I'll be visiting DR in a few weeks and was curious what the gay culture was like. Are there gay bars? Beaches? I'll be staying at the Barcelo Capella Beach Resort. Any help on this topic would be appreciated
Hey...There defenite is a gay culture, especially at the resorts, but its very understated and not out in the open. In the capital city of Santo Domingo there are a couple of bars or gay friendly places. My recommendation is to feel it out man. There are alot of gay tourists...you'll be ok.
There is plenty of gay culture in DR but you would be hard pressed to figure out who is who. Dominicans don't like to admit it. It is a very hush hush type of thing. But it is all around you. People have their ways of being able to meet and have parties. There are some public places however for those daring enough or that have nothing to lose in this society (status and name dropping is everything down here).
The best open gay disco in Santo Domingo is a place called ATLANTIS right in the malecon (a very popular strip). Ironically enough, it is right next to a very popular "female" strip joint called DOLL HOUSE. Cabbies would be most familiar with Doll house though. The only night this place really gets packed with beautiful dominican meat is on Saturday nights. They are open other nights but it is not as crowded.
As far as openly gay beaches, I know of none. But in the resorts you may be able to spot family members as these will be part the entertainment crew. They could be a good resource of information as far as what moves locally.
I hope your stay is an adventurous one. You may find more information on our website...... gaydominicanos.com
