5 Travel Destinations for a Cannabis-Friendly Vacations & Holiday Celebrations

Photo Credit: The Washington Post

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m in desperate need of a vacation- a cannabis friendly vacation. Is it going to happen? The COVID-19 survey says probably not.

2020 put a massive dent in anything involving travel, domestic or otherwise. Not only has it hurt local and national economies (especially ones that desperately rely on tourism as a form of business), but the inability to take a proper holiday vacation has certainly put people on edge; myself included.

Sadly, the state of travel is still unknown going into 2021, but with the new vaccine making its rounds in several different countries, including the U.S., the idea of travel slowly making its way into people’s thoughts.

When it’s time to pack bags, we need cannabis friendly destinations for vacations! We’re all familiar with the usual cannabis travel destinations: Colorado, Nevada, California, Washington, Oregon, etc. Now it’s time to expand that list: international style!

As a heads up, I won’t be including places like the Netherlands or Amsterdam. Most of us know how tolerant these places are about cannabis. There’s an annual Cannabis Cup for crying out loud! For the sake of this piece, I wanted to focus more on lesser-known regions of the world that many may not consider being a viable option.

Believe it or not, there may be more cannabis friendly travel destinations worldwide than you’d think. For now, check out these 5:

Argentina and Chile

I’ll be honest, when I think about South America, I don’t associate the continent with cannabis. However, I feel this is mostly because there have never been strong enough platforms to openly discuss it until now.

Over the years, certain South American countries have developed a much more relaxed state of mind about smoking cannabis. Two of them being Argentina and Chile. As if the beautiful scenery and vibrant cultures weren’t enough, now you can enjoy your tour with a nice blunt in hand!

Both countries have legalized medicinal marijuana and decriminalized recreational use. Argentina even became the first country in the world to provide medical cannabis to patients for free (FOR FREE!). Chile also opened its first cannabis club in 2016.

Cambodia

Another place kind of off the beaten path, Cambodia has been picking up some traction as a cannabis-friendly vacation destination. While cannabis is technically still illegal, the police have been instructed to tolerate its sale and consumption. So far, no foreigner has ever been prosecuted for smoking weed in the history of Cambodia. Just avoid smoking it in public.

Phnom Penh is the capital of marijuana in Southeast Asia. They even have Happy Pizza restaurants where they sprinkle the cannabis into the cheese! A word of caution though: don’t go here expecting the type of cannabis you’re used to seeing in places like Colorado or California. There will be seeds and stems, and this marijuana is often equated to low-level or dirt weed in the U.S.

That being said, you can still get a ton of it for cheap and get reasonably high off it. You just need to smoke more!

Spain

If you’re wondering, “is cannabis legal in Spain?”, the answer is yes and no. Cultivating and smoking weed is legal, selling and distributing are not.

The cannabis clubs there are more like speak-easies, but for cannabis. Barcelona has many cannabis clubs where adults gather to smoke high-quality bud- hidden from public viewing.

So, how do these clubs work? Rather than actually paying for the cannabis, citizens and tourists “donate” money towards the club’s non-profit cultivation for members. As mentioned before, you can’t legally sell cannabis, so cannabis club members donate money, almost like a paid membership, to support the cultivars supplying them with cannabis.

If visiting Spain, be sure to visit a region of Spain where they tolerate cannabis clubs. Non-Spanish visitors and tourists can have a membership, but some areas have tighter regulations and may require a waiting period before you can partake in the club’s activities. It would definitely be in your best interest to plan ahead!

Uruguay

This South American country is farther along than most countries in the world. Why? Because cannabis in Uruguay has been fully legalized since 2013! And it definitely took the cannabis world by storm.

If you’re a true cannabis lover, then you definitely have to go on the Cannabis Tour of Montevideo. On your tour of the city, you’ll visit all the important places that contributed to Uruguay’s process of decriminalizing marijuana. Your tour includes entering various grow shops and meeting a professional cultivator who’ll explain all the secrets of the growing practice.

Another shop you’ll go to sells products made completely from hemp! Finally, as the tour comes to an end, you can sit back and revel at your latest quest with a cup of weed mate.

Jamaica

It’s not a cannabis vacation unless we put Jamaica on the list- where our sponsor- Herb of Life Cultivation LLC is licensed and partnered with Green Block Development, to grow beautiful plant medicine and provide eco-friendly living!

There’s usually some confusion surrounding the legality of marijuana on the island. To be clear, cannabis is decriminalized but not fully legal. The laws can be rather relaxed, allowing for medicinal and religious consumption- but not recreational.

Smoking in public is prohibited, but it is allowed in licensed dispensaries. One amazing perk for tourists with medical cards is that Jamaica allows you to apply for a permit that gives you access to Jamaica’s medical marijuana market!

The main place to be though is the Coral Cove Cannabis Resort, which has recently become the Coral Cove Wellness Retreat and is set to reopen soon. While little details are available about what might have been changed, this 18-room oceanfront resort did feature a cannabis garden that guests could stroll through.

Final Thoughts

With 2020 coming to a close, everyone’s looking forward and moving on to what should hopefully be a better year. Cannabis helped so many of us brave the storm and now it’s time to dock our boats and breathe in the salty sea air.

Our journey has earned us some much-needed R & R, so let’s grab our bowls, roll up a fat one, and start booking cannabis-friendly destinations for holiday celebrations and vacations!

Alyna Paparazzi

“I’m Alyna, a writer from Florida and strong advocate for the mental health community. Through my writing and advocacy, I hope to add an educating voice that helps the with mood disorders learn to navigate life in a calm and self-fulfilling way. I consume Cannabis as a means to understand and connect with the world.“

Written By: Alyna Paparazzi

Edited by: Veronica Castillo