Citing the impact of tourism and the role it plays in diminishing negative stereotypes, Grenadian sociologist Claude Douglas’ book Homosexuality in the Caribbean—Crawling Out of the Closet examines organized efforts to decriminalize homosexuality in the Caribbean. Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Montserrat and Barbados are destinations Douglas cites as having shown great progress in the struggle.

So that you can revel in the pure bliss of powdery beach backdrops against aqua blue seas, with a rainbow of colorful bodies all around, our hot list of gay-tested-and-approved hot spots are as follows. It’s important that you always be informed of where you spend your hard-earned gay dollars when traveling abroad.Say hello to uncrowded beaches, pristine dive sites and a “live and let live” mentality unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean!

Puerto Rico
Beautiful bilingual locals and parties till the break of dawn makes this passport-free destination an easy choice.  

The Takeaway
Homosexuality: Legal
Gay marriage: Not legal
Gay Bashing: Occasional

Celia La Paz hosts the Spanish-speaking radio show “Saliendo del Closet” (“Coming Out of the Closet”) and is executive director of Puerto Rico’s first and only LGBT community center. She’s fluent in English. Contact her at CentroLGBTPR@gmail.com.

Hot Spots
“I was so pleasantly surprised by the number of same-sex couples holding hands in the Red Coral Lounge,” recalls Miami’s Robin Canfield, a recent visitor, at San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino.

The Scene
The LGBT community breathes life into San Juan’s Condado area and the Boquerón area of Cabo Rojo. From Ocean Park—San Juan’s upscale beach community—and the nightlife-driven atmosphere in Condado, to Old San Juan—where the ancient forts and cobblestone streets reflect the island’s rich history—gay culture thrives!

Be it the rhythm of salsa, techno or jazz, it’s contagious at Circo Bar on Condado, Heaven & Hell at 365 de Diego Ave. and Krash on Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Carnival
Since 1858, Carnaval de Ponce has remained a colorful weeklong celebration with about 100,000 attendees, all coinciding with Mardi Gras.

Pride
The two major LGBT events are the annual Pride parades in San Juan (the first weekend of June) and Boquerón in Cabo Rojo (the second weekend of June).

Curaçao

The Takeaway
Homosexuality: Legal
Gay marriage: Not legal
Gay bashing: Nonexistent  

“The gay and lesbian community is large,” explains Madame Jeanette Pepper, from Curaçao GayPlasa Foundation—organizers of routine gay events, including Pride.

Hot Spots
The Kura Hulanda Hotel covers an eight-block radius of 17th and 18th-century Dutch architecture encompassing a Unesco World Heritage site of cobblestone streets lined with shops, eateries and more.

The Scene
Madame Jeanette’s hot spots include The G-Lounge, Williwood, Wet & Wild and Tutu Tango, noting, “All of the beach bars and nightclubs on the island have such a relaxed and gay-friendly attitude.”

Carnival
Scream when you see carnival group T’aki Tin in the parades, which has the highest concentration of LGBT participants.

Pride
Summer sees “Get Wet” Weekend—Curaçao’s Pride. Christmas is another action-packed season full of gay events. gaycuracao.com

Aruba
Poised outside the Caribbean hurricane belt, this aloe-rich, arid island of 70 square miles when combined with Curaçao and Bonaire makes up the Dutch Leeward Islands.

Dutch is the official language. Papiamento, a Spanish-based Creole language, is the talk of the locals, who almost always speak English.  

The Takeaway
Homosexuality: Legal
Gay marriage: Not legal
Gay bashing: Rare

Hot Spots
Back on Sunday, May 18, 2008, the certified green Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort demonstrated its support for marriage equality, hosting its first gay wedding ceremony. The resort’s website offers wedding packages from $515.

Aside from paddle boarding and a ton of other water sports, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino offers great day fun and nightlife on the beach, including a very welcoming set of bars, after which beach tennis at Moomba is a must. 

The Scene
Jimmy’s Place is Aruba’s official gay club.

Carnival
The fun-filled season begins Nov. 11at 11:11 a.m. The two final weekends feature the Pajama Parade in San Nicolas and the Lighting Parade in Oranjestad, shutting down the two cities.  

Pride
No Pride. But locals love the Sexy Rainbow Party—a local theme night throughout the year at Zissels, a local restaurant/bar.

Martinique
A visit to this enchanted, French-speaking island during Carnival reveals how liberated straight men opt to become via the art of drag.    

The Takeaway
Homosexuality: Legal
Gay marriage: Not legal
Gay bashing: Contained

“Our motto is discretion and respect,” explains model scout Steeven Jean-Yves Zamor, a Martinique national.

Hot Spots
Resort to the hills overlooking the ocean at Le Plein Soleil to find tranquility in between Carnival’s chaos.

The Scene
“Gay people hang out everywhere,” explains Zamor, recommending the 233 Club in Schoelcher; L’appart in downtown Fort-de-France and Le Maximus in Lamentin.   

Carnival
Nothing gay specific, but plenty of men with more than enough to see!

Miami
Of all the islands profiled, perhaps none is sexier than South Beach, where the local flavor reeks of South America and the Caribbean. 

The Takeaway
Homosexuality: Legal
Gay marriage: Not legal
Gay bashing: Rare

Hot Spots
Pack light and fabulous so as not to appear disheveled upon check-in at the Lords South Beach Hotel, where men appear within, around and about the larger-than-life artful images in the open lobby. It’s one street over from the beach, but the beach-esque room décor (with free wifi) will make you swear otherwise! And you get to see and be seen on the front porch å la al fresco dining amidst an array of nationalities.

“Sea trekking” with tropical fish in an 18-feet deep tank at the Miami Seaquarium will leave you smiling like a fat kid over a piece of cake!

Ditch the hangover before the second night of fun with a couples massage at Elle Spa in the recently renovated Hotel Eden Rock. Then feed the body with a rib-eye steak and other sublime accompaniments at 1500 Degree.

Hot on the “CuiScene” is Bar Tanaka (Shelborne Hotel), where Chef Hiroyuki “Zama” Tanaka takes sushi to a new level with an infusion of flavors beyond imagination. If you own words like organic and farm-to-table, San Diego native Chef Julie Frans at Essensia, in the Palm Hotel, is the truth! And you’ve got to spend at least one weekend afternoon chilling at Terrazza, overlooking the pool at the legendary Shore Club Hotel, while having Boscaiola—a thin-skinned pizza with roasted shitake, oyster and cremini mushrooms, fontina cheese chives and truffle oil.

The Scene
The Palace (on Collins) for drag and Sunday brunch by day, then Mova, Score (on Lincoln) and Twist (on Washington) by night, is where it all goes down.