Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron - The Nomadic Boys

Cambodia is surprisingly queer friendly by Asia standards – and we loved it! We easily rate it as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Asia.

Traveling in Cambodia as a gay couple was a joy for us. We never felt discriminated against anywhere we stayed, and also discovered a pretty big scene in the main cities, particularly in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap.

Living in Gay Cambodia

Culturally, the LGBTQ community here has a lot of visibility in society, with a small gay pride taking place in Phnom Penh every year since 2003, the Cambodian film Who Am I? in 2009 was the first to depict a lesbian couple and became a huge hit. More recently, in 2015 gay Cambodia got its first LGBT magazine called Q Cambodia and in June 2017, the government announced it would introduce a new course in schools to teach students about LGBTI issues, sexuality, and gender – an amazing feat!

However, that’s from our perspective as foreign tourists. What’s the true reality like? In Phnom Penh, we connected with our local gay friend, Aaron, who spent his childhood living on the streets of Phnom Penh for 8 years until he managed to develop a better life for himself and his family. In this interview with Aaron, he tells us about life in Cambodia and what it’s really like.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The Nomadic Boys

“Guys, how many days should I stay in Phnom Penh?” …is a question we get asked a lot by our readers. And the answer is, it really depends on how much time you have on your hands to explore Cambodia. We came here expecting to stay for a few days but ended up staying for a few weeks!

Phnom Penh is the capital city and main transport hub of Cambodia. It’s famous for the Killing Fields – a harrowing memorial dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime. Most come to visit this then quickly move on to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat. For us, we extended our trip here because we quickly fell in love with the bustling Cambodian capital. It’s a very cool, modern, city, similar to Bangkok but on a much smaller scale.

At the end of the day, it depends on how long you’ve got for your Cambodia trip. We think you could easily spend a week (or two!) in gay Phnom Penh and never be bored. However, for those pushed for time, we think two days is more than enough to get a flavor of the city and learn about the country’s sad history.

When is the best time to visit Gay Phnom Penh?

We think Phnom Penh can be visited at any time of year. There is no “ideal” time to go or months to avoid.

In terms of weather, the dry season takes place between November to April. At this time of year, the sky is usually clear blue. However, this is also the peak tourist season, so hotels are at full price, and tourist attractions are heaving with package tourists.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

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Gay Friendly Asia – Nomadic Boys

Gay Friendly Asia - The Nomadic Boys

We spent 2 years travelling around Asia and completely fell in love with the continent. It offers so much in terms of cultural experiences, food and landscapes, with some of the most humble people you’ll ever meet.

But when it comes to LGBTQ rights, Asia has some serious work to do! In quite a lot of countries in Asia, being gay is either illegal or an arrestable offence, like in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. If it’s not illegal, then it’s such a strong taboo that you have to stay in the closet to avoid jeopardising your job prospects and embarrassing your family like in China, Russia and Indonesia.

Despite this, there are a number of countries in Asia that are paving the way forward in relation to LGBTQ rights. We’ve selected the top 10 most gay friendly countries in Asia, which we’ve based on the following criteria:

  • Where are they at with same sex marriage legislation, along with other LGBTQ laws?
  • What is the gay scene like and do they have any notable annual LGBTQ festivals?
  • Our personal experience travelling there as a gay couple, with reference to the most recent Spartacus Gay Travel Index.

We have taken it as a given that homosexuality is legal in the countries we’ve selected, which is why we haven’t included Singapore despite it having quite a vibrant gay scene and a famous LGBTQ PinkDot festival in June/July.

We have also included two “places” (Taiwan and Hong Kong) rather than “countries”, because although they’re not officially recognised “countries”, they can still be regarded as a “country” given they have their own flag, currency, national anthem, set of laws etc.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Asia Gay Travel Resources

Gay Cambodia

Phnom Penh - Gay Cambodia The notion of exploring a long-lost city is a thrilling prospect. Deep in the Cambodian jungle, the historical ruins of Angkor are unique and astonishing. Set foot here and you’ll feel part of an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. Once the thriving capital of the Khmer Empire, these relics of an ancient civilization were cloaked by dense forest, forgotten by the world until they were rediscovered in the late 19th century. Considering what Cambodia has endured since, you might wonder if this rediscovery unleashed a mighty curse on the country. Bombed by the US during the Vietnam War, then destabilized by a military coup and a communist insurgency, then ravaged by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime, then occupied by Vietnamese troops, then jolted by a coup d’état, Cambodia has been repeatedly brutalized throughout its recent history. It’s unsurprising that few tourists ventured here during all that turmoil. While other ancient wonders such as the pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, and the ruins of Machu Picchu attained must-see status, the Angkor temples remained a long way off the tourist trail for a century after their rediscovery. By the time Lara Croft herself came to raid the temples of Angkor in 2000 (in the shape of Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie), things were starting to change, and the fact that key scenes from the film Tomb Raider were shot here helped to reinforce confidence in Cambodia as a tourist destination. As visitor numbers increased, the nearby town of Siem Reap blossomed into a lively resort. In the past few years, it’s grown exponentially with stylish new hotels, gourmet dining, and fabulous shopping. Siem Reap’s leading hotels echo the past. Open since 1932, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor is full of romance and drama. Built in an elegant French colonial style, this iconic landmark boasts the largest swimming pool in Cambodia. Surrounded by frangipani trees, its grand design was inspired by the ancient Royal bathing pools of Angkor.

By Stuart Haggas – Full Story at Passport

Cambodia Gay Travel Resources

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Arthur and Paul – Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia Hotel

Arthur and Paul For an hour, a day, a night or maybe more … enjoy our customized services in a renovated 1930’s building, in the refined and chic Boeung Keng Kang (BKK1) district. Let yourself be transported by its ideal location 2 minutes’ walk from famous Pasteur Street with many shops and restaurants and 5 minutes by tuk tuk from Central Market, the National Museum, the Royal Palace or Sisowath Quay along the Mekong River. Let yourself be amazed by the seventies design of our ten large themed bedrooms each with a view, from 27 square meters (290 square feet) to 43 square meters (463 square feet) each tailored to meet your every desire. Our rooms bear the names of mythical gay couples who give free rein to your fantasies. At Arthur and Paul hotel (A&P), feel free to sleep late as long as you want after your night on the town and have breakfast throughout the day as well as check-out at any time. And when it comes to bedding, Arthur and Paul hotel wins even the toughest comparisons. Indulge yourself with a touch of luxury thanks to our Egyptian cotton bedding sets. Beautifully soft and exquisitely crafted to offer ultimate comfort whilst you rest, Egyptian cotton is an essential ingredient for a perfect night’s sleep, providing a soothing place to rest night after night. Exuding softness, Arthur and Paul’s Egyptian cotton bed sheets are wondrous for a luxurious nights rest and give the most indulgent slumber. Hotel amenities include also the following (non-exhaustive list):

  • Queen size bed (180cm)
  • Powerful air conditioning providing cool and hot air on demand
  • Complimentary internet access wifi broadband technology
  • 22 inch LCD flat screen televisions (HDMI video input to view your movies and photos) with a selection of international channels
  • Large walk in showers
  • Separate toilet with hand shower
  • Wardrobe
  • Desk with international electrical outlets
  • Mini-bar (2 bottles of mineral water provided each day)
  • Kettle with tea and coffee
  • Safe to store your valuables
  • Hair dryer
Let yourself be welcomed, pampered, massaged by an exclusively male staff providing highest quality service to the greatest degrees of elegance and discretion. Let yourself be lulled by the soul of the passionate relationship between the two famous French poets Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine which inspired the style and set the tone. Be enchanted by the poetry of ARTHUR AND PAUL which will rhyme your emotions, suit your desires of the day: from poetry to sustenance, from room to room, between SPA, steam room, Jacuzzi, the natural swimming pool with its long lap pool ,and of course the restaurant. With Arthur and Paul, an encounter is guaranteed every time.

See the Arthur and Paul Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals in Cambodia

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Angkor Wat?

Angkor WatOh yes, Angkor Wat and the the Cambodian temples – a bucket list favorite and truly outstanding, if you love ruins. From a distance their enormity and grandeur awed and humbled us as we realized what the toil of thousands of workers had produced. But seriously folks, once inside the huge blocks of stone and surrounded by countless depictions of gods, warriors and dancing girls the excess of it all melds together. To the uninitiated, one interior is like another as they trudge across vast anterooms and then face stairs up to the towers, stairs down to the gardens, stairs up to the gates, stairs down to the pool and stairs up to the main stairs. At every point, the eyes are inundated with imposing statues, elaborate columns and enormous carved panels depicting battles, rituals and kings all with names having six to10 syllables which were reverently intoned by our guide. He had learned it all by rote and happily rattled on (and on) listing everyone’s pedigree and claim to fame. Also included were minute details regarding the hero’s inevitable companion – usually a lion, three-headed elephant, monkey or bullfrog. Our heads aching and reeling from the mostly incomprehensible verbal deluge, but so grateful for the finale, we gushed our thanks and tipped him hugely before trekking half a mile to our tuk-tuk and hurdling on to the next massive dilapidation whose rooms, towers and corridors duplicated what we just left, including the stairs.

By Bill Hanson – Full Story at LGBT Weekly

Cambodia Gay Travel Resources

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