The Ultimate Gay-Friendly Travel Manual to Costa Rica
Curator’s statement
Costa Rica is more than just a travel destination — it’s a lifestyle. With its welcoming Pura Vida spirit, breathtaking landscapes and progressive LGBTQ+ rights, it’s the perfect place for luxury travelers and couples looking to run away, unwind and explore. Whether you’re soaking in thermal hot springs, indulging in spa treatments or hiking through lush rainforests, Costa Rica offers an lasting mix of relaxation and adventure. As the first Central American country to legalize same-sex marriage, Costa Rica is a harmless and inclusive haven for LGBTQ+ travelers. This mentor highlights the best in luxury stays, romantic experiences, wellness and adventure for your ultimate gay-friendly getaway.
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Where to stay in Costa Rica
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Things to do in
Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio National Park
The most well-liked national park in Costa Rica, the Manuel Antonio National Park is the most visited park in the territory. Created in 1972 and encompassing an area of around 682 hectares, this park is among the most diverse and beautiful places in the region. Considered to be among the tiniest national parks in Costa Rica, what this park lacks in size, it makes up for in stunning innate beauty.
Manuel Antonio is a cherished area that gays contain always called their own. It is still the only area in the country outside the capital with a gay bar, an exclusively gay hotel, numerous gay villas, and gay beach areas. Gay people regularly hang out on the main beach before the large rock, just before crossing the rocks to Playa Playita, and on Playita itself. Manuel Antonio regularly has gay parties at various locations, especially in the high season.
Looking for info on other Central Pacific Coast towns such as Dominical, Jaco or Puntarenas? See our Central Pacific Coast page.
If you need transport from San Jose to Manuel Antonio or Quepos, there are regular buses, shuttles and turboprop flights. You can see all the transport options risk
Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches, moody cloudforests, and amazing biodiversity make it a top tourist destination, especially for US travelers. But Costa Rica is also one of the most queer-friendly countries in Central America, making it a perfect gay travel destination.
Read on for everything you need to know about gay travel in Costa Rica! From an overview of LGBT laws, cultural attitudes towards LGBT individuals, and the best things to do while on your trip, we’ve got you covered!
Staying at the Nayara Tented Camp near Arenal was a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never disregard. I mean, look at that view!
LGBT Laws in Costa Rica
Before I leave for any trip, I like to do a little research beforehand on the local laws and culture. As an LGBT traveler, I never want to go to a destination without knowing what to expect – it’s a matter of safety! I share all of my best queer commute safety tips in this publish – including how to equip beforehand and what to undertake when you’re on the road.
Luckily, Costa Rica has made significant progress in recent years in providing protections to LGBT residents and travelers. As recently as May 2020, Costa Ri
This complete travel manual to Gay Costa Rica will provide you with everything you need to know about Costa Rica as a gay traveller, whether that be the best gay destinations in Costa Rica like San Jose or Manuel Antonio, as well as a the leading gay bars, hotels and things to do.
When it comes to gay explore in Central America, Costa Rica is our number one choice.
We found it to be one of the most welcoming and uncover countries in Primary America for queer travellers both in terms of laws, attitudes and a surprisingly large same-sex attracted scene.
As a destination, it has been one of our favourites.
We have never seen such a diverse range of stunning wildlife in such a compact amount of time.
From sloths to red eyed tree frogs, tarantulas and spider monkeys, we can almost guarantee that wherever you leave you will be immersed in wildlife.
Not only that but you’ll find beaches (inc gay beaches), rainforests, cloudforests, dehydrated forests and of course the municipality, a little something for everyone’s tastes.
When we started to look into the Costa Rica lgbtq+ scene, we were very surprised (for good reasons)! Here is our journey guide to lgbtq+ Costa Rica! We hope you enjoy!