The Ultimate Koh Mak Travel Guide – Once Upon a Journey

The Ultimate Koh Mak Travel Guide

Koh Mak is a small tropical island in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, close to Cambodia. We travelled to this island in November 2017 and stayed much longer than expected. I’ve seen many more Thai islands and I must say: Koh Mak is my favourite of all! The island is a well-kept secret for most travellers, it’s (still) a quiet place with a laid-back atmosphere. It’s located south of ‘big brother’ Koh Chang, and north of Koh Kood – they all are completely different!

What we most love about this island is that it’s relatively undeveloped. You might be able to get cash at a resort – but no guarantees – and there are no 7-elevens anywhere on the island (is that even possible in Thailand?!). Koh Mak is privately owned and therefore nobody is allowed to build more resorts, how fantastic?! And although there are many rubber farm plantations, you can still find lots of palm trees. The best part of Koh Mak though: gorgeous, empty beaches!

Koh Mak is located about 40 kilometres away from mainland Thailand (Trat) and 300 kilometres from Bangkok. From Bangkok you can take a minivan to Trat and take a taxi to the pier. You can even take a minivan directly to the pier. From the Laem Ngop pier in Trat, you can take the slow boat (cheap but slow) or a speedboat (fast but more expensive) to Koh Mak. Be sure to look up the time schedule of the boats! During low season there are less or no boats at all going to Koh Mak. There are also boats going from Koh Chang, Koh Wai and Koh Kood to Koh Mak.

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

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

Traveling to Tibet – The Nomadic Boys

Traveling to Tibet - The Nomadic Boys

Traveling to Tibet is one of the world’s greatest adventures. It is a land of ancient Buddhist monasteries and stunning Himalayan mountains similar to the ones we climbed during our Annapurna trek in Nepal.

Tibet was an isolated place for hundreds of years, completely cut off to foreign visitors until 1985 when China and Nepal reached agreement to allow foreigners to travel to Tibet.

Today, the Tibet Autonomous Region has one of the strictest tourist controls in the world, second only to that of its neighbour, Bhutan. These are our 4 practical tips for tourists travelling to Tibet for their first time.

The first thing you need to do is get in touch with a reputable tour operator because this is the most efficient and safest way to travel to Tibet. Without using a tour operator, your trip is not possible – independent travel in the region is only allowed for Chinese passport holders.

There are literally hundreds of tour operators that run Tibet Tours, from both China and Nepal. Most of these are generic travel agents who then pass you off to a local third party to run the actual tour. While travel agents are a useful intermediary in trips around most of the world, for Tibet, they are more often than not more trouble then they are worth. For example, bad travel agents will base your tour on a strict itinerary that has been handed to them by the tour operators they use, and are less flexible than local operators.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Queer Kandy, Sri Lanka – Keep Calm and Wander

Queer Kandy

After Colombo, if any city that totally mesmerized me in Sri Lanka was Kandy. Dotted with interesting places to see here and there, you’d see Buddhist temples and ancient relics that represent its former identity as the capital of the ancient kings of this land. From the Tooth of Buddha to some esthetical gardens and beyond, Kandy is the place that had modern architecture build around the historic religious and cultural centers.

I did 7 of these things out of 8. The festival in July or August must be an interesting event to see.

1. Visit the Buddhist Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

As the name suggests, the temple that is situated in the palace complex in Kandy is believed to have a tooth of Buddha. However, tourists and worshippers would be disappointed that they can’t really see the revered “sacred tooth” itself. They kept it in a golden box inside the center of the pavilion. Everyday, they do rituals which is interesting to see.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Sri Lanka Gay Travel Resources

Gay Thailand – Nomadic Boys

Gay Thailand - The Nomadic Boys

We absolutely love Thailand. It’s one of our favourite places to visit in Asia. It has a mix of the best beaches, beautiful Buddhist culture, temples, and an awesome gay scene in Bangkok.

Thailand is also one of the most visited destinations in Asia for gay travellers. The Thais are extremely welcoming people and have been embracing us for decades. So much so that it is frequently referred to as “The Land of Smiles”, and for good reason.

The capital city, Bangkok is very modern, and a transport hub for destinations in Asia. It also has a large gay scene in Silom which we LOVE. Chiang Mai in the North is the country’s second biggest city. It is located in the mountains, and famous for its temples and outdoor adventure. The Thai islands are popular beach destinations, particularly Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Tao, Koh Lipe and Koh Phi Phi.

This is our Gay Thailand guide, with our favourite things to do and other practical information for LGBTQ travelers.

When to Visit Thailand

Thailand is tropical and hot throughout the year. It has 3 seasons: hot, cold and rainy:

Cold season: between November-February, when temperatures are “only” around mid 20s Celsius (77 F). This is Thailand’s peak season, especially around Christmas, New Year’s and the Chinese New Year in February.

Hot season: between March-June, with temperatures around 30-35 degrees Celsius (86-95 F). This is the shoulder seasons because it’s too hot for some. However, this is also the season for the Sonkgran (Buddhist New Year) gay parties in Bangkok and Phuket.

Rainy season: between June-October. During this time, it does not rain constantly, but there will be periods of intense rain lasting for no more than a few hours. This is the low season, particularly in some of the islands, which get stormy weather, so will shut down most boat services.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

Queer Colombo, Sri Lanka – Keep Calm and Wander

Queer Colombo, Sri Lanka - Keep Calm and Wander

Colombo is an organized chaos. It’s the largest and the capital city of the island country, Sri Lanka. The best way to get around it is by tuktuk – if you don’t mind the heat and the dust. If you do, hiring an Uber is cheap so, your $10 can really go a looooong way there.

These are some of the places where I left my footprints in queer Colombo.

Sri Lanka: Top 9 Things to do and see in Colombo

1. Wander off at the National Museum

Large and sublime, the 19th-century building of National Museum holds the past of Sri Lanka from as far as 1877 to the colonial era and beyond. My favorites in this place were the room 5, which contains the throne of King Wimaladharmasuriya II, and room 2, which has the Bodhisattva Sandals made of bronze. There’s a nice café in the museum also.

2. Take a respite at the Dutch Hospital

Built in the 1600s, a hospital in the past and a busy shopping precinct in the present, the Dutch Hospital houses some of the most premium cafes that are located in the vibrant complex of the Fort. Taking a pause and having a cold drink here made me feel as if I was in some Buddhist monetary in a Hollywood movie.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Sri Lanka Gay Travel Resources

Lesbian Travel: Motorbiking Vietnam – Once Upon a Journey

Lesbian Travel: Motorbiking Vietnam - Once Upon a Journey

After a quick stop in Thailand, we are finally in Vietnam. For some reason, we had the idea to go to Vietnam for a long time but never made it. Our friend Marieke, a Dutchie who lives in Ho Chi Minh now, invites us to Vietnamese New Year, Tet. Time to visit Vietnam!

This time we only travel the south and middle of Vietnam, we save the northern part for next time. It’s a bit too cold for us over there right now. We fly Vietnam in to, and out from, Ho Cho Minh. The last couple of weeks we travelled at a high speed so we are super happy to see Marieke and to stay at her place for a couple nights.

We don’t see a lot of Ho Chi Minh but really enjoy doing the ‘normal’ things. We go to the cinema, sleep in, work a bit, enjoy Vietnamese food and go to our first Tet party. Marieke and her friend invite us over and we get to know the Vietnamese culture and it’s Tet traditions a bit more. We get lucky money (which we can’t use until next year) and eat and drink a lot, which also part of the Vietnamese traditions haha.

When Marieke finishes work we travel to Dalat with the three of us. It’s my second time in Vietnam but the first time I didn’t visit Da Lat. So I’m super excited to go this time! We rent motorbikes and go to one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. Go to the Pongour Falls when you are in Dalat.

By Roxanne Weijer – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Vietnam Gay Travel Resources

Magical Chiang Mai – Once Upon a Journey

Chiang Mai - Once Upon a Journey

It’s a BIG day today! Ever since our departure, we have been looking forward to this moment: my dad and stepmom fly over to travel with us for two weeks in Thailand. Together we will experience the magical lantern festival Yi Peng! We are incredibly excited (and a bit anxious). We had arrived few days early in Chiang Mai, but saved the sightseeing for later. Before we go to the airport to pick up Frank and Hanneke, we move from our couchsurfing house to our new hostel. Yes, Frank and Hanneke wanted to experience the backpacker-life, how fun!

A MYSTERIOUS HAIRCUT

The big day starts with Maartje going for a haircut, all by herself. Normally we do everything together but I’m not allowed to join this time, how mysterious… I have no idea what’s going on but I decide to wait for the surprise! For lunch we meet up with Gretka and Nico, a couple we met in Malaysia! We inspired them to go to the lantern festival so here they are! We are really happy to see them again, they are so cute and Gretka is one of the happiest persons we have ever met. After lunch we get our bags, bring them to our hostel and travel to the airport. Of course we don’t want to be late!

ANOTHER EMOTIONAL REUNION

We arrive on the airport and struggle to find the right arrival hall: the number of the plane changed. But luckily we find the right one and as soon as Frank and Hanneke walk down the stairs we spot each other. They are so happy to see us, we are afraid they walk out the doors without their luggage haha. It doesn’t take long before we can hug each other. It feels so good to see them in real life, instead of on a small screen!

By Roxanne Weijer – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

Pit Stop in Melaka, Malaysia – Once Upon a Journey

Melaka - Once Upon a Journey

After our week in Singapore we go back to Malaysia (again). Singapore was the best! We had fun meeting old friends, making new ones, exploring the city and finally getting our laptop fixed! The border crossing Singapore-Malaysia is a different story… It’s the most chaotic border crossing we have experienced so far…

CROSSING THE BORDER OF SINGAPORE – MALAYSIA

Friday-afternoon we get on a bus to Melaka, Malaysia. Quickly we notice it’s a mistake to go on a Friday afternoon; we are not the only ones.

Lots of Malay people work in Singapore, but go back home for the weekend. It’s crowded, especially at the Malaysian border. We leave Singapore by crossing a bridge, and we immediately end up in a big traffic jam. After a while we finally reach the point were they check our passports and bags. People are screaming and running to be the first in line. It’s madness.

It’s weekend, relax! For us it’s not a surprise that the Chinese people behind us ‘accidentally’ bump into us, just because they want to move one spot. At some point the woman is standing between us. Why?!

Luckily we survive it (also the big “I have visa” screaming line cutter) and continue our trip. When we arrive in Melaka we find a place to sleep and get some dinner. Then it’s time to pass out.

EXPLORING MELAKA

We only have one day, or actually one morning + afternoon, to explore Melaka. Luckily the city is not big, we have enough time to see most highlights. And we like it very much. It’s such a cute place. And the colourful rickshaws are hilarious!

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

Malaysia Gay Travel Resources

Magical Moments in Singapore – Once Upon a Journey

Once Upon a Journey

Before starting our world trip we had planned to be in Singapore around July. We end up in Singapore late October! Maartje’s friends from her study abroad, who live in Singapore, had to wait a while: but here we are! Our visit to Singapore is initially solely to visit Jeslyn and Huldah. From Kuching we fly to Singapore to stay here for a couple days, or that’s what we think…

THE SINGAPORE APPLE STORE

Immediately after arriving in Singapore we go to the Apple store. The sound of Maartje’s laptop isn’t working anymore (yes, yet another gadget fails us) and it’s no fun editing videos without sound. Everyone told us in Malaysia Singapore is the place to be to (quickly) fix things. But when we bring our laptop in for repair they tell us it will take seven to ten days. So we will be chilling in Singapore longer than we expected.

SINGAPORE IS EVERYTHING!

Quickly we find out that that’s not a bad thing at all. We fall in love with the city and it’s not as expensive as everybody claims. There are so many free sightseeing things to do and if you go to a food court you can eat fairly cheap and delicious food!

We stay in Little India for two nights and it feels like a total different place than Singapore’s city centre. We like it! It’s not the only part that feels different. Jeslyn shows us around China Town: a whole other feeling as well. Singapore is melting pot of cultures, and every neighbourhood feels like a different country. The area around the Marina Bay Sands hotel, where Jeslyn takes us by night, feels fancy and high-tech at the same time. At night we see a fantastic water and light show in the Marina Bay: it’s magical!

By Roxanne Weijer – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Gay Phuket – The Nomadic Boys

gay Phuket - The Nomadic Boys

We love Thailand. It’s got it all – best beaches, terrific food and the gay scene of Bangkok we think one of the most fun in the world.

Phuket is one of the most popular gay destinations to visit in Thailand, with a large gay scene in Patong. This large Thai island is also an excellent transport hub, with many international airlines flying here, making it very accessible.

These are our 5 favourite things to do in gay Phuket.

Gay bars and clubs in Phuket

The Paradise Complex in Patong is the focal point for the gay life of Phuket, with most of the gar bars and clubs. This is where you’ll want to come for a gay fun night out.

Most of the bars have a free show every evening, but guests are expected to buy at least one drink. They generally get busy from around 10pm when they start putting on street performances to attract customers. By midnight most of the gay bars in Phuket are crowded, especially on weekends. Some of the best hangouts of Patong include:

Boat Bar: this is one of our favourite gay bars in Patong, which we came to every night during our stay. It’s open everyday, with at least 2 cabaret shows taking place every evening, the first at midnight, then again at 1:30am.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Thailand Gay Travel Resources