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Playa Los Muertos Beach For years the Puerto Vallarta gay beach has been known simply as the Blue Chairs, the popular beachfront bar, restaurant and resort located near the southern end of Playa Los Muertos, the principal Vallarta beach. The gay beach in PV also includes a good portion of the Green Chairs next door at Ritmos Beach Cafe restaurant. The friendly clientele at these gay beaches (more pictures) sit under the many round, thatched palapas for shade or lay out on their towels to soak up the tropical heat and Mexican sun. On any day of the winter high season, there are several hundred gay men sunning, partying, talking, eating, drinking, cruising and playing in the water. The surf can be rough at times, especially during the winter months, so be careful getting in and out. To add to the pleasure of these gay-friendly Puerto Vallarta beaches, from which nearly all of Banderas Bay is visible, starting in November until late March a sighting of whales or schools of dolphins is not unusual, so keep an eye out and your camera ready.  The Green Chairs usually plays a good selection of music on the stereo: rock, reggae, disco and pop, in English and Spanish, and on weekends often has live bands or a DJ spinning; the Blue Chairs sometimes tends to be a bit quieter area during the day, though the Blue Chairs hotel rooftop bar and restaurant at night with its stripper and drag shows is popular but noisy. The Green Chairs has seating in the open patio areas in the restaurant, as well as on the Puerto Vallarta Los Muertos beach. Both locations have loyal customers for any number of good reasons. The Blue Chairs tends to attract a large and faithful gay clientele as it has been the traditional gay beach area in town now for some 25+ years and does have that nice big palapa seating area. I have found the waiters at both places to be amiable and attentive and some waiters have been there for many years. As in all vacation resorts in Mexico it's a good idea to check prices when ordering food or drinks, keep careful track of your tab, and count your change.  The size of the gay beach area (now gay beaches to be more exact) has expanded due to the Blue Seas resort and its new beachfront restaurant in this part of Los Muertos, Lido Beach Club (named for one of the more famous and best beach-resorts on the Italian Riviera). Lido is practically adjacent to the traditional Blue chairs and Green chairs. The Lido Beach Club offers beachfront chaise lounges, large umbrellas, an air conditioned bar and lounge, as well as an open-air dining area for its gay friendly crowd. In addition, the relatively new, gay-owned Beach House (now closed and under new management as of March 2011) located next door to the El Dorado restaurant, is becoming increasingly popular with it good food and service, has a mixed crowd and tends to be a quieter spot. There are discussions about which of the beaches is best or most gay-friendly, so check them out and decide for yourself.  David Kirby in a relatively recent New York Times travel article on gay Puerto Vallarta noted that the guys on holiday at the beach were friendly, "mostly over 30, and mostly from the Midwest or West Coast. For a gay beach scene, it was pretty low key. Many there said they go back to Puerto Vallarta every year, not only for the gay scene but also the relaxed atmosphere and gorgeous natural surroundings." Adding to that, PV perhaps compares pretty well with some of the other best gay beach vacation resorts such as Fort Lauderdale, Rehoboth, South Beach and maybe even Provincetown, relatively speaking. I'd call Vallarta as having one of the largest and best gay beaches in Latin America - and it makes it into the top ten in the world over at Gaycities and also Gaytravel at About.

Gay men on vacation holiday and at the beach in Puerto Vallarta tend to be more relaxed and open than they are at the Puerto Vallarta gay clubs, so use this opportunity to make new friends. If you are into Mexican men, there are some good looking ones around. Sunday is their one full day off work and many guys spend it at the Blue and Green chairs, usually with a group of friends. There are also a number of hustlers on the make at the beach and in the town's night clubs and bars; if you take one of them home, be aware of what you are getting into. Travel tip: I would say it's a wise idea for you to take good care and keep track of your money, personal belongings and valuables at the gay beaches, and likewise when inviting someone home. Read more gay Puerto Vallarta travel advice.

The Blue and Green chairs in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is an extremely popular gay beach destination and is not to be missed. The gay beach party often lasts from late morning until close to sunset. By the way, all beaches in Mexico are public, though some hotels and resort areas sometimes try to restrict access/passage.

How to Get to the Puerto Vallarta Gay Beach
If you have accommodations on the South Side of Puerto Vallarta it is pretty much a short walk to the Blue and Green Chairs, with its location some 200-300 yards south of the Puerto Vallarta Los Muertos pier. From the hotel zone on the North Side of town, it's a 15-20 minute taxi ride or so, which may cost around 50-75 pesos. Just ask the taxi driver to take you to the Blue Chairs or the Blue Chairs beach resort hotel on Los Muertos beach. If you take any bus marked "Olas Altas" on the windshield, get off at the end of the line when the bus makes the turn around at the Lazaro Cardenas Park. You are then within a pleasant 10-12 minute walking distance. Coming from Conchas Chinas or other South Shore lodging, it is definitely easier to take the taxi because the buses don't run that frequently and drop you off further away.

The two weeks of Christmas-New Year are the most popular time to be here in town (Thanksgiving week is the second most popular gay beach holiday time in Vallarta; and Semana Santa-Holy Week at Easter time is the third favorite). Many gay men return year after year and know each other, so the feeling of camaraderie in town is particularly strong and it's a period of many fun parties, get togethers and reunions.

The Puerto Vallarta gay beach and environs consist of the following: Blue Chairs Beach Club, Malecon y Almendro #4, Tel: 222-5040; Green Chairs also known as Ritmos Beach Cafe, 177 Malecon, Tel: 222-1371; Lido Beach Club, 167 Malecon, Cell: 044-322-170-4984, gay owned, mixed clientele and Daily, 10am-6pm. Fyi, Both the Blue and the Green chairs are straight-owned.

Conchas Chinas Beaches
At the southern end of Playa Los Muertos beach is a large rocky outcropping. There is a narrow path that leads up and over. This is the beginning of Conchas Chinas beach, which is not really one but of several small, sandy coves or beaches (photo at left) among a series of these rocky outcroppings. If you are looking for a more private, secluded experience (very few beach vendors, for one thing), you may find it in along the mile or two stretch of the Conchas Chinas coast. The waters are clear and shore-fishing, swimming and small gatherings of friends and families are popular. These beaches are accessible off coastal Highway 200 also known as the Highway to Mismaloya. The Lindo Mar Resort restaurant is one of the few places along the coastline in Conchas Chinas to catch a decent bite to eat.

The hillsides overlooking the Conchas Chinas beaches have become populated with luxury condos and villas, which often offer spectacular views. It takes a good taxi ride up the winding hillside roads before you get to the top of the developments, but the rewards are the best Puerto Vallarta views and sunsets, with the entire 600 square miles of Banderas Bay stretching out before you. A good number of the sunset bars in town have somewhat similar lovely panoramic views.

Unfortunately, the authorities in PV and the State of Jalisco have not had the good sense to control the development in many parts of town and the surrounding areas, and so the charming Alta Vista, Amapas, Conchas Chinas and South Shores areas in particular are in danger of losing their appeal, and their palm trees, as more and more condos and villas go up along the majestic hillsides and along the stunning Puerto Vallarta beaches. It is well known that Banderas Bay has suffered for years from the stress of so many people using its resources, with problems ranging from over-fishing to agricultural runoff. Los Muertos beach though is still a lovely gay-friendly beach destination and is the magnet pulling the gay clientele to the Blue and Green chairs and the general South Side/Olas Altas/Zona Romantica area.

Note: We ask our clients and friends to boycott the jet skis, which pollute the air and water and destroy natural quiet. Reports show that at least 25% of their fuel goes directly into the water and we would like to help current environmental efforts to clean up Banderas (Flags) Bay. For further info on many local Puerto Vallarta Environmental and Charitable Organization go here.