Destinations

Gay Life in Romania – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Life in Romania - The Nomadic Boys

t’s no secret that gay life in Romania is quite a challenge! Whether it’s one of online polls showing how much Romanian society opposes homosexuality or that hideous referendum in 2018 to ban gay unions (which for the record, failed!), it sure ain’t easy.

We even got a flavour of Romanian homophobia as gay travellers: when approaching a bunch of hotels in Bucharest and Brașov asking whether they’re ok to host a gay couple and allow us to share a double bed, the response we got from quite a lot of them (like the Rembrandt Hotel in Bucharest and the Aro Palace Hotel in Brașov ) was along the lines of:

“We welcome you but on condition you understand we have children in the hotel so all inappropriate behaviour should be avoided in public areas”

…of course…’cause that’s all Seb and I apparently are seen to do as a gay couple…frolic around naked everywhere, shagging everything in sight, children included….ffs!!

Yet despite the homophobic atmosphere prevalent across Romanian society, the country’s LGBTQ community has made great strides towards equality. For example, Romania has full anti-discrimination laws in place (which include hate speech), and every day, more and more politicians are coming out in favour of legalising civil unions. Oh and that awful referendum to ban civil unions in 2018? It simply failed due to lack of voter turnout (30% needed, they only got 20.4%).

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower – Keep Calm and Wander

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Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower - Keep Calm and Wander

The Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower was once the tallest building in China – from 1994-2007. Then, it was later eclipsed by the modern Shanghai World Financial Center. 

Today, the tower is the 5th tallest in the world.

A friend of mine once told me that his Shanghainese friend told him that the tower resembles that of twin dragons playing with pearls.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Lesbian Bali – Our Taste for Life

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Lesbian Bali - Our Taste for Life

Contrary to popular belief, being gay in Bali is not only accepted but in some ways, celebrated. With an influx of gay-friendly bars and hotels causing a stir from the coast of Seminyak to the cultural hub of Ubud, being an LGBT+ traveller in Bali has never been easier.  

I understand this may be surprising to some, considering Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world. However, what with the predominant Hindu influence and tourism hitting an all-time high, Bali has a far more relaxed attitude relative to other parts of Indonesia. In short, the aptly named ‘Island of the Gods’ is proud to welcome all travellers.

We recently spent a lot of time in Bali, and we can surely confirm that this popular travel destination is worth all the hype. From magnificent mountains to rugged coastlines, and majestic waterfalls to smouldering volcanoes, the abundant Balinese nature is unlike anywhere else we’ve been. Combine this with the rich and vibrant Balinese culture, and you have everything you need to have a truly fantastic time.  

In this travel guide, we outline all the best places to go in Bali as an LGBT+ traveller. You’ll find a list of gay-friendly hotels and bars and our top tips as an LGBT+ couple in Bali. We will also touch on LGBT+ rights and social opinions in Indonesia, so you are fully prepared.

Lesbian Bali & LGBTQ+ Rights

OK, before we get stuck into our LGBT+ travel guide for Bali, let’s quickly talk about LGBT rights in Indonesia. While these may not be so relevant when travelling in Bali, it’s important to be aware of the situation so you can avoid any unnecessary issues along your travels.

Unfortunately, Indonesia doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to LGBT Rights. The sad thing is, the situation seems to be deteriorating. While same-sex sexual activity is legal in most provinces, there is a strong movement to criminalise it and is currently under review by the government.    

Malta Gay Life – The Nomadic Boys

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Malta Gay Life - The Nomadic Boys

“Malta has become the gold standard of LGBTQI reforms – a beacon of human rights for LGBTIQ issues!”

So said the United Nation’s Equality and Non-Discrimination team. This tiny unassuming island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean has over the past decade quickly evolved to become one of the most gay friendly countries in the world with some of the most progressive LGBTQ laws.

But Malta wasn’t always like this. Up until 2013, divorce was illegal here, society extremely socially conservative and homosexuality was pretty much underground. Since the centre-left Labour Party came into power in 2013, the country did a big U-turn, passing an array of progressive laws led by the proactive Minister for Equality, Helena Dalli. You can read more about this in our comprehensive gay guide to Malta.

How did such a quick and rapid change affect Malta’s LGBTQ community?
We found that the older members of the Maltese LGTBQ community had a far different perspective compared to the newer generation who are now benefitting from these more open and progressive laws, which the older generation fought hard to achieve.

Malta Gay Life

A lot of the older gay guys we met, who came of age in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, had difficulties being out and were often forced to lead double lives, marrying a woman to satisfy their family. In comparison, the younger gay guys in their teens, 20s and 30s, we found them to be more confident about their sexuality when we spoke to them about Malta Gay Life. Now it was easier than ever to fight for change in terms of lobbying their MPs, organising LGBTQ events, leading the Pride movement, and more.

One of these awesome Maltese Millennials at the forefront of change in Malta is cutie Clayton Mercieca. Clayton recently married his life partner Christian and together had a baby boy and is rocking the #gaydad world! Clayton is also a prominent LGBTQ activist in Malta, responsible for organising Malta Pride.

We met up with Clayton and his hunky hubby Christian in Valletta, who told us more about the gay life in Malta and what it’s like being gay parents.

Gay Benidorm – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Benidorm - The Globetrotter Guys

In all honesty, we didn’t expect there to be a single gay bar in Benidorm, let alone a thriving gay scene!

Everything we knew was based on the hit UK TV series ‘Benidorm’ showcasing the destination as a very typical ‘Brits abroad’, cheap fun in the sun beach getaway. But there is so much more to this Spanish coastal town!

You can broadly split Benidorm into two. One half is the New Town, where you will find the clubbing strip which is cheap, tacky fun at its best, and doesn’t claim to be anything else!

The second half is the Old Town which took us by surprise. The Old Town, although just minutes away, is a far cry from the style of the New Town. The Old Town is much more traditional, picturesque, has some incredible tapas bars, and most importantly for this article, is where you will find Benidorm’s gay bars!

Read below for a full guide to gay Benidorm, it’s gay bars, beaches, and more.

Benidorm Gay Scene

Benidorm’s gay scene actually goes all the way back to the 1960s, when its first gay bar, called Gay Bar Pretex opened.

Since then, Benidorm’s gay scene has grown throughout the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old Town. There are many small gay bars and a few clubs scattered around which can easily tempt you into a bar crawl.

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globtrotter Guys

Spain Gay Travel Resources

Gay Tbilisi – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Tbilisi - The Nomadic Boys

That Soviet hangover, so prevalent amongst gay bars and clubs across East Europe and Russia: your entry based solely on a bouncer’s snap decision as to whether you’re cool or hip enough to enter inside.

Yet in Tbilisi, it’s also a way the club bouncers and promoters monitor who comes inside in order to prevent any violent homophobic clashes happening.

Face control aside, we completely fell in love with Tbilisi, as do most travellers who visit, both gay and straight. This is a city with a crumbling, yet super picturesque old town – Instagram opportunities abound on every other street corner. There is an evolving queer scene with a super active LGBTQ community, growing massively in confidence by the minute! Tbilisi’s also super cheap, making it a popular base with many expats, digital nomads and property developers looking for the next big “up and coming” investment base in East Europe.

We came to gay Tbilisi to celebrate my birthday and quickly fell in love. This is a city you will want to return to, and for good reason. We know we will! 

We’ve put together our gay guide to Tbilisi based on our first-hand experience and embellished with other nuggets of information passed on to us by gay locals we met along the way.

Is Tbilisi gay friendly?

Compared to Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam, not really, no! But compared to the rest of Georgia and most other places in East Europe, we say a big ‘hell yeah!’ It’s all a matter of perspective of course. As a country, Georgia is renowned for being quite homophobic, largely because of the strong influence of the extremely conservative (and backwards!) Orthodox Church.

However, as a gay couple in Tbilisi, we were surprised by how more liberal and progressive the city is in comparison to the rest of the country. There is not only a growing queer scene here (including the largest gay club in the Caucasus), an annual Pride event, but thanks to the rise in tourism, more and more hotels are embracing LGBTQ travellers.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn – Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in Bardstown, Kentucky

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Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn - Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in Bardstown, Kentucky

BOURBAN MANOR B&B: BEST BOURBON TRAIL ACCOMMODATIONS

Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn is the world’s first Bourbon-themed Bed & Breakfast Inn featuring 10 luxurious, antique-appointed guest rooms, Bourbon Bar, and Day Spa.

2 Beautifully restored, National Historic Registry and Kentucky Landmark Plantation Homes built by the Brown family, known for their historic heritage of Kentucky Bourbon and Politics.

An 1810 Federal House, 1820 Smokehouse, and 1830 Antebellum Mansion featuring luxurious, award-winning B&B Accommodations. Spacious antique-appointed rooms, fine art, and tranquil park-like setting. King Beds, private baths, whirlpool tubs, and fireplaces.

See the Bourbon Manor B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Kentucky Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Shanghai’s Bund at Night – Keep Calm and Wander

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Shanghai's Bund at Night - Keep Calm and Wander

I guarantee that you will be shanghaied by The Bund at night. The city’s skyline views after sunset are breathtaking. You do not need to join a night tour – just go there by yourself and enjoy it.

Don’t worry much about security. The Bund promenade has police officers on duty everywhere. Not to mention the cameras that seem to follow you wherever you go. 

The flickering neon lights of the skyscrapers across the Huangpu River are mesmerizing.

But before getting too excited to see Shanghai skyline at night, how about a dinner with a view? 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

China Gay Travel Resources

Traditional Panamanian Food – The Nomadic Boys

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We travelled a great deal around Panama during our big trip in Latin America, from Panama City up to Bocas del Toro, and back. Along the way, we tried lots of different Panamanian foods and drinks.

Traditional Panamanian food has strong influences from Africa, Spain and its indigenous Native American population. There is a lot of similarity and overlap with the traditional foods of Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela, which is not surprising given that they once used to be part of “Gran Colombia“.

We’ve put together some of our favourite Panamanian traditional dishes we discovered during our trip, which we think you need to try to get a real flavour of this fascinating country.

Sancocho de gallina Panameño: the National dish

Sancocho is a delicious, light chicken soup with potatoes, culantro herb (similar to cilantro but stronger in flavour), yuca and plantains. Other ingredients often used include corn on the cob (mazorca), ñampi (a tropical root vegetable), hot sauce, chopped onions, garlic and oregano. The traditional recipe of sancocho is from the Azuero region, but other regions have their own variations. Due to the varied ingredients used to make a sancocho, it is often used as a metaphor for Panama’s racial diversity, showing that each part has just an important and equally important role to play in the preparation of this very yummy dish. As such it is considered the national dish of Panama.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Panama Gay Travel Resources

Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast – Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast in Bayfield, Wisconsin

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Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast - Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast in Bayfield, Wisconsin

PINEHURST INN B&B – NORTHWOODS CHARM, NAWLINS HOSPITALITY

Fantastic Bayfield Wisconsin North Woods bed and breakfast. Consistently high ratings by guests and one of the top ranked Bayfield bed and breakfasts on TripAdvisor.

Located on 3.5 acres with soaring pine trees and amazing gardens, just one block from Lake Superior, Pinehurst Inn provides a tranquil environment from which to enjoy all that the North Woods of Wisconsin and the Bayfield area have to offer. Come experience the majestic Lake and Apostle Islands and take in the natural beauty of the area by land or water.

We are open year-round so you can experience the four uniquely beautiful seasons of the North Woods. From boat tours and ferry rides to kayaking the Apostle Islands’ sea caves, the summer and fall are full of big water adventures.

Winter brings snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, local downhill skiing and tubing, and so much more fun with the fluffy white stuff. And if the weather cooperates and it is sufficiently cold, there may be an opportunity to experience the awe-inspiring ice caves and the ice road to Madeline Island. There also are many beautiful trails and waterfalls in the area to be enjoyed all year.

See the Pinehurst Inn Bed & Breakfast Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Wisconsin Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals