Ultimate LGBTQ+ Women’s Guide to Puerto Vallarta: Beaches, Bars, and More

If you’re looking for an unforgettable getaway that offers LGBTQ+ inclusivity, vibrant nightlife, and beautiful beaches, Puerto Vallarta is the place to be. This charming city on Mexico’s Pacific coast is known for its old-town charm, welcoming atmosphere, and buzzing LGBTQ+ scene—particularly for queer women. In this guide, we’ll take you through the must-visit beaches, bars, and hotspots that every LGBTQ+ woman should experience in Puerto Vallarta.

Lesbian beach party at Puerto Vallarta Lesbian Pride

Zona Romantica: The Heart of Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ+ Scene

Puerto Vallarta’s LGBTQ+ scene is centered in the iconic Zona Romantica, often referred to as the “gayborhood” of the city. With its narrow cobblestone streets, queer-owned businesses, and buzzing nightlife, Zona Romantica is the heart of LGBTQ+ culture in Puerto Vallarta.

For queer women, this area offers a welcoming, inclusive vibe with plenty of spots to relax, dance, or enjoy a drink. You’ll find a mix of LGBTQ+ friendly cafes, cocktail bars, and beach clubs, such as the Mantamar Beach Club and the Blue Chairs Resort, both popular with queer travelers.

If you’re looking for a lively yet relaxed scene, make Zona Romantica your base. From here, you can explore the surrounding areas and experience all that Puerto Vallarta has to offer.

Best LGBTQ+ Friendly Beaches in Puerto Vallarta

One of the biggest draws to Puerto Vallarta is its sun-drenched beaches. The city is home to some of the most LGBTQ+ friendly beaches in Mexico, offering safe and inclusive spaces for queer women to enjoy the ocean and relax.

Los Muertos Beach is a must-visit. Known for its stunning views and welcoming vibe, it’s one of the most popular spots for LGBTQ+ travelers. The beach’s “gay section” is located between Mantamar Beach Club and Sapphire Beach Club. It’s the perfect area to soak up the sun, grab a cocktail, and meet fellow LGBTQ+ women travelers especially at Ritmos Cafe and Sapphire Beach Club.

For something a little more secluded, head to Mixto Beachclub in Quimixto. This beach offers a more tranquil setting, ideal for those looking to escape the crowds while still enjoying a queer-friendly atmosphere.

Night party at Puerto Vallarta Lesbian Pride

Top Bars and Nightlife for Queer Women

Puerto Vallarta’s nightlife is vibrant, colorful, and diverse, with plenty of spots that cater to the queer community. For queer women looking to enjoy a night out, there are several standout venues worth visiting.

Start your night at Elixir Mixology Bar, a lesbian-owned cocktail bar that’s a favorite among queer women. With its creative cocktails and laid-back vibe, it’s the perfect place to kick off your evening before heading to other nightlife spots.

Another popular choice is La Catrina Cantina, a lively bar known for its welcoming atmosphere and regular LGBTQ+ events. It’s a great place to meet other queer women and dance the night away in a fun, inclusive space.

For those wanting to enjoy a more relaxed evening, check out Café Versalles, a lesbian-owned café located just outside of the Zona Romantica. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee or enjoying a light meal, this cozy café offers a welcoming space for queer women to connect and relax.

Queer Women’s Travel Tips: Safety and Fun in Puerto Vallarta

While Puerto Vallarta is known for being one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Mexico, it’s always important to stay mindful of local customs. Zona Romantica is a safe space where you can feel comfortable being yourself, but like any travel destination, it’s best to exercise caution, particularly when venturing outside LGBTQ+ areas.

If you’re new to Puerto Vallarta or traveling alone, consider joining one of the many queer women’s group tours available in the area. These tours offer a great way to meet other LGBTQ+ women and experience the city in a safe, friendly environment.

Ready to Book Your Next Queer Adventure?

Puerto Vallarta is calling! From its LGBTQ+ friendly beaches and buzzing nightlife to its warm, welcoming atmosphere, this city is the perfect destination for queer women looking to relax, explore, and have fun.

Contact us today to book your spot at one of our LGBTQ+ women’s group trips, PV Lesbian Pride Vacation, and experience the best that Puerto Vallarta has to offer!

Top 5 Lesbian Friendly Countries to Visit in 2023

Many single and coupled lesbians like to know how lesbian-friendly a country or city is before they travel. Knowing LGBTQ+ laws, how locals feel and if there are welcoming gayborhoods can sometimes be as important as knowing the top tourist attractions or restaurants. Have you been dreaming of countries that will welcome you as a lesbian? There’s never been a better time to grab your partner’s hand and hop on a plane!

Keep reading to find out our picks for the Top 5 Lesbian Countries to Visit in 2023

1. Mexico

Mexico is a vast country with something for every traveler. It has gorgeous beaches, breathtaking sea life, mountains with stunning waterfalls, volcanoes, cenotes, pyramids, magical towns, and more. Mexican culture’s deep religious roots sometimes make it difficult for rural lesbians to be out but larger cities like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City and tourist areas offer safe spaces as well as are welcoming toward the LGBTQ+ community.

Lesbian couple showing their love in CDMX’s Pride Parade.

The larger cities like Mexico City have popular gay areas- Zona Rosa (Pink Zone), Condesa, and Roma. These neighborhoods are rich in gastronomy, queer nightlife, and cultural experiences. On the western coast you find Puerto Vallarta which has been known as the lgbtq+ friendliest city in Mexico with stunning beaches, pumping nightlife, gastronomy, and activities. The lesbian community has been growing there and you’ll find various lesbian businesses from a coffee shop, lounge bar, food tour, secret dinners, and more.

2. Taiwan

Many lesbians may be surprised to see Taiwan on our list but Taiwan is one of the very few places in Asia that has anti-discrimination laws based on orientation. Even more, in 2019, on the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize gay marriage.

Female president, Tsai Ing-wen tweeted:

Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, is famous for its Japanese heritage and architecture and the quaint streets of the old Danshui fishing village. In the evening, find the wharf to enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets in Taipei. Ximending is Taipei’s gayborhood, for years lesbians have gravitated to the area around the Shida night market. And since 2018, Wonder Bar and Lounge has been on the quieter side of the Xinyi District. It is almost imperceptibly hidden beneath a sign with only a “W” which subtly seduces lesbians into their women-friendly space. Inside, the all-female bartenders stand amid walls covered with instant photos of women kissing.

3. Iceland

For being such a cold country, Iceland is HOT these days! Singer Björk put Iceland on the map in the 1990s. Now the land of fire and ice is well-known for its openness towards the lesbian and LGBTQ+ community. In Reykjavík, the country’s capital, hundreds of women have flown to its “free church in Reykjavík” (Fríkirkjan í Reykjavík) to be married. In Iceland, being queer is celebrated! Lesbians and those in the LGBTQ+ community can hold hands and express themselves in larger cities and small villages. Today, Iceland attracts lesbian tourists who eagerly bathe in its deep blue lagoons, explore some of its 1000+ waterfalls, and stargaze up at the rainbow swirls of the northern lights. It’s no wonder that alongside the growing lesbian tourism, the local lesbian and LGBTQ+ culture has grown, offering: art, boutique hotels, bars and lesbian and LGBTQ+ guided tours.

Lezseetheworld.com lagoon love in Iceland!

4. Thailand

Similar to Iceland, you’ll have no problem holding hands, cuddling, or kissing on Thailand's streets. In the “land of smiles,” lesbians can genuinely be themselves. Thailand offers history, nightlife and nature from its capital city to its islands.

The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, is beautiful with its winding waterways and golden temples. And, as a busy city, it can also be dirty and overcrowded. But after a day of sightseeing at Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Lumphini Park, and the many markets, a substantial LQBTQ+ scene awaits you. While most of Bangkok’s gayborhood, Silom, caters to men, women are welcome at most of the gay bars. Since most lesbian bars in Bangkok were closed years ago, local women now host lesbian parties! Checkout the Facebook pages of Go Grrrls and Lesla Party otherwise you can pay a nominal entrance fee at Silom Soi 2 alley and find a mix scene at the bars with lesbians as well.

Two other big cities that are popular in Thailand that is very welcoming to lesbians is Chiang Mai and Phuket. Both locations have nature- beaches, forest, wildlife, gastronomy, lgbtq+ owned businesses keeping you busy and connected to the community. Phuket has a gayborhood called Paradise Complex where you can mix with the lgbtq+ community for a good dance and drag show.

Ladies Touch Travel & Madison the Promoters Phuket Group Trip all smiles!

5. Spain

Spain contains one of the largest and proudest lesbian and LGBTQ+ communities in Europe. Since 1995 Spain has put into place laws to ensure the rights and freedom of all its citizens. This includes laws against hate speech and violence towards lesbians and the LGBTQ+ community. And in 2005, lesbian and LGBTQ+ marriage was legalized.

Spain’s capital, Madrid, is also its lesbian and LGBTQ+ capital, where it hosts epic LGBTQ+ parties, festivals and cultural events. Madrid’s historical gayborhood, Chueca, contains the highest concentration of lesbian bars and is located in one of the most hip areas, with many restaurants, bars and shops displaying Pride flags. Today, Madrid’s gayborhood has expanded into the areas of Malasaña, La Latina, and Lavapies. Lesbian bars in Madrid are central to the lesbian culture. Many open early in the day and stay open until 6 am. In addition to dance parties, they also serve tapas, host sporting events, performances, protests, host cultural events. Try Escape and Club 33.

Chueca the gayborhood in Madrid, flying its pride flag proud!

Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona, may not have bars strictly for women like Madrid but Eixample is in the center and trendiest area with many mixed venues and welcoming to queer women. That said, Carita Bonita promotes queer women events, while Candy Darling Bar has a lgbtq+ mixed crowd.

Lastly, hippie and party island Ibiza, hosts Velvet Ibiza, a lesbian and women-only event every summer. It’s five days of adventures with your new lesbian and women-loving friends and offers kayaking, hiking, yoga, and a dance party every night! Outside of Velvet, Ibiza is a lgbtq+ friendly destination with it’s popular Ibiza Town filled with lgbtq+ venues and activities.

The world has become a more welcoming place for female travelers – especially lesbians. We can hold hands, walk arm in arm and cuddle freely in more and more countries across the globe. Don’t you think it’s time to explore this new world?

Written by Jane Malone

Originally from the Bahamas, Jane now travels often, writing mostly lesbian/wlw blogs and travel blogs for others. She has published a collection of love poetry, i am not lost, and is the creator and host of the Monday morning mindset podcast, Live Curious Die Wild. When she’s not playing with words, she enjoys biking, the beach and exploring. You can find her on Instagram @janemaloneauthor , @livecuriousdiewildpodcast and on all listening platforms.

It’s PRIDE Season!

Haaaaappy Pride! It’s been an amazing few weeks celebrating Pride in different cities and it’s just the beginning with still so many cities that have upcoming Pride celebrations. We kicked things off at Puerto Vallarta Lesbian Pride over Memorial Day Weekend and it was a blast! Puerto Vallarta is one of the most gay friendly cities in Mexico but it’s always been more dominated by gay men. This year we collaborated with the local lgbtq women’s businesses in Vallarta to bring a womxn’s week!

Puerto Vallarta Pride Parade

We started the week with the Pride Parade and the streets were filled with people in the community and supporters! I was impressed with the turnout and expect the parade will grow over the next few years for sure. From that we kicked off with Lesbian Owned Elixir Mixology Bar for the welcome party, then a Taco Tour with Vallarta Local Tours ( I even learned some new things about the food history in Vallarta which was fascinating), lastly our weekend parties. It was beautiful to see many women from all different backgrounds- Mexicans, Americans, Canadians, Europeans, even Asian just enjoying the music and vibe. I watched everyone with delight as I know the importance of having a safe space and that we had all week, it was worth all the work!

Sapphire Beach Club Party

Why is this important? It’s important because as mentioned for years gay men have dominated the Pride celebrations in PV. Don’t get me wrong I love the boys but truthfully it’s just a different energy when there’s more of them than us so we are hopeful to keep growing year after year and have more “L” visibility for Pride in Vallarta. Even the parade only had one float representing womxn so we hope to change that soon. Pride in Vallarta is typically the last week of May so mark your calendar to be in town next year. Vallarta has so much to offer- culture, beaches, nightlife, gastronomy, and more so make sure you don’t miss out next year as it will be a week to remember!

Details to book your Puerto Vallarta Pride Vacation will be available in the next few weeks so stay in TOUCH…

Southern Mexico’s Lesbian Vacation

When it comes to Mexico, people often think about Cancun, Tulum, Cabo, and Puerto Vallarta but Mexico has so many more gems in its big country, and we found one of them- Costa Maya! Honestly, I never heard of Costa Maya but have heard about Bacalar and was curious to check it out.

Costa Maya is in Quintana Roo between Tulum and Chetumal which are the nearby more popular towns by the coast. It’s a small port town with a growing population. What I love about Mahahual, the town in Costa Maya, is that the beach is super pretty (Maldives like) with clear warm waters and white sand. Outside of the beautiful beach, there aren’t many tourists like Cancun and Tulum making it more relaxing as well as enjoyable. The other thing I just thought about is that I never felt unsafe while being there because it’s a small town where a lot of the locals all know each other so you get that family feel.

Some of the popular excursions in Costa Maya are snorkeling, diving, Bacalar lagoon, visiting the Mayan pyramids, cenotes, and rapid river. It is said that Xcalak just south of Mahahual has some of the most beautiful reefs in the world to go snorkeling and diving. In Mahahual there are many reefs close to the beach so you can get some beautiful views there too. If you love snorkeling or diving, these places are a must! Bacalar lagoon or the 7 Colors Lagoon as they call it is spectacular. You literally see multiple colors in the water the further south you go on the lagoon. The town of Bacalar is super cute and boho but a little on the pricier side but you can certainly make it a day trip from Mahahual. Bacalar is also considered a “Pueblo Magico” a “Magical Town” which means that the government does as much as possible to preserve its beauty and nature. When vising Costa Maya, you can’t miss Bacalar and its Blue Cenote which is quite large and outdoors unlike many underground cenotes. In Bacalar I got the chance to go kayaking at sunrise and it was such a beautiful experience to be out in the lake with the sounds of wildlife around and the sun creeping up above the water.  The Rapids is also a quite unique beauty as you can float along the river, kayak, etc and see the multiple colors of the water as well as wildlife. One of the last popular excursions in Costa Maya is visiting the Mayan pyramids. Mayans were so ahead of their time and if you notice how big their civilization was, it extends from Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras so you will find many pyramids in the Costa Maya area, some that are covered and others that have been excavated. Learning their culture and understanding what they built is a humbling experience. You see? It’s hard not to not enjoy Costa Maya and its surrounding towns when there is so much to do and see.

Costa Maya is gay friendly like most of Quintana Roo and there’s a chill vibe that you get in the south where no one is trying to be more than they are. It’s just fun beach bars on the Malecon, delicious seafood, boho style hotels, and excursions that fill up your vacation if you visit. With all that said, what are you waiting for? Start booking your tickets! If you feel shy going by yourself to Costa Maya, join our group trip this Spring March 25- Apr 1st, 2022 as we’ll be exploring the area with other like minded travel lovers! Trip details are available at https://tri.ps/6jo8g What ever you decide just make sure that you don’t miss out on this hidden gem in southern Mexico!