THE 10 BEST GAY BEACHES IN THE WORLD

Pack your swimwear, sunnies and SPF… Your big gay beach vacation starts here!

ONES TO WATCH:

Sydney (Australia)

While Bondi is overrun with backpackers, Instagrammers and fit squads, the city’s true gay beaches (Obelisk, Lady Jane, La Perouse) are cooler, calmer and captivating.

Fort Lauderdale (USA)

If you’re a gay retiree, a nudist or both, FL is southern hospitality at its finest. Nearby Miami Beach has faded as a gay must-visit, but here comes Art Basel.

2. MYKONOS (GREECE)

While some moan that its fabled Superparadise Beach has become too commercial, too noisy and too straight, the island offers the calmer, if somewhat less chic, Elia Beach as an alternative sunning, swimming and socialising gay spot. With XLSIOR firmly placing it on the circuit party map alongside Barcelona and Madrid, not to mention stealing Ibiza’s gay thunder, Mykonos remains close to perfection despite the insufferable price hikes (blame the Kardashians and other influencers). Beach: 8/10 Gay Life: 9/10 Safety: 9/10

1. PUERTO VALLARTA (MEXICO)

In the space of a few short years, PV has become the Central American meat’n’greet for gay men across the USA and Latin America. Why so popular? Plenty of parties (the splashy NYE White Party, January’s hunky Beef Dip and April’s Sunland Festival), cheap booze, boys and bathing suits, plus a warm, welcoming vibe that manages to be both sexy and romantic. Multiple ocean / resort wear outfits required. Beach: 9/10 Gay Life: 10 /10 Safety: 8/10

3. SITGES (SPAIN)

This timeless European gay beach has enjoyed a major renaissance recently. The clubs are still sweaty messes and the saunas are still gloriously kitsch, but where else could you find a legal gay nude beach right in the middle of town? There’s another much cruisy one a little further along the coast. Add in Bear Week, which has revitalised this “fiesta forever” location every September, and Sitges is glorious Eurotrash chic. Beach: 8/10 Gay Life: 8/10 Safety: 9/10

ONES TO WATCH:

Maui (USA)

Honolulu is the party capital of this island state, but smaller, cuter Maui tenders a nude gay beach and hot Hawaiians like Jason Momoa!

Cape Town (South Africa) Reminiscent of Sydney and Fremantle, it has potential except that the water is freezing (straight from the Antarctic) and on-going safety concerns.

4. BYRON BAY (AUSTRALIA)

When the Aussie gays speak of Byron Bay they usually mean cruising at King’s Beach or the Tropical Fruits NYE party held in nearby Lismore. BB suffer from being too hipster, too back-packer-ish and too straight but if you scour the hinterland (Bangalow, Nimbin and Mullumbimby) there are memorable cuisine crushes, swimming holes and watering holes… though King’s Beach remains true gay beach royalty. Beach: 10/10 Gay Life: 6/10 Safety: 9/10

5. FIRE ISLAND (USA)

Immortalised in film, TV, books and even song (the Village People composed a disco ode to its charms in the 1970s) this is New York’s “deers’n’queers” getaway and kinda how everyone wishes NYC was all the time, not just for the holidays. The famous Meat Rack cruising area may have been superseded by hook-up apps, but Fire Island still delivers an irresistible, combustible sexual energy that’s intoxicating. Beach: 7/10 Gay Life: 10/10 Safety: 8/10

ONES TO WATCH:

Ipanema (Brazil)

Lowly ranked due to Brazil’s current political climate and safety concerns, Ipanema remains as razzle-dazzle as ever, but take care! Visit much safer Florianopolis instead.

Barcelona (Spain)

No gay is going to Barcelona for the beach. You’re more likely to recover on it, face down after the city’s annual hedonistic Circuit Festival.

6. TORREMOLINOS (SPAIN)

This forgotten gem, tucked away on Spain’s Costa del Sol near Malaga and Gibraltar, has upped its game in recent years. What was a sinister concrete block of gay bars, clubs and sex-on-premises venues has finally found its groove. There’s sexy boutique Boxer Barcelona, adults-only Hotel Ritual, and beach bar / restaurant Edén, balancing fine dining with flipflops. Importantly, there are swathes of swarthy Spanish men. Beach: 7/10 Gay Life: 9/10 Safety: 8/10

7. PROVINCETOWN (USA)

Located off Boston’s Cape Cod, the village is quaintly provincial off-season. But for over 50 years, it’s woken up over the hustling, bustling summer months – and gayly so. Cue big-name performers treading the boards, adoring gay whores and the politest crowd you’re ever likely to bump into on the dance floor. While things finish early (due to city ordinances), traditionally folks continue on at Spiritus Pizzeria, and the nearby boardwalk tends to sizzle with action at night. Beach: 7/10 Gay Life: 9/10 Safety: 9/10

8. GRAN CANARIA (SPAIN)

The Yumbo Centre on Canary Island, where gay life finds itself quarantined here, has all the charm of a humungous, ugly shopping mall parking lot, but if you can get past the brutalist architecture, you’ll soon discover Gran Canaria’s hidden charms. Factor in the dunes cruising area next to the beach, the picturesque inland mountains, and the fact that, without any pretence, Gran Canaria just wants to have fun, and you’ve laughing. Beach: 6/10 Gay Life: 9/10 Safety: 7/10

ONES TO WATCH:

Eilat (Israel)

Bordering Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt on the Red Sea, this busy Israeli seaside town has great beaches, great sunsets, but is not-so-great at guaranteeing safety.

Brighton (UK)

No, this is not a joke although the pebbly beach here is. Due to Brighton Pride, it’s the true hub of English gay life, not London (just ask Kylie or Britney).

9. PHUKET (THAILAND)

This trashy, flashy stretch of southern Thai coastline will never win any awards for being pretty, eco-friendly or relaxing. It’s brash and loud with a uniquely Asian view on LGBT life. The gay clubs in Patong are wildly hedonistic and the locals full of smiles if you can squeeze past the allpervasive hard sell. There’s also a gay festival every April. Like Bangkok, there’s ladyboys, rent boys and boy toys, but Phuket alone can boast over 30 beaches. Beach: 6/10 Gay Life: 9/10 Safety: 7/10

ONES TO WATCH:

Sardinia (Italy)

With a pink sand beach, its own budding Pride and some of the most amazing food on the planet, this under-appreciated Italian island is one to watch.

Noosa (Australia)

We’d prefer to keep this a secret so be sure to read this and forget it. Alexandra Beach is lush bush, koalas in the mist, with a bonus cruisy gay beach. Stay away, please!

10. TEL AVIV (ISRAEL)

The Middle East’s gay oasis gets even gayer for one week during Tel Aviv Pride. Besides a street parade, beach party and club events, it brings together Israel’s wider, liberal support for our community. Hilton Beach may not be the swishest gay promenade, yet, that it looks across to the Orthodox Jewish beach in relative harmony, says a lot about the magic of this cosmopolitan, sophisticated and sexy Israeli city. Beach: 7/10 Gay Life: 10/10 Safety: 5/10