Gay Taiwan – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Taiwan - The Nomadic Boys

When it comes to welcoming queer travelers, gay Taiwan is the only place in Asia that we think tops Thailand. They even have a temple dedicated to a gay god!

Taiwan is super gay – it has the largest gay Pride in Asia, it was the first place in Asia to legalize marriage equality and has a massive LGBTQ+ scene in Taipei. That’s before we’ve even mentioned the delicious food, breathtaking scenery and really friendly charming Taiwanese people – who will make you smile every time you speak to them!

In short, Taiwan gave us everything we wanted from our Asian gaycation. We’d go back in a heartbeat and know you will want to as well. Regardless of whether or not you’re a seasoned traveler or maybe thinking about your first adventure, Taiwan is a place to consider. In this queer country guide to Taiwan, we’ve put together our fabulous discoveries from our adventures together with safety advice, culinary inspiration and the best gay events to seek out.

Rights in Gay Taiwan

The first thing to note is that LGBTQ+ rights there are very progressive. More progressive than some Western countries so we even rate it as one of the most gay friendly places in the world. It’s no wonder that Taiwan is so welcoming to LGBTQ travelers. This was immediately apparent to us from the moment we touched down at Taipei’s airport. We never had any issues whatsoever and we felt so comfortable while we were travelling around.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay Taipei – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Taipei - The Nomadic Boys

When we heard that Hung is a common Taiwanese surname, we knew that this was a country worth visiting!

The capital city of Taipei threw us for a fabulously gay loop. We had heard that it was, by Asian standards, a liberal and tolerant place, but we had no idea just how much the city loves its gay. Within minutes of descending onto the gay scene, we were doused in glitter and dancing under disco lights to the likes of Cher and Dolly Parton. The gay scene in Ximen is damn impressive! There’s an entire area around the Red House with tons of gay bars to check out.

The city of Taipei is also full of rich culture, from the ancient temples that dot the city skyline, to the stunning architecture of tower blocks like the famous Taipei 101. In this gay guide to Taipei, we’ve put together our experience from this incredible city, including our favourite gay bars (there are loads!), clubs, gay hotels, events, things to do, and loads more!

How friendly is Gay Taipei?

Very gay friendly! We rate Taiwan as not only the most gay friendly place in Asia, but one of the most gay friendly places in the world. Unlike the rest of Asia, Taiwan is miles ahead of everyone with its LGBTQ rights: in 2019 it was the first (and to date, only!) country in Asia to legalise gay marriage. Taiwan is a beacon of hope for LGBTQ rights in Asia that we hope the rest of the continent will follow asap!

Part of the reason why Taiwan is so far ahead of its neighbours is due to the era of Marshal Law, which occurred between 1949-1987. Known as the White Terror, it saw the Taiwanese experience many restrictions in their freedom of expression with around 200,000 people imprisoned or killed. So, when this tragic period ended, the Taiwanese were eager to push for change and embrace democracy, which they’ve been doing so beautifully ever since!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Pocket WiFi in Taiwan – The Nomadic Boys

Pocket WiFi in Taiwan - The Nomadic Boys

We love Instagramming during our trips, especially Stefan, especially in Taiwan…look, I’ll be honest, it does start to grate on me when trying to enjoy a romantic cocktail together with a beautiful sunset backdrop, yet he’s on his phone posting about it on social media…

…but you gotta do what you gotta do to keep your man happy right?

So, when arriving in a new place, the first thing we HAVE to do (to prevent the infamous Stefan tantrums breaking out)is to make sure he has a way of staying online at all times. We normally buy a new local SIM card, but recently, whilst travelling through Taiwan, we’ve found that investing in pocket WiFi devices is much better.

For starters, it means your phone can still be locked to your home contract, whereas SIM cards require you to have an unlocked phone. It can also work out cheaper as data is unlimited (compared to SIM card data packages), and it means you can connect all your devices to it, so if you’re travelling as a group, everyone can stay connected.

We used a pocket WiFi device during our trip to Taiwan and it was a godsend! Prior to ordering it, we researched all the many different pocket WiFi options, which we summarise in this article so it can help you figure out which one is best for you.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Lesbian Taiwan – Once Upon a Journey

Lesbian Taiwan - Once Upon a Journey

Taiwan, to us, is on top of the list of countries in Asia that have surprised us the most. Frankly, we didn’t know much about Taiwan, and odds are: so do you (except the fact they just legalised same-sex marriage). And that has to change! Lesbian Taiwan is AMAZING and definitely the most progressive place in Asia, in my opinion, arguably the world (yes, Dutchie speaking!). Are you ready to be surprised by how gay Taiwan is?!

Taiwan Gay Marriage: Asia’s First

In 2017, the Constitutional Court of Taiwan ruled that the definition of marriage as one man and one woman in the law was unconstitutional. The Court requested a change of legislation, by either adjusting existing laws or creating new ones, within a time frame of two years.

On International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019 – May 17 – same-sex marriage was officially legalised. Over 500 couples have already registered today (the day the law went into effect). Legalising gay marriage wasn’t without controversy and there will be some limitations. The new law offers similar legal protections as heterosexual marriage, but it’s a separate law. Same-sex couples will only be allowed to adopt children biologically related to at least one of them.

While the entire world seems to be setting steps backwards (abortion is up for discussion again? Seriously?!), Taiwan is setting a big step forward. Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage.

By AUTHOR – Full Story at SOURCE

Taiwan Gay Life – The Nomadic Boys

Taiwan Gay Life - The Nomadic Boys

Taiwan has become one of the most gay friendly places in Asia. On a continent famous for not having the most progressive LGBTQ rights, Taiwan is proudly paving the way forward. It has long been a gay trailblazer, famous for having progressive LGBTQ laws, the largest pride in Asia and even a God devoted to homosexual love with his own temple in New Taipei City.

In May 2019, Taiwan made history by becoming the first nation in Asia to implement gay marriages. This is immense!

Nowhere else in Asia comes close to this achievement. For example, whilst other gay friendly places in Asia like Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Hong Kong, Nepal and the Philippines may have started discussing the implementation of gay civil union laws (if at all!), no one else has even touched the realm of recognising same sex marriages. Except Taiwan!

Of course the same sex marriage laws of Taiwan are not without difficulties, having had quite a bumpy road to get to where they are. Despite this, it is an incredible achievement not only for Taiwan’s gay community, but also for the entire LGBTQ community across Asia.

So what is it about Taiwan that makes it so gay friendly? We met with local boy Po-Hung from Kaohsiung who was also Mr Gay Taiwan 2018. Po-Hung gave us the full lowdown about Taiwan gay life, what it’s like growing up gay here and other invaluable local tips.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Taipei’s a Foodie Paradise – Mic.com

gay taipei - crab - pixabay

If your idea of vacation planning is obsessively researching every restaurant, bar, coffee shop and food stand, gay Taipei, Taiwan, belongs on your bucket list. Taiwan’s sprawling capital city is home to 2.7 million residents and what feels like just as many must-visit spots for food and drink.

The island has a contentious history, with bouts of Dutch, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese presence or rule, and Taipei’s rich culinary landscape includes nods to its diverse colonial past as well as the traditions of the indigenous population: fresh Japanese seafood at DOZO Izakaya Bar, superstar soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung, fine-dining French exports like L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, unbelievable street food like stinky tofu, innovative cocktails from the R&D Cocktail Lab, German beer halls like Buckskin Beerhouse, scenic tea houses atop Maokong mountain — and that barely scratches the surface.

There’s never been a better time to visit. In the first Michelin Guide Taipei, the city had 20 restaurants receive stars, with restaurants ranging from the three-star Le Palais, famous for its expertly executed Cantonese fare, to the one-star Taiwanese-meets-Nordic hit Mume.

Thirty-six joints made Michelin’s Bib Gourmand category, including 10 street food stalls scattered throughout the Taipei’s famous night markets, where tourists, locals and everyone in between sample piping-hot black pepper buns and pearl milk tea. You’ll also find plenty of excellent shops, hotels and tourist attractions — Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building, is definitely worth braving the crowds for — to fill time between meals.

By Meredith Heil – Full Story at Mic.com

Taiwan’s Pingxi Lantern Festival – Once Upon a Journey

PINGXI LANTERN FESTIVAL

If you are looking for magic, you should go to a sky lantern festival. Sky lantern festivals are one of the most magical things on earth. Disney dreams will come true. We can’t get enough of them, so after experiencing Yi Peng in Chiang Mai, we travel to Taiwan to experience the magic of the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival. It’s one of the most spectacular happenings in Taiwan.

As it’s a big happening, you would think there’s a lot of information available online. Unfortunately, the resources of the Taiwan Tourism Board were limited and the blog posts we found, didn’t provide us with the right transportation-information. Therefore, we end up in the wrong town. We will not let that happen to you, so here’s the ultimate guide to Pingi Sky Lantern Festival!

WHY SHOULD YOU GO?

The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival takes place once a year, usually in February or March, during the first full moon of the Lunar New Year. The festival has been named one of the 15 Festivals To Attend Before You Die and one of the Best Winter Trips. So, it’s a must see! At night, thousands of lanterns float up into the night sky, and with them, so do many dreams and wishes for the new year. The lanterns are released in group releases. And it’s truly like a dream come true.

WHERE SHOULD YOU GO?

So here’s where it gets tricky. The festival takes place in the Pingxi district, in New Taipei City, and lantern releases are held in the towns Jingtong, Pingxi and Shifen. The biggest lantern releases are NOT held in Pingxi old town – so don’t try to go there, like we did. The biggest event is in Shifen, where they set up the main stage at a parking area and is transformed into the Shifen Sky Lantern Square. It’s located close to the Shifen waterfall, and only a short 15 minute walk from Shifen Station.

By Roxanne & Maartje – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

China Gay Travel Resources

Gay Taipei & Tainan

W Taipei - gay Taipei Not so long ago, the label “Made in Taiwan” inferred mass-produced products that were made quickly, sold cheaply, and exported globally–typical fodder for our throwaway society. Then Taiwan made a seismic shift away from cheap, labor-intensive things like toys and textiles, to become the world’s biggest manufacturer of notebook computers. A report in 2013 estimated that 89% of the world’s notebooks and 46% of desktop PCs were manufactured by Taiwanese companies, with global brands like Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Lenovo utilizing Taiwan’s technological and creative talents. Taiwanese brands such as Acer, ASUS, and smartphone manufacturer HTC have also become major players. This change isn’t restricted to hi-tech industries. Taipei, the capital city, has been named World Design Capital for 2016 by the ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design), a great honor for Taiwan’s growing design scene. Amid the gleaming architecture of Taipei’s Xinyi financial district, a historic tobacco factory built in 1937 during the Japanese Imperial Era has become the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, its modernist-style warehouses now converted into exhibition spaces, cafes, and design studios. Here, you’ll find the Taiwan Design Museum, whose galleries showcase the best of Taiwanese and international design, including recipients of the Golden Pin Design Award, a mark of innovative Taiwanese design that’s been awarded to products including bikes, teapots, and computer disk drives.

]Full Story at Passport

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