Not quite a decade ago, Ricardo Contreras moved to Mérida from Mexico City for love. With a background in PR and marketing, it took him some poking around to find out exactly what he wanted to do in his new home state. In 2018, he and his then-partner launched Mérida Gay Tours, which offers group tours and custom private itineraries in the state of Yucatán and in the Mayan Riviera in neighbouring Quintana Roo. In the years since, he’s visited dozens of cenotes around the region, lost track of the number of times he’s visited Chichén Itzá and made a lot of new friends.
In 2021, he competed on behalf of Yucatán in Mr. Gay World, an international contest based not just on looks and fitness, but on community involvement. His quest for the title didn’t go national because of the pandemic. But the experience made him feel more connected to the LGBTQ+ rights movement, which he channels when he’s interacting with clients who might come from Canada, the U.S., Europe or even as far away as Singapore.
Contrera is one of the most fun ways to discover the Yucatán (you can read our insider’s guide to the state here). We asked him to introduce himself.
Where did you get the idea to create a tour company?
One of my best friends teaches tourism at the state university. He used to be a tour guide—this handsome muscle guy. We used to do things on the weekend, seeing the pyramids or cenotes. And I saw the potential of providing transportation services, helping visitors discover the area. I was thinking that I like to go to the beach, you know, wear Speedos, and I love to work with LGBTQ+ people.
As a visitor, why would I want to book with an LGBTQ+-oriented tour company rather than a mainstream one?
One of the main reasons is safety. In Mexico now, same-sex marriage is legal, the law is always on your side. But like other places, there’s still homophobia in Mexico. So I can make sure the places we go are safe spaces. When I make a reservation at a new place, I will say, “It’s for Mérida Gay Tours,” and they will say, “Mérida Day Tours?” and I say, “No, gay tours, gay, gay, gay.” And I can understand how they think about it. At many archeological sites, you need a licensed official guide and I try to work with openly gay guides because it makes my clients feel more comfortable. I like to support the local community.
There’s also the social aspect, I guess. It’s nice to travel with a group of LGBTQ+ people because you all want to be friendly and comfortable.
Yes, if you come with us, we can help you with other recommendations, like nightlife. We can talk about things that you can’t with a regular tour operator.
What are the top places everybody wants to go?
Mayan culture is the main attraction in the Yucatán. From Mérida, Uxmal is the most popular. The second one is Chichén Itzá, which is the most popular from the Riviera Maya. The third is the Celestún Biosphere Reserve.
What’s your own favourite place to go?
Celestún. It’s very beautiful and such a relaxed tour. You take a boat trip inside the mangroves, you see a lot of birds, like the pink flamingos. Then we go to a nice restaurant on the beach—you can get a table, a sunbed. Lunch, drinks, cocktails. I like to go to the beach. Yeah, I like all the tours to somehow involve Speedos. I like to encourage my clients to wear Speedos, even if it’s their first time wearing them. It makes it more fun.
Do you offer clothing-optional activities?
That’s one of the most popular questions from my clients. The truth is that here in Yucatán, there are no clothing-optional beaches. But there are some cenotes that will allow you to arrange a private visit. There’s no one around so you might be able to go naked. That’s an option. There are also lots of secluded beaches where you might be able to take off your Speedo.
How many cenotes have you been to?
I usually take my clients to ones that are safe, where they have life jackets, where they care about the environment, where they have infrastructure like showers. But there are some that are more off-the-beaten path. So maybe 20, 25.
How many pairs of Speedos do you own?
Oh, many, many. Maybe 20, 25 pairs of Speedos.
You’re a very fit guy. What’s your workout routine?
I try to do cardio at least three times a week and to train six days a week. It’s difficult when I’m on tour—yesterday I started a tour at 5am. Now I am following a diet, but that is also hard when I’m touring. The gym is my favourite activity. And swimming.
What do you do in your spare time?
I don’t have much free time. Being a tour guide, I feel like, for a few days, my clients are my friends and I enjoy showing them around. I don’t go to clubs much myself, but I do a gay cantina tour so there’s an opportunity to go out.
What’s been your favourite experience as a traveller yourself?
I had never gone to Europe but went recently. My favourite place was Venice. It was so magical. You know about it from art, books, cinema, photography, but then you’re there and watching the sun go down. And I love going to circuit parties in Miami, too. I love the music and the guys.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
