Having just returned from Mykonos, I am placing it second on the list after Machu Picchu, but for totally different reasons.  I think for a lot of gay people, when they come to Mykonos, they are expecting it to be mostly gay. It isn’t. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a huge amount of gay tourists coming to Mykonos, and the island is incredibly gay friendly, but as you walk around, it feels maybe 10% gay. 

Some of my friends who live there, or own businesses there have told me that Mykonos is trending less and less gay every year.  Another trend is that the island is becoming more and more expensive.  You see this in the pricing of accommodations, but especially in cuisine and nightlife. When you’re spending €15 for a vodka drink, a simple night out can get very expensive. Expensive, but still totally worth it, I must say.  Still, the time to come to Mykonos is now, before the prices get much bigger, and the gay following becomes much smaller.

As an Island geared especially towards tourists, you would think that this influx of people would make shop and restaurant owners a little beat-down and less friendly. However, I was really blown away with this visit with just how nice people were. I found this to be true with both people working on the island, as well as fellow tourists. It’s as if people arrive in Mykonos just ready to be nice to each other. Service is excellent, food is really high-quality, and the shopping on the island is a really pleasant surprise. 

The tourist season is about to end in Mykonos—September, although the fist two weeks in September may be the best time to go.   It will gear up again next June, so you may want to save the tips in this article for if you come next year.

Probably the toughest thing about Mykonos, is the fact that things are pretty spread out. While I suggest staying in charming, beautiful Mykonos town, you’re going to need some transport to get  to its famed beaches.  Some people rent scooters or four wheelers, but many people find this to be dangerous, And I have heard some horror stories about people crashing on scooters.  You can also rent a car for around €80 a day. The problem with all of these options, is that when you’re at the fun beach clubs, you want to be able to drink and have fun, and not drink and drive. So, there are car services, but they are not always very reliable. 

Still, I think the best thing is to get a car service, and just be prepared to have a bit of a wait.

During the day, most gay people will go to Elia beach and then by 4 PM to the beach club, Jackie O, located on Super Paradise beach, which attracts a huge gay crowd, has a fantastic pool, and offers a drag show. 

Especially if staying in Mykonos town, the thing to do in the evenings is to go to the Elysium Hotel, a gay hotel at the top of Mykonos town, for sunset. Then, have as late dinner as possible, and then to Porta, and Cinderella for early drinks, and then the gay bar/clubs Jackie O and Babylon, at about 1 AM. All of these are very close, so you can check out all four and see which you like the best.  In addition to being fun places with friendly people, the bars are all really beautiful. In fact, I think Jackie O in town (there is the Jackie O Beach club as well as the gay club located in Mykonos town) is the most beautiful Gay bar I’ve ever seen. The lighting at night is chic and stylish, The architecture is perfectly Myconian white and beautiful, and there are views of the water and Mykonos Town. 

Where to stay:  I love the Rochari hotel, and it attracts a very gay crowd in season.  The rooms are beautiful and include a complimentary buffet breakfast.  There is also a restaurant featuring a terrace with sea views, plus an outdoor pool, a bar and a lounge.

There are also beautiful hotels around the island, not in Mykonos town, such as the stunning Myconian Ambassador Hotel, a Relais & Châteaux property not far from Elia Beach and Super Paradise.  One of the benefits of staying in a property like this is that you will have a reliable car service, for a price.

Where to eat: The three fine dining restaurants that I recommend are Kalita, and M’ Eating for more of a gourmet culinary experience, and Sea Satin for fresh fish and the best views.  The best Greek salad on the island is hands down at the Belvedere Hotel. 

Some additional facts about the island:

– It became more of daytime fun place because of the beach clubs, Scorpios, Nammos, and Alemagu, which are largely straight, and Jackie O which is gay.  However, once on Mykonos, you will notice that the straight venues will still have many gay people, and the gay venues will still have many straight people. In addition, they all have weekly parties, so follow them on social media to get the latest tea.

– Mykonos is not just a party place. There is culture, great cuisine, and more. 

– It can’t be compared with Ibiza. People do, and it’s a mistake. Mykonos is less party-focused. 

The post Mykonos is Calling appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

However, all of that being said, I always tell people that they should visit Peru now.

Peru has so much to offer, but there is a specific reason to visit it right now. Arguably and without question, Peru’s main attraction and tourist draw, is Machu Picchu. I have been going to Machu Picchu for the last 17 years, ever since we started Zoom vacations, and I have seen it evolve, or perhaps better said, devolve over the years little by little.

More than any other destination, archaeological site, or world wonder, what I have noticed about Machu Picchu, is that every time I go back, there is less and less of the site that is accessible to tourists, and there are more and more regulations in place. It is absolutely a destination that the longer you wait to experience it, it is not going to be quite as accessible, impactful or enjoyable. That being said, Machu Picchu is always going to be a destination to enjoy (just maybe not quite as much as the years pass by). It is stunningly beautiful and has an incredible spiritual quality. There is as little or as much of an athletic component involved in visiting the site, because you can either simply go there and appreciate its awe-inspiring majesty and beauty from the entry point, or you can take the circuit trail which climbs to different locations within Machu Picchu.

You are always going to have a lot of tourists at archeological sites around the world, and especially here, but I do have a tip to get around that somewhat. For starters, you can take the longer hike to Sun Gate, where there are less tourists, and from Sun Gate, which is the entrance point from the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you can see all of Machu Picchu in its glory in front of you.  It is a spectacular place to get photos.

The other thing you can do, and you need to schedule and reserve your entrance ahead of time, is take the hike up to Huayna Picchu. This is definitely something that requires a decent level of physical fitness, and a lack of a fear of heights. However, when you hike up to Huayna Picchu, there are hardly any other tourists, and you really get to explore what the main site of Machu Picchu was like a decade ago, in terms of tourist footprint.

In addition to the site being so spectacular, there are also really great hotels and restaurants right there, so your stay in the area can be as luxurious and pampering as you want.

Of course, you’re not going to go to Peru and only go to Machu Picchu. Whenever we bring our Zoom Vacations travelers to Peru, they are always amazed at how much they love Lima: its culinary seen, its art and culture, its beautiful parks and fountains, its history, and of course its beautiful hotels. Lima has more options than you would ever imagine

From Lima, you will need to fly to Cuzco, Peru. Cusco was the heart of the Inca empire, and is one of the most beautiful, charming colonial towns you will ever see. It also has spectacular hotels, incredible restaurants, spectacular ruins, and so much history. You need at least two nights, if not three in Cusco.

And then of course there is the Sacred Valley of the Incas, located midway between Cuzco and Machu Picchu, where you can see the early Inca way of life, and see many original forts, terraces, and structures from the early days of the Inca empire. My favorite is Ollantaytambo which was one of the few sites where the Incas actually won a battle against the Conquistadors.

In the valley, you can also learn about how the ancient people cultivated various types of corn, potatoes, and more.  You can interact with adorable alpacas, and you can learn even more about the ancient mysticism which is really fascinating.

So definitely come to Peru so that you can experience Machu Picchu now, and just know that once you are in this wonderful country there is so much to see and do to round out your stay, and in as minimal or as luxurious a way as you would want. The time is now.

The post Where to go Next: One Spot Stands Out – Peru appeared first on PinkPlayMags.

The fact is it can be very difficult to stick to our fitness regimen while we travel. We have an entirely new schedule, our sleeping patterns change, and we’re busy having fun and eating everything in sight. And the real challenge is who wants to travel to the world’s most beautiful places, only to spend hours of your day in the gym?
We travel to sultry cities like Rio , immersing ourselves in foreign delicacies (especially food) promising that we’ll work out when we get home. However, this is flawed logic. While it is good to take “time off” from our workouts, we still need to burn the calories we consume, or our bodies store it as fat, fooled into thinking that we’re eating in preparation for a long winter. And remember, fat comes on a lot easier than it comes off!

Traveling Realities
We eat and drink more when we travel, and we do not only eat more, we eat the wrong kinds of things. We crowd into the best restaurants, inhaling things we normally wouldn’t —desserts at every meal, copious amounts of alcohol, and meals consumed late at night. What this means is that you need a little exercise more than ever. But be realistic, and don’t expect to “enjoy” the same level of intensity in your workouts as you do back home.

Push ups and crunches are your friends.
These two “stand bys” can provide instant fitness gratification by allowing you to tone muscles and burn calories in a safe and easy way. You don’t need any equipment, but you will need motivation, and that’s the hard part. The trick is to make it as fun and interesting as possible, and hit the floor the second you get inspired so that you don’t talk yourself out of it. If you are in your hotel room, put on some music. Many hotels around the world offer the Fashion TV channel, which always plays great, sexy background music. Besides, watching skinny little things working the runway may be just the inspiration you need. If the weather is nice and you are in a beautiful setting, take it outside! Find a quiet spot on the beach with a gentle breeze, and knock out as many pushups as you can. There is a reason that the military swears by push-ups, and talk about party pumps; there’s nothing better!

Make it part of the vacation experience.
Many of the world’s hottest destinations, including major cities have outdoor fitness areas where you can have a great workout, perhaps better than you might have in a gym. So many times I hear people say, “Oh, I can only work out in a gym.” Really? Who made that rule?

If your vacation takes you to a tropical beach, it may be hard to fit exercise into a busy sun-bathing schedule, but it will be well worth it. And, one of the best workouts you can have is right there at your feet. Jogging on the beach is much better on your knees than even your fitness center treadmills, and it works your calf muscles in different ways than what you may be used to. Plus, the sand serves as an excellent exfoliate– you emerge from your jog with toned legs, a healthier heart, and sexy toes. Who doesn’t want that?

One of the best and easiest ways that one can take in a bit of exercise while traveling is to do yoga. It can be done virtually anywhere, from a hotel room to a sandy beach, or if you’re into exhibitionist yoga—from the middle of Red Square in Moscow. One can easily perform an hour of yoga positions by following the simple directions from one of the many yoga books out there, such as Rodney Yee’s, “Yoga: The Poetry of the Body.” You will be amazed at how great you will feel afterwards, and you will have increased energy and stamina to enjoy your vacation.

Changing your fitness patterns for a short time is one of the best things you can do to overcome plateaus and actually spice up your workouts back home. When you travel, you are often forced to pursue other forms of exercise than what you are used to, and this may actually shock your muscles into growth. It also forces you to be a bit creative, and you may bring back home an innovative new workout in addition to an awesome tan.

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