Gay Zipolite – Mexico's Most Famous Nude Beach in 2024

When to go – The weather is near perfect from December to April with daytime temps in the 80’s and lower humidity. This is high season along with super high season around New Year and Easter which should be booked many months in advance! Another popular time to visit Zipolite is for the Nudist Festival typically held around the first weekend in February. We love the shoulder seasons of May to June and October to November before there are waits at the most popular restaurants and the few ATMs run out of cash (you’ve been warned)!


Where to stay – In terms of the best hotels in Zipolite, the gay traveler is spoiled for choice from high end to budget. All of our favorites are nudist and LGBTQ-friendly. There is also one mandatory gay nude hotel, but it's hetero-friendly of course—it is Zipolite after all where everyone is welcome!  Click here to read our full review. Take me to the 5 Best Nudist Hotels in Zipolite.


Where to eat and drink – To start your day on the right foot, gay-owned Orale Cafe is our favorite 'go to' coffee and breakfast spot. The owner and team here are super friendly and provide excellent service. You will often see locals gathering here as well so it’s a great place to learn more about the community. Definitely try the fruit salad with yogurt, granola and honey. It’s certainly a menu highlight!


El Alquimista also has an amazing restaurant that we mix into our routine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or just the occasional afternoon margaritas. Notable menu items include the fruit salad (again!), hot cakes, chilaquiles, guacamole, vegetarian lasagna, and oriental chicken with rice. Also, the beachfront location and vibe cannot be beat!


If you love acai bowls as much as we do, then don't miss Alma Verde. They have the best acai bowls in Zipolite.

For lunch, we recommend Sal y Pimienta which offers great value and generous portions right on the beach. There are also tons of authentic Mexican options right on Roca Blanca, the main street in town.

For dinner, we recommend Chiwis, a great Spanish tapas option in the evenings. The papas bravas and chicken skewers are absolutely delicious here.

If you are looking for the best pizza place in Zipolite, look no further than La Fenice. We love their veggie Contadina pizza and the new location as well.

Lastly, for Thai and Asian fusion, don’t miss gay-owned Mao Mau, which means "drunk cat" in Thai. The proud owners have excellent sushi and of course mouthwatering Thai specialties. The service is incredibly friendly here as well! Their new location is gorgeous and a good option for groups.

In terms of after dinner options, we like Mezcaleria Gota Gorda for mezcal negronis and/or popular mezcal tastings. The team here are incredibly knowledgeable and the lovely owner, Dani, provides excellent local recommendations.


Where to find gay nightlife – Everywhere! Many of the best hotels, restaurants, and bars are gay owned, even if not exclusively marketed to the LGBTQ+ community. More specifically, we highlight below the most popular gay and LGBTQ-friendly places.


For sunset and after dark, Playa del Amor is a must. Along with Casa Nudista’s pool party, this is a great place to meet locals and fellow travelers alike.

Chizme, the first gay bar in Zipolite, has sexy bartenders and one of the nicest owners around! While the bar is always clothing optional, they take it to the next level with their popular Naked Fridays. For cocktails, you can find high end ingredients here like Boodles and Hendricks as just two options we love. They also offer wine and beer choices if you're looking for something simple.

After Chizme, we recommend La Maxima Nue (formerly Club Demtria). It's the busiest and most popular gay bar in town with near nightly drag shows starting around 10:30pm or later.  For the latest schedule during your visit, it's best to check directly with the bartender as you walk back from Playa del Amor.

Another LGBTQ+ fave is Delfina Beach Club for weekly gay events including screenings of Drag Race España, a lineup of gay DJs, and of course plenty of drag.

Finally, there are numerous parties and popups throughout the year like Zanate, so definitely ask around on arrival.


Where to find gay beachgoers – The most popular sections of Zipolite beach for the LGBTQ+ community and travelers are on the opposite ends of the main beach. Although you will find a mix of hetero and LGBTQ+ as well as clothed and nude folks on the entire stretch of Playa Zipolite, the beach in front of El Alquimista and Playa del Amor are the most popular gay sections to swim and sun naked. For more details on famed Playa del Amor, check out our separate post here!


Where to find gay male massage – When you need a break from the sun, there are two excellent options for a massage directly on the beach. The first option—where we had a lovely couples massage—is Massage Zipolite.


Another more secluded option is Masajes En Shambala under a palapa with gorgeous views of the ocean. It can be found at the beach entrance to Shambhala hotel. Both options are also on Instagram with handles of the same name to reach out for more information and bookings. With pricing approximately 800-900 pesos ($45-52 USD) for an hour long massage with handsome masseurs, why not try both!?


Getting here – Finding your way to Zipolite can be somewhat challenging, but the relatively isolated location adds to its appeal and is largely what attracted hippies to this beach in the late 1960s and 70s in the first place. The beach continues to exude a bohemian vibe attracting anyone who needs to get away from it all, but especially backpackers, surfers, and for sure the LGBTQ+ community. From a gay perspective, it reminds us of Fire Island, Provincetown, or Mykonos–all of which require a little effort to join the fun!

Situated between the popular beach towns of Huatulco and Puerto Escondido, Zipolite can be reached in the least amount of time by plane and taxi. We recommend flying into Huatulco (airport code: HUX) as it’s closer than Puerto Escondido (airport code: PXM). From Huatulco, you can be on the beach in Zipolite in about an hour by taxi versus an hour and a half from Puerto Escondido. Huatulco airport is super cute with a palapa-style roof and beautiful artwork. Don’t forget to take the requisite photo with the butterfly mural!


For those of you with a Priority Pass, which we receive membership complimentary through our Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Credit Card, there is The Lounge available for you to enjoy before your flight.

If you are in Oaxaca City, there is also a minivan option using Lineas Unidas which takes you directly to Zipolite. The depot is along the main highway running through Zipolite and walking distance to town.

On arrival in Zipolite, for orientation, Zipolite Beach faces south which allows for both amazing sunrises and sunsets. This 2km (or ~1.25mi) stretch of paradise has two distinct sections: the west side of the beach, which includes most of the hotels and restaurants as well as town, and the east side of the beach, which includes the colorful Zipolite sign and Playa del Amor.

Other Services

Banking – There are no banking services in Zipolite, but you will find one of the few ATMs in front of Hotel Playa Zipolite on the street. The other ATM is by the reception at Hotel Nude. Please note these machines frequently run out of cash so it’s best to come prepared!

Barbershop – To keep it fresh, we found a fabulous gay-friendly barbershop on the way to get our dog’s nails trimmed. It’s not on Google Maps, but if you walk on the main road towards Puerto Angel about 7-10 minutes past Jungla Zipolite but before Servicio Medico Veterinario, the vet (which is on Google maps). You cannot miss it, as there’s a merman sign and gay flag you can see from the main road.


Fitness/Gym– Zipolite finally has a gym! Located on Av. Roca Blanca, Move Gym is an open air venue offering day passes as well as weekly and monthly membership options, including or excluding classes. This gym is also a great place to meet fellow locals and travelers for those worried about traveling solo to Zipolite. In addition, for cardio, many travelers enjoy walking/jogging on the beach or swimming naked at Playa del Amor to stay fit!


Pharmacy – There are two pharmacies on Roca Blanca, the main street in town, with one advertising 24-hours. The pharmacy is a great place to pick up sunscreen, bug spray, and hand sanitizer as well. Also, of note are the emergency numbers in town.

Wine/Liquor store – In town, you will find Tienda Gourmet Giorgio for Wine and Spirits. We can find everything we need for our Negronis and wine nights playing Rummikub and Phase 10! They also have a great selection of meats and cheeses.

Travel Resources

Travel Insurance – Don’t forget to add global travel medical insurance that covers you while traveling outside of your home country. We recommend Safety Wing. You can buy it even if you are already abroad. Most health coverage in the U.S. for example does not cover you in Mexico, thus it’s extremely important to protect yourself from out of pocket costs due to a medical emergency. We learned this the hard way which you can watch here. To learn more about Safety Wing, click here.

Car Rental – Should your travel plans call for hiring a car from Hualtuco Airport, there are a number of options available. We use rentalcars.com to search the best prices among the major car rental companies. With flexible rentals, no hidden fees, and price match guarantee, we feel confident booking with them. Just make sure to book with your Chase Sapphire Reserve for extra protection. 

Want to see more? For additional footage of our adventures in Zipolite, check out our Gay Zipolite YouTube video linked above as well as our latest Gay Zipolite FAQs and be sure to smash that like button and subscribe! Also, don’t miss our Playa del Amor post. And, of course, follow us on Instagram @twogayexpats for more gay travel inspiration!

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