Its relatively modern by Latin America standards and is said to be one of the safest and least violent cities in the region. Most people move straight on, but we think it is worth spending the weekend here first. If you are flying to Costa Rica, you are likely to be flying in to San Jose. Like any country, if there is going to be a gay scene it is going to be the biggest in the capital city. We recently interviewed 23 year old student Gabriel about what it was like to be gay in Costa Rica. They also are teaching gender theory in schools, which we think is very progressive indeed. There are lots of progressive steps happening and they do have pride with ”La marcha del orgullo” once a year. The same can be said for the younger generation, whereas some of the older generations are more conservative. In general, you will find in most touristy places no one has a real problem with the LGBTQ+ community. Discrimination protections have been in place since 1998. Same ടex relations have been legal since 1971 and it sounds like Costa Rica really in moving forward. This includes the recognition of trans gender identities on residency cards and declared hormone treatment “in the public interest,” which allows patients to receive the appropriate comprehensive care via the country’s health services. Previous to this, in December 2018 the President announced new legislation to improve LGBTQ+ rights in Costa Rica.
May empathy and love be the compass that guide us forward and allow us to move forward and build a country that has room for everyone.” Carlos Alvarado Quesada “Today we celebrate liberty, equality and our democratic institutions. In the end, the candidate that supported gay marriage, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, won which is a very positive step for LGBTQ+ people in Costa Rica.įast forward to May 2020 and Costa Rica has become the first country in Central America to legalize same sex marriage (yay)!
One candidate was strongly pro gay marriage and the other strongly against it. Costa Rica: Gay Life, Rights and Lawsĭuring 2018, gay marriage was a hot topic for the presidential elections. Having so much diversity in one country is one of the many reasons we loved Costa Rica. The main areas tourists will visit are San Jose (the city), Manuel Antonio (rainforests/beaches), Monteverde (cloudforests), Tortuguero (tropical rainforests) and Puerto Viejo for some Caribbean beach time. It borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.Īs a result, Costa Rica boasts a Pacific coast to the west and Caribbean coast to the east meaning you can experience both kinds of beaches when you visit. Gay Costa Rica: The Ultimate Travel Guide Where is Costa Rica?Ĭosta Rica is a small country within Central America.
12 How to Get to Panama from Costa Rica.11.1 How to get to Costa Rica from Nicaragua.5.1 Gay Scene in in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.3 Costa Rica: Gay Life, Rights and Laws.1 Gay Costa Rica: The Ultimate Travel Guide.(If you want to skip ahead and book you own gay trip to Costa Rica, check out Gaycations here and submit an enquiry today!) When we started to look into the Costa Rica gay scene, we were very surprised (for good reasons)! Here is our travel guide to gay Costa Rica! We hope you enjoy! Not only that but you’ll find beaches (inc gay beaches), rainforests, cloudforests, dry forests and of course the city, a little something for everyone’s tastes.
We have never seen such a diverse range of stunning wildlife in such a short amount of time.įrom sloths to red eyed tree frogs, tarantulas and spider monkeys, we can almost guarantee that wherever you go you will be immersed in wildlife. We found it to be one of the most welcoming and open countries in Central America for gay travellers both in terms of laws, attitudes and a surprisingly large gay scene.Īs a destination, it has been one of our favourites. If you want to travel to Central America and you are gay, Costa Rica should be your first stop!