Gay Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's second-largest city, Rio de Janeiro, offers the heady buzz of a cosmopolitan city, the laidback vibe of a beach resort town, and the nonstop nightlife of a gay paradise -- all rolled into one. The syncopated rhythm of the samba drum, rather than the tick tick tick of the clock, set the day's pace -- making it the perfect vacation spot for anyone looking for an escape from the daily grind. Of course, it helps that this tropical South American jewel boasts one of the world's most open attitudes toward sex and sexuality -- including queerness. Rio's beaches are among its greatest attraction. Here, the temperature averages 77 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit (25 - 30 Celsius), which means that the beaches teem with activity year-round. The best-known beach, of course, is Copacabana. This four-kilometer stretch of blazing white sand, located in the southern zone of the city, borders trendy Avenida Atlantica and draws people from all walks of life. There's plenty of scantily-clad eye candy for every type and persuasion. Adjacent to Copacabana is the renowned Ipanema Beach. The gays are concentrated around its Farme de Amoedo, or Farme Gay, where the muscle men and pretty boys flock. At Farme Gay, the vibe is cruisier than at Copacabana's Bolsa, so it's easy to make new friends here. Beach-goers will also quickly notice that Rio's beaches are excellent spots to lay out the game plan for the evening. Speaking of which: To find out what's happening on any given night, just grab flyers from any of the many gay party promoters who come out to the beach regularly to promote their events. Rio isn't just sungas and saunas, however. It also offers myriad restaurants, bars, and clubs that cater to a wide range of tastes. Non-beach queer life is centered around the Ipanema suburb and the neighboring Leblon district, where visitors enjoy the city's concentration of queer venues, as well as major art galleries, theaters, and shopping. While samba, bossa nova, and funk are mainstays for many of the clubs in town, you can also lose your mind to house, techno, hip hop, and even rock. Of course, when you're tired of dancing, you can visit the famous Christ the Redeemer statue, which looks after Rio from above. The world-famous "Selarón Steps" are also a beautiful spot to visit. During Carnaval, an annual festival that kicks off the Mardi Gras season in mid-February, Rio explodes with color, music, and dance. Though Carnaval is technically celebrated around the world, Rio's festival is the largest and wildest celebration, drawing millions of visitors with its masquerade balls, street parties, and famous samba parade. A few months later, in early June, hundreds of thousands of queer folk pour into the city for Rio de Janeiro's Pride. And while São Paulo's Pride may be bigger, Rio's Pride boasts a parade route that marches along three miles of beach -- the perfect setting for an unforgettable vacation.