Maspalomas is warm in February. That is the whole pitch. Gran Canaria sits in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, not off the coast of Spain. The gay beach is out in the dunes, the bars are stacked four floors high, and the temperature never drops below the high sixties. Europe goes here when Europe gets cold. Americans mostly have not caught on. The short version Warm every month of the year, with the gay beach out in the dunes and the scene stacked four floors high. Never below 68 degrees, any month of the year The gay beach is a 30 minute walk across open dunes Kiosko 7 is the meeting point, open 10:30 to 18:30 Nudist and non-nudist stretches sit side by side The Yumbo Centre is a shopping mall by day and the scene by night WinterPride runs November 2 to 8, 2026 Weather by month Jan68°sea 19°C Feb68°sea 19°C Mar70°sea 19°C Apr70°sea 19°C May72°sea 20°C Jun75°sea 21°C Jul79°sea 22°C Aug81°sea 23°C Sep79°sea 23°C Oct77°sea 23°C Nov73°sea 22°C Dec70°sea 21°C Average daily high, and sea temperature. Six to nine hours of sun a day, and four or fewer rainy days in any month. Twelve months. Not one of them cold. August is the peak at 81 degrees. February is the floor at 68. There is no off-season, only a quieter season. Which is the point. Swimwear here is not a summer purchase. The dunes You have to walk for it. The gay beach is not next to the hotels. It sits past Playa del Inglés, out in the middle of a protected dune reserve, and the only way in is on foot. Start at the south end of Avenida de Tirajana, by the Hotel Riu Palace, and walk. It takes about thirty minutes across open sand. You can also come along the shore from the Faro de Maspalomas, the lighthouse at the far end. That walk is why the beach stays gay. Nobody wanders in by accident. Before you set off Take water, there is nothing for sale in the dunes The sand gets hot, so bring something on your feet Aim for the flags and the kiosk, not a compass bearing Give yourself daylight for the walk back Kiosko 7 The one you are walking to. Kiosko 7 is a beach bar sitting right between the nudist stretch and the non-nudist one. Drinks, snacks, loungers and umbrellas to rent, and the Atlantic in front of you. It opens at 10:30 and closes at 18:30. It is the meeting point for the whole beach, so if you are looking for the scene, you are looking for the kiosk. What to wear: Anything or nothing. The nudist side is genuinely nudist and the side next to it is not, so you decide which one you are on when you get there. The Yumbo Centre A mall until about ten at night. The Yumbo Centre is a concrete shopping centre in Playa del Inglés. During the day it is exactly that, shops and cafes and people buying sunscreen. After dark the upper floors turn into one of the densest concentrations of gay bars anywhere in Europe. Four levels, dozens of venues, and most of them do not get going until midnight. There is no cover, no queue and no reason to plan. You show up and work your way up the floors. WinterPride WinterPride 2026 runs November 2 to 8. It is the biggest week of the year in Maspalomas and it exists precisely because November here is still beach weather. There is a second pride in May, Maspalomas Pride, if you would rather the crowd was smaller. Book early either way. The whole resort fills. Getting there Fly into Las Palmas, Gran Canaria (LPA). It is about 30 minutes south to Maspalomas by taxi or bus. From the US there is no direct flight, so you will connect in Madrid or somewhere else in Europe. From most of Europe it is a direct four hour hop, which is why the beach is full of Europeans. What to pack Two briefs, minimum. You will be walking thirty minutes in one and sitting in the sun for hours. For the beach days, take the Essential. Fully lined front and back, cheeky back, and it dries fast on the walk home. For the Yumbo, take the Statement. Front lined, fuller back, ombre. Made to be seen. Add a sarong or a linen shirt. The sand is hot, the walk is long, and the bars want you dressed. Questions Where is the gay beach in Maspalomas? Out in the dunes between Playa del Inglés and the Maspalomas lighthouse, centred on Kiosko 7. It is about a thirty minute walk across sand from the south end of Avenida de Tirajana. Is the Maspalomas gay beach nudist? Part of it. The nudist and non-nudist stretches sit side by side with Kiosko 7 between them, so you pick. What is the best time of year to visit Maspalomas? Any of them. August is warmest at 81 degrees, February is coolest at 68, and no month gets more than four rainy days. How warm is Maspalomas in winter? Highs of 68 to 70 degrees from December through April, with sea temperatures around 19°C and seven hours of sun a day. When is WinterPride Maspalomas? November 2 to 8 in 2026. Maspalomas Pride is the other one, in May. What is the Yumbo Centre? A shopping centre in Playa del Inglés that becomes the gay nightlife district after dark. Four floors of bars, and most open late. How do I get to Maspalomas? Fly to Las Palmas (LPA), then about thirty minutes south by taxi or bus. No direct flights from the US, so you connect in Europe. Is Maspalomas the same as Playa del Inglés? They run into each other along the same stretch of coast. Playa del Inglés is where the hotels and the Yumbo are, and the gay beach is out in the dunes past it. The bottom line A beach that is warm every month, a walk that keeps it ours, and four floors of bars at the end of it. Go in February. Pack accordingly. 😏 Shop all briefs · The best gay beaches, month by month

Zipolite is the only beach in Mexico where being naked is legal. How to get there, where the gay cove is, the currents to respect, and what to pack for a beach with no dress code.

Zipolite, Maspalomas, Torremolinos, Clifton 3rd in Cape Town and Curacao. Five gay beaches most Americans have never booked, and the month to visit each one.

Two briefs. Same $79.95. Both low-rise. Essential shows a little more. Statement gives you a little more coverage.

Snug. Still. Like it was made for you. That's the whole answer. But "snug" does a lot of work in that sentence, so here is what it actually means at every point the brief touches you. The short version Snug. Still. Like it was made for you. Snug is not tight. It should sit still when you move, not pinch Do the move test: squat, sit, walk. Nothing should shift It fits differently wet, so judge it dry and expect a little give Between two sizes, go down. Swim fabric relaxes, it does not shrink Snug Is Not Tight A swim brief is meant to fit closer than anything else you own. The stretch and the support are built in, and they only work when the fabric is under a little tension. Tight is different. Tight digs in, leaves marks, and makes you aware of it. Snug just sits there and holds. If you can feel it working, it's too small. If you can feel it moving, it's too big. The Four Places to Check The waistband. Flat against you all the way round, with no digging at the front and no gap at the small of your back. Slide two fingers under it — that's about right. If it takes four, size down. The front. Supported and held, not flattened — a contoured front gives you shape without pressure. If it's pressing rather than holding, the size is wrong, not the cut. The leg openings. They should hug the top of your thigh and stop. A biting ridge means too small; a gap you could slip a hand into means too big. The back. Sitting flat with no bunching in the middle. A cheeky cut will show more — that's the design, not a fit problem. Do the Move Test Put it on and give it thirty seconds. Bend forward. Squat down. Lift one knee to your chest. Walk across the room. Nothing should roll, ride, gap or need a hand. If you adjust it in those thirty seconds, that's the wrong cut or the wrong size — not something you'll get used to. It Fits Differently Wet This is the part people miss. Good swim fabric relaxes slightly in water and then snaps back. Fabric without that recovery just relaxes and stays relaxed. So a brief that fits perfectly dry and sags after one swim was never the right brief. That's a fabric problem wearing a fit problem's clothes. Ours is built to hold its shape long after summer ends. Rinse it after every swim and it stays that way. How to Tell If It's Too Small Marks on your skin after you take it off. Fabric that's gone slightly translucent from being stretched. A waistband that rolls down instead of sitting flat. Anything that makes you want to adjust. And Too Big It shifts when you move. It bags at the front. The leg openings gape when you sit. It feels heavy coming out of the water and takes an age to dry. Too big is the more common mistake, and it comes from instinct — guys size up the way they would with shorts. Don't. Full sizing guide here, including what to do if you land between two. Rise Changes How It Feels Where the waistband sits changes the whole fit, not just the look. A low rise sits below the hip bone and needs a slightly closer fit to stay put. A mid rise has more to grip and forgives a little more. Same size, different rise, different feel. There's a full breakdown of rise if you're choosing between them. What About Jammers? Different garment, different rules. Jammers are meant to compress — they should feel firm through the thigh and stay put when you push off a wall. Tighter than a brief, and deliberately so. If you are training, that's the point. If you are not, a brief is the better call. WaistbandFlat against you, no digging and no gap FrontContoured and supported, no pulling LegsClose but not cutting in BackCheekier on Essential, fuller on Statement The Honest Version Most men who think a brief doesn't fit them have simply worn one a size too big. It sagged, it looked wrong, and they concluded the cut wasn't for them. Go true to size. Give it the thirty-second test. You already have the body — the brief just has to stay out of the way. Sizes S–XL across every color we make, and if you're still deciding between cuts entirely, start with how to choose men’s swimwear.

Most swimwear guides open with a fabric chart. That's the wrong end of the problem. The first question isn't what it's made of. It's what you want out of the day — and whether you'd like to be looked at while you have it. We make swim briefs, so you know where we land. This covers every cut anyway, including the ones we don't sell. The short version Start with the day, not the garment. Where you are going decides the cut. Swimming or sunning: a brief Walking around all day: trunks Surf or standing in the shallows: board shorts Laps and training: jammers Start With the Day, Not the Garment Swimwear is one of the few things you buy for a specific afternoon. Picture the afternoon first. Actually swimming. Laps, open water, anything with effort. You want as little drag as possible and nothing that shifts when you push off. The beach or the pool. Mostly horizontal, mostly being seen. Coverage becomes a style decision instead of a practical one. A pool party or a Pride weekend. You already know the answer. We went deeper on it in our guide to beach days, pool parties and Pride. Vacation, all day, in and out of the water. You want something that dries fast and doesn't look wet for an hour afterward. Standing near a barbecue. Honestly? Wear shorts. The Cuts, Honestly Cut Where it sits Built for Swim brief Low across the hips Beach, pool, actually swimming Square-cut Upper thigh A little more leg, same close fit Swim trunks Mid-thigh All-day wear on land Board shorts Knee Surf, and standing around Jammers Mid-thigh, compressive Laps and training Swim Briefs The most flattering cut most men never try. High on the thigh, low on the hip, and it makes your legs read longer — which is the part nobody mentions. Best for pools, beaches, and anywhere being noticed is the point. Dries faster than anything else here, because there's less of it. The catch is that it asks for a little confidence the first time you walk out in one. That's the entire catch.If you're wondering whether you can pull it off, you can. And if you've been using “brief” and “Speedo” interchangeably, they are not the same thing. For the deeper version of this section, we wrote how to choose the right swim brief separately. Square-Cut Trunks A brief with a bit more leg. Sits like a boxer brief — covers the top of the thigh, keeps the low rise. A fair middle ground if a brief feels like a big first step. Slightly less flattering if you have shorter legs, because the hem cuts straight across them. Swim Trunks The default. Mid-thigh, elastic waist, usually lined. Nothing wrong with them. Nothing memorable either. If the goal is to disappear into a crowd, this is the cut that does it. Board Shorts Built for surfing. Long, loose, no elastic waist, tied with a lace. They're genuinely poor for swimming — they drag, they stay heavy, and they take an hour to dry. Excellent if you're on a board. We put them head to head with briefs here. Jammers Knee-length and compressive. Competitive swimming, and not much else. If you're training, jammers make sense and briefs are a close second. If you're not training, they read like someone's about to time you. The full comparison is here. The Two That Confuse Everyone Bikini briefs are cut narrower at the hip than a swim brief. Less side coverage, same idea, a bolder read. Here’s the difference. Swim underwear is underwear you can get wet, not swimwear. Thinner, and not built to survive chlorine. Whether one can do both. Fabric Decides Whether You Wear It Twice or for Three Summers This is where most swimwear quietly falls apart. Recovery beats stretch. Almost everything stretches. The question is whether it snaps back.Nylon-spandex holds its shape. Polyester-heavy goes slack after a season in chlorine. Drying time is really a lining question. Heavy mesh lining holds water and stays cold. A thinner lining — or fabric dense enough to need less of it — has you dry in minutes. Hold it up to the light. Do that before you swim in it, not after. Pale colors and thin fabric turn revealing when wet, and you'll find out in front of everyone. Rise, Fit, and the Mistake Almost Everyone Makes Rise is where the waistband sits. Low rise sits below the hip bone and makes your torso read longer. Mid rise sits on it.The gap is about an inch, and it changes the whole proportion — more on low versus mid rise. Fit should be snug and still. If you're adjusting it in the first thirty seconds, that's the wrong cut, not the wrong size — more on how a brief should fit. And the mistake: guessing from your jeans. Between sizes, size up for a relaxed fit or down for a tighter one, and read the sizing guide before you commit. Color Does More Work Than Cut The right color against your skin makes the whole thing look deliberate. The wrong one makes good swimwear look cheap. Warm tones — clay, mustard, olive — flatter most skin. Cool blues and grays read sharper. There's a full breakdown by skin tone if you want to get it right first time. So What Should You Buy Swimming seriously? Briefs or jammers. Being seen? Briefs. Want one thing that works everywhere? Briefs, in a color you'd happily wear twice. Want to blend in? Trunks. Surfing? Board shorts. We're biased and we've also read our own numbers — here’s the honest breakdown of what's worth wearing. If you'd rather skip to the short version, all our men's swim briefs sit in one place: two cuts, eight colors, all of them made to be seen. Then Look After It Chlorine and salt kill swimwear faster than wearing it does. For best results: rinse after use, hand wash cold, and lay flat to dry. There's more on making them last, and it takes about a minute a wear.