Bogotá's gay bar scene is centered on Chapinero, with the densest concentration of venues in Chapinero Alto and around the Zona T area of the neighborhood. The bars range from casual local spots to larger clubs with dance floors, and the general affordability of the city makes an extended evening out financially painless.

Chapinero Alto

The upper part of Chapinero has a mix of intimate bars and larger venues. The streets here are more residential in feel than the T area, and some of the bars are long-established local institutions. The crowd in Chapinero Alto tends to be a mix of local residents and visitors, with less of the circuit-party tourist concentration you find in some other cities.

Zona T / Chapinero T

The T area (named for the T-shaped intersection of streets that anchors it) is denser and more commercial. This is where the largest clubs are, where cover charges are more common, and where the weekend crowds are biggest. On Friday and Saturday nights from around 10pm onward, the area is busy in a way that makes the options obvious — you walk until something attracts you and go in.

Timing

Bogotá nightlife runs late in the Latin American tradition. Bars fill from 9 or 10pm; clubs do not reach capacity until midnight or 1am. The cold evenings (altitude means temperatures drop significantly after dark) make the indoor bar culture more appealing than in warmer cities, and venues tend to be warm and well-insulated. Bring a jacket for the walk between venues.

The bars

    • Dark Club — Chapinero is one of the areas of Bogotá that has more places to go partying, there are for all budgets and different styles. This bar has a rumba with an orientation that is not for everyone and only people who like its style go, it is highly recognized within its community.
    • EL MOZO — The best gay club in Bogota. It has the best looking crowd. However do remember Bogotá is quite conservative compared to some of the more developed country cities.
    • Punto 59 — Really nice place if you like techno music, drinks are affordable and well.
    • Theatron — This is selected as the best nightclub in Bogota and Colombia by the international nightlife. Entrance fee is 45000 COP. It has multiple floors. The entrance is the main hall. There is food on the second floor. Also there are separate sections with a different types of music. The top floor is open air.

Practical notes

Drinks are cheap. Cover charges at clubs vary but are low in international terms. Altitude: the combination of altitude and alcohol hits faster than at sea level — pace yourself, particularly if you have just arrived. Use app-based transport for the journey home.

For the full Bogotá picture, see the Gay Bogotá Guide.