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/

The Valdez Peninsula---An Open-Air Zoo

By Roy Heale



Located about 1400 kms south of Buenos Aires in Patagonia, the Valdez Peninsula is an astonishing sanctuary of wild life, unique in the world. It is protected by a group of National and Provincial Parks know as the Reservations of Punta Norte, Caleta Valdés, Punta Delgada, Punta Pirámides and the Isla de los Pájaros (The Birds Island). It is home to an important breeding population of the endangered southern right whale as well as the southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. The orcas in this area have developed a unique hunting strategy to adapt to local coastal conditions.


The Peninsula is connected to the mainland by the narrow strip of land 35 kilometers long called Ameghino Isthmus with the Gulf San Jose on one side and the Gulf Nuevo on the other. Here you will find the entrance to the Park and an Interpretive Center where you can learn about all of the wildlife on the Peninsula before you begin the 400km journey around the coastline. The Valdez Peninsula has been called an “open-air” zoo where the close-up observation of wildlife is a unique experience. Around the Peninsula the land is flat, very arid and desert-like, with shrubbery and wildlife. But along the coast are white limestone cliffs dropping down to the clear blue Atlantic Ocean. This creates a spectacular rocky coastline with beautiful beaches where the sea mammals are in abundance.




Punta Piramides Coastline




Puerto Piramides Village




The town of Puerto Madryn is just 200kms from the Peninsula and is the acclaimed center for all of the tours and excursions available for wildlife observation. The gay-friendly Flamenco Tour agency with English speaking staff are experts when it comes to planning your time around the Peninsula. They organize daily tours for whale-watching, observing the sea lions, and learning all about this wildlife reserve. They can also assist with gay-friendly accommodations and other regional tours.


A typical day trip organized by Flamenco Tour begins at about 8AM with a pick-up at your lodgings. Your tour guide and host for the day will be fluent in English and Spanish plus they will be extremely knowledgeable on everything the region has to offer its visitors. The first stop will be the Interpretive Center to prepare you for the wildlife spectacle ahead. From there you will proceed to Puerto Piramedes which is the only village on the Peninsula and is the boarding point for the whale watching boats. Once aboard your Zodiac vessel the next two hours will prove to be an incredible experience as you will see the Southern Right Whale close-up and playful.

 After your boat ride you will enjoy lunch at the Quimey Quipan---Friendly Welcome---ocean side restaurant, where you can enjoy authentic local cuisine plus of course the catch of the day! The view here is relaxing and peaceful with excellent home-cooked meals.


Next stop on the tour is Punta Delgada where a short walk down the cliffs is rewarded by Sea Lions and their cubs stretched out along the beach enjoying the sunshine. Then at Punta Cantor you will see more of these enormous mammals followed by the Magellenic Penguin Colony at Caleta Valdes. If you are lucky---as was the case on my tour---at Punta Norte you will catch a glimpse of the very rare Orcas.

Sea Lions At Punta Delgada

 This Flamenco Tour excursion is about eleven hours where the wonders of nature will constantly amaze you plus the beautiful cliffs and beaches will delight you. No wonder it is called an open-air zoo as the sights of so much different wildlife in its natural environment is truly unique to this region.


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



Flamenco Tour Office in Puerto Madryn