Puerto Madryn, Argentina: Buenos Aires snags most of the headlines, but there’s more to the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage than its capital city. This relaxed Welsh-settled port city is the jumping-off point for a cornucopia of Patagonian wildlife encounters (sea lions, penguins, elephant seals) around Argentina’s World Heritage-designated Valdes Peninsula. Majestic southern right whales frolicking offshore and spectacular sunsets provide dramatic complements to the region’s desolate beauty. The Puerto Madryn-based Flamenco Tour is especially welcoming for lesbian travelers.
Reykjavik, Iceland: With more than 170 geothermal pools and an expansive landscape of geysers and glaciers, Iceland speaks equally to spa lovers and nature fanatics. Having an openly lesbian prime minister gives the country progressive bragging rights. To best explore the Nordic island’s rugged terrain, as well as the capital charms of Reykjavik, map out a plan with lesbian-founded Pink Iceland, the country’s only LGBT travel agency.
Florianopolis, Brazil: When winter becomes too much, drop below the equator for surfing, sun, and sand dunes in Floripa, as it’s affectionately known. The island capital of Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil is less than 90 minutes by air from Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, but it’s a world away from their urban sprawl. Floripa’s gay population spikes during Carnival in February, though it’s always friendly. There’s even a full-time lesbian bar/cafe, Caravana, with an outside patio and small dance floor. For personalized adventures, rely on business and life partners Marta Dalla Chiesa and Lesley Cushing of Brazil Ecojourneys.
LoAnn Halden is the Media Relations Director at the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA).
Click on photos to view full image and slideshow
