Gay Guide to Santo Domingo
Same-sex activity has been legal in the Dominican Republic since the 19th century, though this Catholic-majority nation offers no legal recognition of same-sex couples and stays socially conservative. Even so, Santo Domingo is widely regarded as having the liveliest gay scene in the Caribbean.
Nearly all of it sits within the Zona Colonial, the oldest European-built district in the Americas, where colonial streets hide a cluster of bars and clubs.
Fogoo Lounge Disco is the headline club for drag shows and dancing, while the intimate Esedeku, in a bright-blue colonial house, is where much of the local community spends its weekends.
The city's warm, unbothered energy makes the Zona a welcoming place to explore after dark.