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Gay Kathmandu, Nepal – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Kathmandu, Nepal - The Nomadic Boys

Here’s our travel guide to gay Kathmandu, with all the best gay friendly hotels, bars, restaurants and things to do.

Chaotic, messy, loud, colorful, captivating, and completely disorganized!

That was our first impression of Kathmandu as we drove into the city from the airport to our hotel in Thamel. The traffic was all over the place, with people, motorbikes, two-wheelers, taxis, and buses all negotiating tight narrow roads… yet somehow it all works seamlessly!

We completely fell in love with this city. Yes, it’s messy and slightly disorderly, but there’s something magical about it that just gets in your skin and makes you quickly fall in love with it.

Visiting Gay Kathmandu

Kathmandu was our base to start our Himalayan trekking adventures around Nepal. In fact, most gay travelers heading to the city are here for the same reason. The tourism industry here is all geared towards treks to Annapurna, Everest Base Camp, Langtang, Poon Hill, etc. The center of the city is a labyrinth of businesses geared towards trekkers including agencies, trekking clothes shops, hostels, bars, restaurants, and more.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Kathmandu Gay Travel Resources

Travel Guide to Gay Mongolia – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Mongolia

When asked which is our favorite place in the world we’ve been to, Mongolia is one place we both agree is truly remarkable!

We visited gay Mongolia after our Trans Siberian railway adventure and ended up staying for a month. We didn’t expect to, but the landscapes in the Gobi Desert and the nomadic life along the Mongolian steppe just blew our minds. We loved it! Yes, it’s roughing it slightly as luxuries are scarce out here, but this is one cultural adventure you won’t forget in a hurry.

When it comes to gay travel, it’s fair to say that Mongolia is not the #1 place that comes to mind! This is a far cry from the Circuit parties of Barcelona or the wild scene of Fort Lauderdale. This country is more of a place to come to be awed by nature; a photographer’s paradise!

However, we still think it’s a place other gay travelers should experience. In this gay guide to Mongolia, we’ve sumarised our travels through the lands of Genghis Khan, which we hope inspires you to also pay this magnificent country a visit.

Rights in Gay Mongolia

LGBTQ+ rights in the country are, well, more advanced than you’d expect. When compared to the rest of the continent, Mongolia is one of the more advanced queer friendly nations in Asia. The government repealed its anti-gay law back in 1993, introduced the right to change legal gender in 2009, and also passed hate crime laws to protect its LGBTQ community in 2017.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Mongolia Gay Travel Resources

Manuel Antonio Gay Beaches – The Globetrotter Guys

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Manuel Antonio Gay Beaches - The Globetrotter Guys

Manuel Antonio is one of the most popular LGBTQ+ destinations in Costa Rica so it should come as no surprise that there are a fair number of Manuel Antonio gay beaches.

In fact, this stretch of the Pacific coast has been said to have some of the best beaches in the world boasting clear warm waters and long stretches of sand.

In this mini guide we will share 3 gay beaches in the area, including (of course) a nude beach. So grab you best speedos and let’s take a look!

Best Manuel Antonio Gay Beaches

The main and most popular beach is Playa Espadilla. The south end of the beach meets the edge of the most visited national park in Costa Rica, the beautiful national park. At this end of the beach, you with find plenty of shops, restaurants and many other tourists.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Manuel Antonio Gay Travel Resources

Gay Nepal – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Nepal - The Nomadic Boys

The gay beacon of South Asia!

Nepal ranks as one of our favorite destinations. Not only does it have some of the most incredible scenery we’ve ever seen, but it’s also a very gay-friendly country – at least by Asian standards…

Gay Nepal

It may come as a surprise, but Nepal has for years been a beacon for LGBTQ rights across what is a very conservative part of Asia. The country’s constitution in 2015 introduced a whole set of anti-discrimination laws to protect its LGBTQ community, and Pride parades have grown massively in popularity over the past decade.

We fell in love with gay Nepal because trekking in the Himalayas is one of the most unforgettable adventures we’ve ever done together. Alongside this, the Nepali people were nothing but welcoming and super courteous to us, which just made it even more special. Take it from us, a trip to this gorgeous country is nothing short of a magical exploration into nature that will blow your mind and quickly make you want to return for more!

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Nepal Travel Resources

Manatee Encounters at Blue Spring State Park – 2TravelDads

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Blue Spring State Park - 2TravelDads

Blue Spring State Park is our most common activity with friends visiting Florida, and it’s the best place to see manatees near Orlando or Daytona Beach. Florida has over 1000 natural springs and they’re all a little different. Some are in high traffic areas like on the Crystal River and others are so strange to pronounce that you might not have ever heard of them… like Ichetucknee Springs. This is everything you need to know about visiting Blue Spring State Park, including the best time for manatees, handicap accessible wildlife viewing, and kayaking / standup paddleboarding information.

Where is Blue Spring State Park?

Blue Spring State Park is a little over a half hour away from Daytona Beach in Orange City, Florida. It’s actually really easy to get to and quite simple to make a day trip out of. Blue Spring State Park is easy to pair with the trip to De Leon Springs State Park or Gemini Springs. It’s a bit further from Cocoa Beach if you’re heading to that part of the Florida coast, but it’s still worth the visit.

If you are visiting Orlando this is also an easy trip to add on (45 minutes drive) and is a nice alternative to theme parks or crowded hotel pools. After a whole bunch of time at Disney World or Universal Orlando no doubt you’ll be ready for some nature and Blue Spring State Park is just perfect for that. Also, the manatees and alligators are real, actual wildlife vs being animatronics, so they’re more exciting!

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

East Central Florida Gay Travel Resources

Should You Visit Cabo or Cancun? – 2TravelDads

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Cabo or Cancun - 2TravelDads

Quite often people ask us if we prefer Cancun over Cabo San Lucas. That’s a tough question and depending on what the goal is with a Mexico vacation, we might answer with either one. We’re going to help you decide if a trip to Cabo or Cancun is the better option for you and your family.

I think you will see that the two areas are extremely different and in many ways are not comparable. But since people ask us, clearly there is either some confusion or people just want to take a trip to tropical Mexico and don’t understand their options. You can decide for yourself after this which you would prefer.

Cabo or Cancun for your Mexican Vacation?

When you compare Cancun and Cabo San Lucas you will find that both have tons of both small independent and major resort hotels, there are lots of beaches, and both tend to be popular spring break destinations. But truly they have more that is different than the same. In both Cabo San Lucas and Cancun you will find tourism and hospitality that is catered to Americans looking for a cheap Mexican vacation, but then you will also find five star resort experiences and fine dining that exemplifies the best of Mexican cuisine.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Mexico Gay Travel Resources

When a Travel Writer Can’t Travel – Dolly Travels

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Dolly Travels

This past year I have not kept in touch with all of you, my friends, like I should have done. My excuse is that I am a travel writer and since I have not been traveling, I really did not have anything much to write about. Today, though, I want to say Hello again and recap some of my favorite memories of travel.

If you have followed my blog for the past eleven years, you will know that every year since 2008, I have gone to Italy for extended periods of time. Italy is my favorite country and I truly have gone through withdrawal, not having gone there this past year. I have learned so much about the country and its marvelous people in the travels I have done there, as I travel independently and as Rick Steves says, I try to become a temporary local.

In 2014, I was conducting tours of Italy for some of my friends. Florence was our home base, but as you can see, my friends and I covered quite a bit of the country. One of my favorite things to do in Florence was go to the mercati. This is inside Mercato Centrale. My friends and I would buy fruit and vegetables in season, choosing what caught our eyes on any particular day. From the butcher, we would select meat to go with our vegetables. Then we would go back to our apartments and cook. Everyone helped and we truly enjoyed our meals at home. It was so good to come back to our apartment after a day of sightseeing and make a homemade dinner.

Full Story From Dolly Travels

Our Favorite Laos Street Foods – The Nomadic Boys

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Our Favorite Laos Street Foods - The Nomadic Boys

Imagine rows and rows of mouthwatering sizzling barbecued meats, fresh salads, salted fish, and yummy coconut pancakes…

Our Favorite Laos Street Foods

When it comes to eating out in Laos, the food markets are a treat! Whether you’re visiting the gorgeous Luang Prabang, the capital, Vientiane, or adventure hub, Vang Vieng, we guarantee there’ll be several excellent local street food stalls that you need to check out. Not to mention the fact that it’s an inexpensive way to dine.

Generally, the whole street food scene in Southeast Asia is a thing we highly recommend all travelers immerse themselves into – particularly in Thailand, Vietnam, and of course, Laos! In this article, we run through some of the best Laos street foods that made us super happy during our trip here and needs to be on that culinary Bucket List of yours!

Barbecued Meats

There are many stalls selling barbecued meats. But unlike elsewhere in the country, the street food in Luang Prabang has been adapted for foreigners. In Laos, every part of the animal is eaten, so eating in a more local restaurant was hard for us – congealed pig’s bl00d in your noodle soup, anyone? Or chunks of pork fat or other insides…?

Florida Keys Kayaking Adventure – 2TravelDads

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Florida Keys Kayaking - The Globetrotter Guys

Florida Keys Kayaking was one of our favorite parts of our road trip from Miami to Key West (mmm, key lime pie!). The best places to kayak in Southern Florida are spread out between the many islands, and they aren’t all where you’d expect. This is our guide to kayaking with kids in the Florida Keys, and any of these spots are great as an adult too.

As we go through the many kayaking spots in the Keys, you’ll see that some of the launch sites are in state parks and others are public access via beaches or boat ramps. Wherever you’re putting in, and whether it’s a kayak, canoe, or standup paddleboard, always be aware of wildlife, underwater obstacles, and other boats. Remember, safety first in all things if you want to have an amazing Caribbean vacation!

Best Places for Florida Keys Kayaking

Kayaking through the backcountry waters of the Keys, and you’ll see one of the world’s most diverse marine life ecosystems. The quiet, shallow backwater region of flats and mangrove islands has inspired many naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts to combine environmental tourism with the sport of sea kayaking. The opportunity to explore such serene, untouched areas is very special.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Florida Keys Gay Travel Resources

Japanese Gay Life – The Nomadic Boys

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Japanese Gay Life - The Nomadic Boys

Our gay friend Shintaro from Tokyo tells us what Japanese gay life is like from his perspective in this fascinating interview. We love Japan. We’ve been fortunate to visit several times. Each time we leave, we say sayonara with a strong thirst to return for more!

As a gay couple traveling in Japan, we’ve always felt extremely welcome, everywhere, never receiving any judgment or raised eyebrows. To our foreign eyes, Japan feels like you’ve taken a time machine into the future. Everything is so much more advanced here, so clean, so impeccable, where trains arrive/leave on time, correct to the second!

And the Japanese themselves? Well, they’re just the icing on top – you couldn’t ask for a more welcoming and respectful nation. Everything is well received with a sweet, warm smile and a humble bow.

All About Japanese Gay Life

As we said, that’s through our superficial perspective as queer travelers visiting. What’s the reality like for the Japanese LGBTQ community? We often hear that whilst the Japanese are very welcoming to gay foreigners, on a local level, the country is very conservative when it comes to LGBTQ rights.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys