Gay Cancun
Cancun's name brings thoughts of blue skies, attractive sunbathers, glistening warm water, and miles upon miles of gorgeous beaches. For a gay traveler, there is nowhere else in the world that would seem more perfect for a romantic getaway or a wild vacation. There are so many things to do in Cancun that travelers often don’t even know where to start.
This great city has been experiencing major economic growth and huge development within the last 40 years. It's blossomed into the premier tourist destination in Mexico and can only be expected to grow more in the future.
Located directly south of New Orleans, Cancun is a relatively easy place to get to, especially if you are coming from North America. Separated into two parts, the “hotel zone,” which is shaped like the number “7,” and “El Centro,” also known as downtown Cancun, where the gay scene is sizzling. Two beautiful narrow canals run north to south between the two sections, but you can access each side via old-fashioned-style bridges. Once inside El Centro, you’ll easily discover Cancun’s gay scene, as well as shops, restaurants, gay clubs, gay bars, and anything else that your heart may desire.
Photo Credit: Gerson Repreza
What do you want to discover?
Top Things to See and Do in Cancun
MUST DO: Attractions & Activities
MUST VISIT: Gay-Friendly Bars & Nightlife
Local Expert: Gay Scene in Cancun
Cancun’s gay scene is primarily located in El Centro, Cancun's downtown. The nightlife down here is truly “hoppin” as the clubs are some of the best in the world. Nightly, there are special acrobatic performances that are sure to dazzle your eyes as you see acrobats fly across the night sky. Special artists & performers (even drag queens) are often flown in for exclusive shows. You can often find big-name artists in local venues with relatively small entrance fees. If you want to walk the streets, you’ll find it enjoyable to watch the various street performers. Finally, you can’t forget about the amazing gay bars in Cancun, which have been a rising phenomenon within the last 10 years.
If you're looking for the gay scene on the beach, keep an eye out for rotating crowds that will change based on the time of day, so an area that can be family-friendly one hour might be a great cruise spot at another hour. Playa Mamitas and Playa Delfines are the two most popular beaches in Cancun among gay travelers. The sand here is warm, and the water is a blue-green hue. You’ll find other LGBTQ travelers sprawled out all along these coasts trying to catch some rays.
Photo Credit: Fernando Garcia
Best Time to Visit Cancun
It's best to visit Cancun in the winter, usually from early December to April. Even though this is peak tourist season and hotel rates may be higher than otherwise, it's the best weather of the year. Cancun is a popular spring break destination, too. There is no gay pride event in Cancun, though the popular Riviera Maya isn't far and hosts many LGBTQ events. The 75-mile strip of the Yucatan Peninsula known as the Riviera Maya starts just 10km south of Cancun, so many visitors combine both destinations.
Top Things to See and Do in Cancun
1) Tulum
2) Chichen Itza
Photo Credit: Jezael Melgoza
3) Xcaret
4) Torre Escenica
5) Avenida Kukulkan
Photo Credit: Andreas M
6) CoCo Bongo Cancun
7) Playa Delfines
8) La Isla Shopping Village
9) Museo Subacuático de Arte
10) Xoximilco Cancun
MUST DO Cancun Attractions & Activities
No matter where you go in Cancun, you'll spot plenty of sun worshippers in swimsuits and bikinis, as perfect coastal temperatures residing in the upper 80s for more than 250 days of the year make it a true slice of heaven. You have a variety of thrilling adventures at your fingertips here. Want some wind in your hair with the cool ocean water beneath your feet? Check out wind-surfing — there are many shops along the coastline that are willing to train you for a small fee. Eager to see Cancun's beautiful coral reefs? Take a snorkeling tour or sign up for a deep-sea scuba diving package. Leisure awaits on the plush green grass of Cancun’s luxury golf courses if you're looking for a more low-key activity.
Day trip to Tulum
Tulum is located 85 miles from Cancun and is best known for its Mayan ruins, overlooking the Caribbean Sea. You can reach Tulum via public buses or group and private tours (usually easily booked from your hotel). The Tulum ruins are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mexico, and the town of Tulum has lots of cute cafes, restaurants, and shopping—so it's easy to make a full day trip out of a visit to Tulum.
Photo Credit: Spencer Watson
Go diving
Cancun lies along the Great Mesoamerican Reef, the largest reef in the western hemisphere. With hundreds of coral and thousands of fish and underwater ruins, scuba diving is a popular activity and can be booked at one of the dive shops along the Cancun beaches. It's even possible to visit a Cancun Underwater Museum. Only accessible via scuba diving, the underwater museum houses 500 sculptures, many by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. With three different galleries submerged between three and six meters deep in the ocean at the Cancún National Marine Park, it's a fun alternative and reef-safe activity in Cancun.
Go shopping at the Cancun flea market.
Mercado 28 is one of Cancun's largest shopping centers and flea markets—just a few blocks from the coastline. Full of local craft-makers and homemade goods, the Mercado 28 shopping district is the best place to find a souvenir in Cancun. You can find everything, including leather, pottery, glassware, artwork, handicrafts, and traditional Mexican blankets.
MUST EAT Cancun Gay-Friendly Dining
Cancun knows that it is playing to an international audience and the restaurant scene reflects that. There are many gay-friendly restaurants at every price point serving every cuisine, including many international food chain restaurants.
Located in the center of the city, La Habichuela has become an establishment of Cancun with more than 32 years of operation. Some say that if you don’t know La Habichuela, you don’t know Cancun. The genuine ambiance of Mayan culture, attentive service, and a menu complete with Caribbean seafood dishes, Mexican cuisine, steaks, and international cuisine, have built the restaurant’s strong reputation. La Habichuela was awarded the Five Diamonds Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences and is a proud recipient of the National Best Restaurant Award.
Harry’s Prime Steakhouse and Raw Bar
A refined contemporary restaurant proudly serving USDA Prime and Certified Black Angus beef. The natural beauties that only Cancun can offer surround the restaurant.
Feel free to laugh out loud. Stay awhile. Experience the sizzle. Above all, enjoy yourself. This is the place that showed the world how great a steak could be. Carefully selected and aged for tenderness. Cut thick to ensure juiciness. Seared to perfection at 1800 degrees. Seasoned simply with salt, black pepper, and a touch of parsley because a steak like this needs nothing else.
MUST VISIT Cancun Gay-Friendly Bars & Nightlife
If you haven’t experienced nightlife in Cancun, then you truly haven’t experienced nightlife! This beautiful city boasts some of the best nightclubs the world has to offer. Various venues offer a different look with special shows, acrobatic performances, and special live acts.
11:11 Club
With a casual, laid-back atmosphere, the 11:11 gay club has go-go dancers on stage and generally attracts young crowds. It's a popular late-night hangout on weekends when strip shows even take place.
Laser Hot Bar
Cancun's most popular gay bar, Laser Hot Bar is in the downtown district and is most popular for its drag shows.
Travel Safety Tips
Cancun sometimes shows up in the news with some violent crimes directed toward tourists, but those are isolated incidents and generally speaking, Cancun is a safe destination. Because it's very much a city for tourists, the entire downtown district and beach area, which is full of tourists, is considered very safe. LGBTQ visitors, like other Mexican beach resort towns, are unlikely to face many difficulties when traveling in Cancun.
Worried about the water? Cancun boasts the most modern and safe water purification systems compared to any other city in Mexico. Every hotel and resort in the city has access to this water system so that you can drink water directly from your faucet without worry.
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Cancun Photos:
Destination, Beach
