Puerto Madryn, Argentina Vacation Essentials

Puerto Madryn

By Roy Heale


Located at the heart of one of Argentina's most popular eco-tourism destinations is the port city of Puerto Madryn. From this central point eco-tours depart daily for whale watching, visits to the sea lion colonies, the penguin settlements, wildlife parks, dolphin watching, and much more of the local wildlife. The region is a popular breeding ground for many species and has been recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site since 1999. The clear blue waters of the Nuevo Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean coupled with numerous sandy beaches has made this an extremely popular summer vacation destination in Argentina. The expert gay and gay-friendly English speaking staff at Flamenco Tour agency have researched the local market to find gay or gay-friendly accommodations and attractions with special rates to suit any travel budget.

Here are some of their hotel recommendations:

Hotel Piren

Hotel Piren:

Located in the center of town on the main ocean boardwalk many of the rooms have ocean views. The staff are bilingual and a buffet breakfast is included in the room rates. There are standard, junior, premium, and senior rooms to choose from with a total of 91 rooms.

The Rayentray:

This relatively new hotel is located overlooking the waters of the Nuevo Gulf and has 170 rooms plus convention facilities. The facilities include a bar, restaurant, indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, sunbeds, and whirlpool plus a Casino. All rooms have ocean views and choices include junior, superior, suites, and special configurations for family groups.



Hotel Rayentray Reception



Territorio Hotel

Territorio Hotel:

This boutique hotel offers 36 ocean view rooms and suites of different sizes with one especially designed for disabled access. The spa and health cub located on the top floor offers massages and special services plus a gymnasium. The main floor lounge, cafe and restaurant also have beautiful ocean views.

Flamenco Tour agency also offers a luxury two bedroom apartment in a residential neighborhood 100 meters from the ocean and a ten minute walk into town. This is a perfect home base to relax after your outdoor adventures or days spent on the beach and comfortably sleeps four people. It has a well equipped kitchen, WiFi, lounge area, and more. It is ideal for a gay vacation which combines beach days with the city nightlife or day tours of the countryside.

During my five day visit to Puerto Madryn I soon learned that dining out in this town offers a gourmet experience comparable to much larger cities. My personal favorite was dining on the beach at the Vernardino Club del Mar with a spectacular view and a cafe style menu with extensive choices for lunch or dinner. When craving seafood Los Colones or Cantina El Nautico are the best places and both are located in the center of the town and close to the beaches. Cafes like the Lizard Cafe or the Bodegan Bienvenidos offer simple fare at reasonable prices and the Lizard Cafe specializes in pizza for dine-in, takeout, or home delivery. Be sure to visit the Quimey Quipan---meaning “Welcome” in English----in the town center or when heading to Puerto Piramedes for whale watching and enjoy local Patagonia creations with seafood or meat dishes.




Los Colonos Restaurant



Ocean View Dining


Whatever you are looking for on your gay vacation be sure to consult with the expert staff at Flamenco Tour agency and they will point you in the right direction to find local gay-friendly businesses. This seaside town and surrounding countryside offers a very unique eco-friendly experience for every outdoor enthusiast or nature lover. Combine mother nature with great gourmet dining, beach relaxation, and first class accommodations for the perfect gay get-away in Argentina's spectacular Patagonia region.

For More Information Visit: http://www.flamencotour.com/

Penguins, Dolphins, and Welsh History in Patagonia, Argentina

Artist's Rendering of Penguin Colony

By Roy Heale


One of the most fascinating and enjoyable day trips from Puerto Madryn, Argentina is the journey south to visit the penguin reserve at Punta Tombo. With stops along the way for Dolphin watching and a traditional Welsh Tea in the historic town of Gaiman this is a full day of unequaled activities. The Flamenco Tour agency offers this day trip starting at about 9AM in the morning and returning to Puerto Madryn by about 6PM. With bilingual tour guides who are knowledgeable on the region and comfortable vehicles, this day trip is a must for those who enjoy nature and unique experiences.

Penguin Crossing

The small peninsula of Punta Tombo is on the Argentinian Patagonian coastline. Thousands of tourists gather here to be amazed, entertained, and educated by one of the most fascinating shows performed by nature at the Magellan penguin colony. Approximately half a million penguins come every year in order to breed. The first of them arrive in September and stay until about mid-March, but the best time to observe them is after November, once the babies are born. One of the greatest features of this Nature Reservation is the fact that you can actually walk among the penguins, follow them and learn their habits, see how they feed their babies, the rites of pairing, the fights for the defense of their territories, how they build their nests, and the unending walks they take to and from the ocean. This is a truly singular experience with wonderful photo opportunities. Penguins and their individual style of waddling and behavioral patterns are always entertaining.

Punta Tombo is also a paradise for other sea birds that have chosen this site to nest. Kelp gulls and dolphin gulls, skuas, two species of cormorants---the king cormorant and the rock shag---steamerducks, snowy sheathbills, and several species of terns and giant petrels all make their nests in this region. Be sure to bring your binoculars to enjoy the bird watching.

Dolphin Watching

At Puerto Rawson the boat tours head out to sea where the dolphin sightings are a major attraction.

Usually the Commerson's dolphins---called Toninas locally---and also known as bottlenose dolphins, can be observed year-round. This is one of the few places in the world where these dolphins may be watched in their natural environment. Semi-rigid boats leave from Rawson's harbor in the afternoon because in the mornings the dolphins remain feeding in the ocean depths. Theses dolphins are not at all shy and love to dart back and forth in front of the boats' bows and leap into the air performing a great show for the passengers on board. On one boat trip it is almost guaranteed that you will be able to observe numerous of these fascinating sea creatures having fun in their natural environment.

For a change of pace the next stop is a visit to the town of Gaiman where the first settlers arrived in 1865 by boat from Wales. These immigrants were escaping from the English domination of their homeland as well as from the attempt of the latter to impose their culture upon them. They were looking for a virgin territory to be able to establish the "New Wales" where they could follow their own rules and customs without being attacked. Patagonia offered this safe haven. Today much of the Welsh culture is still apparent in the historic buildings, architectural style, and street names. Even the Welsh language is still spoken and taught in the schools, and real Welsh Tea Houses are open for all to enjoy a traditional Welsh Afternoon Tea. The Welsh village essence and small farms retain the charm and character created by these original settlers even in today's modern society. This is a bona fide step back in time with historical overtones for an incomparable Patagonia experience.

Welsh Tea House Gaiman

From wildlife to local history this day trip from Puerto Madryn is a fascinating education of the local culture and yore. The gay and gay-friendly staff at Flamenco Tour agency will be happy to arrange this journey for your enjoyment and will also ensure that you learn from your time spent with nature and yesteryear.

For More Information Visit:    http://www.flamencotour.com/

Where Nature Is Close At Hand---Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Puerto Madryn's Expansive White Sandy Beach

By Roy Heale


Named in 1865 by the original settlers in honor of a Welsh Baron, the Atlantic coastal town and seaside resort of Puerto Madryn is renowned as the whale watching capital of Argentina. It is also the gateway to the Peninsula Valdes World Natural Heritage sanctuary since 1999 and a major wildlife conservation area. The region encompasses approximately 50 kilometers of beaches and most ocean bays are overlooked by dramatic white limestone cliffs which accentuate the blue Atlantic waters. Every kind of outdoor activity imaginable is available including scuba diving, windsurfing, sport fishing, mountain biking, hiking, rafting, sea kayaking, white water rafting, and of course wildlife excursions. The beaches themselves are a major attraction during the hot summer months for relaxing days on the shores and cooling swims in the Atlantic Ocean. No wonder that LGBT travelers have discovered this eco-friendly outdoor playground. Flamenco Tour agency of Puerto Madryn has specialized in discovering gay or gay-friendly accommodations and activities in this area.




 


Penguin Colony


Located about 1400 kilometers from Buenos Aires in the Patagonian Province of Chubut, Puerto Madryn is currently the fastest growing city in Argentina. Although tourism plays a major role in the local economy the aluminum and fishing industries are the major economic engines. The deep sea port is one of Argentina's primary merchant vessel destinations along with cruise ship stopovers during the warmer months. The thriving community is bustling with activities during the months of October to May when tourists can enjoy an outdoor vacation full of wildlife and natural adventures for unforgettable sights and unique photographic safaris for documenting their travels.



The townsite is also the major hub for daily tours into the wildlife sanctuaries for whale watching, sea lion observations, visits to the penguin colony, Welsh Tea in the Rio Chubut valley, dolphin watching, and all the extreme sports activities. The large Gulf Nuevo is skirted by a sandy beach approximately five kilometers long creating the main attraction in Puerto Madryn and a beautiful promenade extends from one end to the other. Along this ocean boardwalk there are many statues, sculptures, the town's main pier, sand dunes, and of course restaurants on the beach with spectacular views. Across the street with uninterrupted ocean views are shops, hotels, apartments, tourist services, restaurants, and more. But the natural coastline has not been spoiled with a constant string of high-rise buildings as is the case in so many other resort towns with large beaches and ocean views. Everything about this community seems to have been designed with nature in mind and the industrial areas are located far from the natural landscape. Rainfalls are scarce in the almost desert-like environment so a hot, dry holiday in the sun is almost guaranteed!

Sea Lion Colony

A wide variety of hotel accommodations or apartment rentals are available in Puerto Madryn and some of the surrounding towns have smaller, limited capacity, hotels. The gay and gay-friendly, English speaking staff at Flamenco Tour agency can assist you on where to stay, which tours to enjoy, bookings for any sports activity, and general local advice such as where to dine. With over three decades of experience Flamenco Tour is the only travel operator in town specializing in LGBT travel. They have pre-selected gay friendly hotels, tour guides, and local vendors in order to ensure a positive gay experience when visiting this outdoor adult resort area.

Ocean View Dining

So if you are looking for where to go and experience nature close at hand then Puerto Madryn is your gateway to eco-tourism and a very unique outdoor gay vacation by the ocean. This is nature's own seaworld without the carnival side-shows offered at most wildlife parks. Experience mother nature's wonders in their inherent environment, but where you can almost reach out and touch the whales and dolphins.

For More Information Visit: http://www.flamencotour.com/