Rio takes your breath away the first time you see her, and she’ll never cease to amaze and surprise you from that point onward. It’s also as gay as gay can be, with an outrageously fun gay nightlife scene centered around its beach culture. Not to mention Carnival! In this guide, we hit the sands to find out what makes Rio so amazing.

QPOC folks tend to ask more pertinent questions when planning a vacation. As well as whether a place is LGBTQ+-friendly and has legal protections, they might also ask: Does it have racial and ethnic diversity? Are there visible QPOC communities to connect with? Are there cultural events, inclusive venues, and community spaces that go beyond mainstream gay nightlife? Here are ten places where the answer is yes!

Gay adventure tourism isn’t for the faint of heart. We look at some of the more extreme activities to do on gay tours from New Zealand to Colombia.