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Studlagil Canyon in Iceland – Once Upon a Journey

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Studlagil Canyon in Iceland - Once Upon a Journey

One of the coolest things to do in East Iceland is to visit the newest hype of the country: a basalt column canyon. The Studlagil Canyon was only discovered a couple of years ago, because the Jökulsá á Dal river used to be a gushing glacial river that completely filled the basalt ravine.

Are you thinking of visiting this basalt column canyon? We will tell you all you need to know about the Stuðlagil Canyon!

How Studlagil Canyon Was Created

There are many basalt columns in Iceland. Basalt is a volcanic rock that is created when lava cools off to form crystals into which lava has contracted as it was cooling.

During the cooling process, the chemicals and appearance of lava changes; the rock shrinks and it ‘cracks’– often hexagonal shaped. It’s best understand if you look at the basalt canyons from the top.

This amazing place has both vertical and horizontal columns, but vertical columns are most common.

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

Iceland Lesbian Travel Resources

Changi International Airport’s Rain Vortex – Keep Calm and Wander

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Changi International Airport's Rain Vortex - Keep Calm and Wander

Check Out the Rain Vortex at the Singapore Airport

The Rain Vortex at the Jewel at Changi International Airport in Singapore is mesmerizing. It was the first “tourist attraction” I’ve seen in Singapore. A friend picked me up at the airport and despite carrying my 14-kg backpack, we took a short bus ride to The Jewel.

The Jewel is a nature-themed zone filled with shopping malls, restaurants, and entertainment emporiums. And at the heart of it is this amazing attraction that collects, what else, water. 

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Singapore’s Cloud Forest Park – Keep Calm and Wander

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Singapore's Cloud Forest Park

The Cloud Forest Park in Singapore is a must-visit tourist attraction at Gardens by the Bay. From the moment I entered, the sound of the man-made waterfall was a welcome relief from the topsy-turvy world outside. The mist that the waterfalls produce was such a fresh, cool feeling that embraced my skin.

I wasn’t really planning to go here because I thought it’s just another tropical garden. But a friend of mine convinced me to go because she really thought I’d like it. And guess what – she knows me well. I did like it!

As expected, plants are everywhere. There are plants that look familiar but most are unknown to me.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Gay Miami Beaches – The Nomadic Boys

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Miami Gay Beaches - The Nomadic Boys - 12th Street Beach

You know us, we love being on vacation (I mean, who doesn’t?) but we really get our gay lives on the world’s many stunning beaches. If it’s a gay beach, all the better. If it’s clothing-optional… Well, we couldn’t possibly comment on that in such polite company, could we? wink emoji

Often overlooked in favour of Fort Lauderdale’s and gay friendly Key West, Miami is one of the more underrated gay vacation destinations in the Sunshine State. With a relaxed live-and-let-live attitude and a devilish twinkle in its eye, Miami is a great place to celebrate your queerdom in all its gay glory.

So, slap on the factor 50 and slip into your skimpiest swim trunks to check out our list of Miami gay beaches – last one in the sea is a banana! Oh and while we have you here, be sure to check out our detailed gay guide to Miami for the full low down on the scene!

12th Street Gay Beach

The 12th Street Gay Beach near Ocean Drive is the best gay beach of Miami. Put it this way: you will never see so many beautiful specimens of manhood anywhere else in the world. We almost gave ourselves whiplash checking out the stunning procession of perfect physiques parading across the gorgeous white sands. Don’t worry about packing a load of things, as you can rent chairs and umbrellas for a small fee when you get there. As ever, all you beach babes remember to stay hydrated and top up your sun protection regularly. We’re on vacation – the only place for lobsters is in a cobb salad!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay Miami Beach Travel Resources

Gay Split, Croatia – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Split, Croatia - The Globetrotter Guys

We spent 4 nights in the beautiful city of Split in Croatia and loved every minute.

Split is Croatia’s second largest city in the Dalmatia region after Dubrovnik and home to 250k people.

The historical walled old town lays on the water’s edge and is a maze of pretty cobbled streets, beautiful buildings (including the famed Diocletian’s Palace), monuments and is also a great point from which to travel to the other islands along the coast.

In our guide to gay Split we will cover how we found the city as a gay couple, if a gay scene exists, share our experience of the gay beach, cover the best activities to do in (and from) Split, where to stay and practical tips – we highly recommend that you visit!

Is Split Gay Friendly?

As a country, Croatia is not particularly well known for being progressive and gay friendly compared to other countries in Europe such as Spain.

However when visiting the tourist hot spots, like the case in many countries, we felt very safe and had no trouble at all. We have been to Croatia twice with no issue.

In fact, our trip to Croatia was for a gay sailing trip which finished in Split (the trip goes each year) and we had a huge pride flag flying for the whole journey and never had an issue!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Gay Split Travel Resources

Gay Langkawi, Malaysia – The Nomadic Boys

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Lankawi, Malaysia - Deposit Photos

Langkawi is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, located in the state of Kedah, 30km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia near the Thai border. For years, Langkawi has developed a reputation of being more liberal and relaxed than mainland Malaysia, thanks largely to its status as a duty-free haven…a win for tourism in Malaysia!

We visited Malaysia for 2 weeks, trying out the different hotels and bars on the island, which we summarise in this detailed gay guide to the island. Whilst the island maintains a more relaxed approach compared to mainlanders, this is still very much part of an extremely conservative country, with all the anti-gay sentiments that compliment it. We explore this in more detail below, but our big takeaway tip for LGBTQ travellers to gay Langkawi is that you will have an awesome time here, but we recommend avoiding any PDAs to be on the safe side.

Is Gay Langkawi Safe?

Yes, but…!

On the one side, it’s easy to dismiss Langkawi as a dangerous place you shouldn’t set foot on – it is after all part of a country that criminalises homosexuality and had a local newspaper publishing a ridiculous article about how to “spot” gay people! (In case you’re wondering, if you’ve got a beard, abs and wear branded clothes, then you’re bound for gay jail!)

Yet on the other side, Langkawi is well known for not only being more relaxed than mainland Malaysia, but thanks to tourism, the island is very international. There are many people from all around the world living/working in Langkawi, a large proportion of who are members of the LGBTQ community. Islanders are therefore used to seeing people from all walks of life.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Malaysia Gay Travel Resources

Singapore’s SuperTrees – Keep Calm and Wander

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Singapore's SuperTrees - Keep Calm and Wander

The SuperTree Grove at Gardens by the Bay is one of a kind tourist attraction in Singapore. Such a concept is, perhaps, a pioneer in the world on how we see trees. It’s not just a man-made tree but there’s more to that.

Singapore’s SuperTrees

There are 18 super trees in the garden. Standing at 25-20 meters, they look like strange trees when they’re lit up at night.

Yes, they look strange for a first-time visitor, but they’re spectacular to look at!

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Lesbian Reykjavik In One Day – Once Upon a Journey

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Reykjavik In One Day - Once Upon a Journey

Want to see Reykjavik in one day and don’t know where to start? This guide contains all you need to know for how to spend one day in Reykjavik perfectly.

If you’re visiting Iceland, there is a very high probability you will arrive and depart from Reykjavik. It is Iceland’s capital, the most northern capital city in the world, and the home to many of the top things to see in Iceland.

But Reykjavik is more than just a gateway to see the rest of Iceland, it has much to offer too. From architecture to rainbow street art, coffee shops to museums, there is something to do in Reykjavik for everyone, no matter the weather or time of year!

When you’re planning your trip to Iceland, add (at least) one day in Reykjavik to your Iceland itinerary. And with the many day trips from Reykjavik, museums, and tours on offer, you could certainly stay longer than a day in Reykjavik if you wanted to as well.

Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Iceland Gay Travel Resources

Gay San Miguel de Allende – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay San Miguel de Allende - The Nomadic Boys

You heard it here first, guys. gay San Miguel de Allende is not just a delicious beer – it’s also a stunningly beautiful city located in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, perfect for romantic getaways.

Founded in the early 16th century, San Miguel de Allende is dripping in history and culture. Many landmarks date back to periods of intense conflict, and the fact they’re still standing today is a testament to the will of the people. This is one UNESCO listed gem you need to check out!

San Miguel has also become super popular with gay couples thanks to its draw as a romantic getaway and even as a wedding destination. The people are famous for being super friendly, religious but curious and tolerant of everyone. So much so that gay owned businesses have flourished over the years, from artists, jewelry designers, painters, sculptors and art galleries.

This is why we love San Miguel and rate it as one of our absolute favourite gay cities in Mexico – a sort of cultural alternative to gay party town Puerto Vallarta! Here is our gay travel guide to San Miguel de Allende to inspire you and help you plan your visit to the “Heart of Mexico”.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay San Miguel de Allende Travel Resources

Berlin Gay Hotels – The Globetrotter Guys

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Berlin Gay Hotels - The Globetrotter Guys

Berlin’s inherent gay friendly nature means that no matter what hotel you stay at, you should be welcomed as a gay traveller.

However, like many cities around Europe there are also a few outright Berlin gay hotels on offer.

For further travel planning, check out our full Gay Guide to Berlin.

Here are our top choices:

Axel Hotel Berlin – Adults Only

This is probably one of the best known gay hotels in Berlin. We stayed at the Axel Hotel Berlin, which is in the heart of the gay area of Berlin making it perfect for a night out and while it may advertise itself as hetero-friendly, is just mainly full of gay men. We loved the sauna area, hot tub and roof top terrace are – perfect to hang out and meet other guests.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Germany Gay Travel Resources