Gay life in Brazil still thrives in the large cities, despite the long shadow cast by AIDS. In general, the scene has benefited from a relatively relaxed tolerance in attitudes towards sexuality - certainly when compared to the rest of Latin America - and the divide between gay and straight nightlife is very blurred.

Attitudes, however, vary from region to region. Rural areas and small towns, especially in Minas Gerais, the Northeast and the South, are deeply conservative; the medium-sized and larger cities less so. The two most popular gay destinations are Rio and Salvador ... READ MORE.