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Chile is a popular destination for gay travel trips due to its unique geography, which allows travelers to visit volcanoes, enjoy beautiful beaches, ski or snowboard the Andes and spend a night on the town in Santiagos gay district all in the same day. Chile is a country rich in landmarks and varied landscapes including the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, the penguin colony at Mirador de Chepu, the Easter Island statues, Elqui Valley in La Serena (which is steeped in legends about extraterrestrial activity) and exquisite architecture and churches that dot the cities, countryside and coastline.

Because of Chiles unique blend of historic, natural and cultural attractions, visitors have many options for planning gay vacations, including skiing or snowboarding trips to Andes resorts, Vina del Mar family beach vacations, wine tasting tours, pilgrimages to important Catholic sites and churches, exploring the wilds of Patagonia and learning of ancient island cultures, or urban adventures in Chiles capital, Santiago.

While Chile will certainly not soon be mistaken for a bastion of gay rights, the macho Chilean culture that is deeply influenced by the military and Catholicism is slowly becoming more welcoming to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The center of gay culture in Chile lies in Santiago, where folks on a Chilean gay vacation will find the most acceptance and the highest concentration of gay-owned and gay-friendly establishments. The Barrio Bellavista, a trendy neighborhood with quaint cafs, shops, eateries and clubs is home to the majority of Santiagos gay clubs, bathhouses and hangouts. While you will not see rainbow flags hanging from balconies or couples holding hands walking down the street, you will see gay magazines displayed in newsstands and couples enjoying espresso at cosmopolitan sidewalk cafs.

The gay-owned Spanish restaurant, Capricho, is a popular first stop for a night out in Bellavista, often followed by drinks a one of the local gay bars and dancing into the early hours of the morning at one of Santiagos gay clubs. Options for clubbing range from discos much like those found in most large cities to risqu clubs with live sex shows. It is common to begin a night out with dinner around 9 or 10pm, followed by a lively night of escapades that may not end until the sun is coming up. There are also several bathhouses ” often called saunas ” in Santiago, including a more upscale option catering to professionals. As in the U.S., HIV is a concern and precautions should be taken to ensure a safe, enjoyable gay vacation in Chile.

Santiago is conveniently situated in central Chile, making it an exceptional choice as a home base for your gay vacation, allowing you to more fully explore all that Chile offers. Add to this the more welcoming atmosphere found in this city and it is easy to see why Santiago is a common choice for gay vacations. Working with a travel agency that regularly organizes gay travel tours to Chile is the best way to ensure that you and your partner, your family or your friends has a fun-filled, safe gay vacation to Chile.

Howie Holben is the author of this article about gay travel vacations to Chile. He operates Spirit Journeys, a gay tours company that presents cultural and spiritual retreats and travel opportunities. You will find more information on Howie and a spiritual gay tour at www.SpiritJourneys.com.