When people think of Mexico they tend to think of this country as traditional, macho and Catholic. Nothing is further from the truth. Just like everywhere else there are places where there is homosexuality in Mexico.

Mexico City and the state of Coahuila already provide civil unions to same sex couples, while the states of Jalisco, Colima, Guerrero, Veracruz, Puebla and Michoacan are close to doing the same.

It seems Mexico is a more progressive country than you may have thought! This is not to say that many gays and lesbians are not in the closet in Mexico. Despite broad acceptance, many homosexuals still prefer to keep their preferences a secret.

Mexicans prefer to be more discrete then Americans, however gay travelers are greeted warmly in most of the country. As a matter of fact, in 2007 Planetout named Mexico travel destination of the year.

There are a lot of great places to visit in Mexico. These are the Mexico’s top gay destinations.

Cancun. This is the number one spot, having wrested the title from Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. While you commonly think of college kids on spring break when you think of Cancun, it’s also a great place for gay and lesbian vacationers.

Cancun is located in the subtropical climes of Quintana Roo on the Yucatan Peninsula. The temperature in Cancun averages 81 to 95 degrees, perfect weather for beach going and relaxing all year. Cancun has an active gay scene and a lot of nightlife going on downtown, a mere 15 minutes from the Zona Hotelera.

Cancun’s oldest and most popular gay club is the Karamba. For more than 30 years, this club has been packing its dance floor with a lively throng which includes many international tourists as well as locals. The Picante is also worth a visit. A little smaller than the Karamba, this club draws a mixed crowd of gays and straights, tourists and locals, transvestites and really, everyone.

While Cancun’s Villas Tacul beach is marketed towards gay tourists, those in the know instead go to the Playa Delfines, the widest and longest beach in Cancun. There are around a hundred different hotels in Cancun, most of which are gay friendly.

Mexico City. The largest city in the country (one of the largest cities in the world, as it happens), Mexico City is a liberal place with a large community of gay and lesbian residents. Mexico City has even legalized civil unions for same sex couples. With a lot of gay culture and nightlife to offer, including gay theater, an annual parade and a large number of clubs, the city is a natural choice for gay and lesbian tourists.

Guadalajara. This is Mexico’s second largest city of gays and lesbian. For entertainment there are gay bars, and about two dozen gay clubs located mostly in the Zona Rosa. And then there is the Annual Gay Pride Parade.This city is very open about it’s large and openly gays especially in Plaza Tapatia. This city features a gay radio show along with a gay cultural center. Guadalajara has really large population of lesbians.

This city also has many gay clubs and bars, but the Angel’s Bar is popular with tourists and features mostly electronic music. Monica’s Disco is another popular club which plays Latin dance music. There are quite a few clubs to choose from La Guia Rosa and Zona Gay are good places to start your search.