catholic influences throughout the country, family beach vacations in Vina del Mar, wine-tasting tours, or trips centered around the bustling nightlife and rich culture and history of Chile's capital, Santiago.

While Chile will certainly not soon be mistaken for a bastion of gay rights, the macho Chilean culture that is deeply influenced by the military and Catholicism is slowly becoming more welcoming to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The center of gay culture in Chile lies in Santiago, where folks on a Chilean gay vacation will find the most acceptance and the highest concentration of gay-owned and gay-friendly establishments. The Barrio Bellavista, a trendy neighborhood with quaint cafes, shops, eateries and clubs is home to the majority of Santiago's gay clubs, bathhouses and hangouts. While you will not see rainbow flags hanging from balconies or couples holding hands walking down the street, you will see gay magazines displayed in newsstands and couples enjoying espresso at cosmopolitan sidewalk cafes.

The gay-owned Spanish restaurant, Capricho, is a popular first stop for a night out in Bellavista, often followed by drinks a one of the local gay bars and dancing into the early hours of the morning at one of Santiago's gay clubs. Options for clubbing range from discos much like those found in most large cities to risqu clubs with live sex shows. It is common to begin a night out with dinner around 9 or 10pm, followed by a lively night of escapades that may not end until the sun is coming up. There are also several bathhouses " often called saunas " in Santiago, including a more upscale option catering to professionals. As in the U.S., HIV is a concern and precautions should be taken to ensure a safe, enjoyable gay vacation in Chile.

Santiago is conveniently situated in central Chile, making it an exceptional choice as a home base for gay adventure travel, allowing you to more fully explore all that Chile offers. Add to this the more welcoming atmosphere found in this city and it is easy to see why Santiago is a common choice for gay adventure travel. Working with a travel agency that regularly organizes gay vacations to Chile is the best way to ensure that you and your partner, your family or your friends has a fun-filled, safe gay vacation to Chile.

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