Colombia is a welcoming country that offers plenty of opportunities for gay travel. Its cities hum with vibrant nightlife, and parades and festivals that celebrate diversity throughout the year. But LGBTI travelers who soak up the fun will need somewhere to relax too. Here we explore some of the best Colombian beaches:
Barú Island
Photographer: Gonzalo Balboa – flickr.com/photos/gonzalobalboa/
Barú Island is famous for its most popular beach, Playa Blanca or the White Beach, where the crème de le crème of nearby Cartagena de Indias head to strut their stuff. This stretch of white sand overlooks the turquoise Caribbean waters that surround this tiny island. Speedboats ferry glamorous ‘party people’ ashore who enjoy a lobster lunch and a cheeky cocktail before basking in the crystalline sea and dancing and bronzing themselves on deck.
Cabo de la Vela
Photographer: Tanenhaus – flickr.com/photos/tanenhaus
Cabo de la Vela encourages its visitors to relax, spot diverse wildlife and practice sports, such as kite-surfing, in a paradise that feels like it’s at the very end of the earth. This village is nestled in a wild and rugged stretch of coastline at the edge of the vast La Guajira desert, which boasts some of the best beaches in Colombia. It’s a great way to experience the spirituality of the indigenous Wayuu culture and practice adventure sports in ideal conditions.
Palomino
Photographer: Florent MECHAIN – TravelMag.com
Palomino is a small and laidback village on Colombia’s Caribbean coast that has a hip and happening feel. Tropical birds swoop through its streets and it’s home to pristine Colombian beaches that stretch all the way to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. The sea currents here are famously fierce, which is why most visitors hire inner tubes and float down the river before tucking into a hearty supper of freshly-caught fish.
Cartagena de Indias
Fotografía: Pedro Szekely (Licencia Creative Commons)
Cartagena de Indias is a romantic city, with its imposing colonial walls and maze of narrow streets. Visitors who spend the morning absorbing its history, and being dazzled by the tropical flowers that hang from its balconies, tend to spend the afternoon on one of its beaches. There they grab a fresh ceviche or a soothing ice-cream from a passing cart and scan the horizon for the ghosts of pirates out to sea, until the sun slips into the ocean in a blaze of orange.
Chocó
Courtesy of Viájala
Chocó is a magical corner of Colombia and its beaches are home to some of the world’s most awe-inspiring creatures. Visitors may spot humpback whales tending to their young in the waves or discover scurrying crabs, and sea turtles laying their eggs on shore. Dense jungle forms the backdrop to the region’s black-sand beaches, which are perfect for a wide range of sports or simply a long walk to study nature at its most impressive, before enjoying the region’s famed cuisine.
There are pleasures for everyone at these beautiful Colombian beaches, from watersports and wildlife to parties, glamour and all-round relaxation. If you’re in search of gay travel opportunities in Colombia, treat yourself to some beach time and be amazed by the diversity you’ll discover.
