Identities - Page 43 of 60

Gay Friendly Philippines – Nomadic Boys

April 17, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

We absolutely fell in love with the gay friendly Philippines. It was the big surprise from our big trip around Asia. Most travellers backpacking around Asia also told us the same thing – they came to the Philippines with low expectations but ended up leaving completely besotted with the place!

The Philippines has 7,641 islands of which only 2,000 are inhabited. That’s a shed load of tropical beaches to discover. The country also straddles the Coral Triangle, which makes it a paradise for underwater adventurers – we had some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving experiences here, particularly in the waters around Palawan.

And, it’s super gay friendly! We rate the Philippines as one of the most gay friendly countries in Asia. Whilst it has a long way to go with its LGBTQ laws (as does almost every country in Asia), this was one of the rare countries in Asia where we felt super welcome as a gay couple.

We put this down to the Filipinos. They are extremely friendly, warm and fun-loving people – the “Filipino hospitality” is a thing which they highly value.

We were fortunate to make many LGBTQ Filipino friends during our travels, both in the gay friendly Philippines and elsewhere. We reached out to them to give us their opinion on why they think the Philippines is so gay friendly and awesome! We specifically asked each of them to answer these 2 questions and have printed their answers below.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Philippines Gay Travel Resources

Arizona Sunburst Inn – Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in Phoenix, Arizona

April 16, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

ARIZONA SUNBURST INN – A GAY OASIS IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

Arizona Sunburst Inn Bed and Breakfast offers a private desert oasis in the middle of Phoenix – it’s like you’re out in the countryside.

Our Phoenix B&B features a welcoming, heated pool in a tropical setting – surrounded by magnificent palm trees. The grounds have wide, shady patios cooled by a mist system, and there’s also a hot tub where you can let the cares of the day evaporate away.

For the adventurous and outdoor lovers, there’s some great mountain hiking just a couple blocks away.

Each of our guestrooms is individually decorated, and includes beautifully remodelled bathrooms.

Arizona Sunburst Inn Bed & Breakfast is in one of Phoenix’s best neighborhoods, and is a great place to stay.

See the Arizona Sunburst Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

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

Lesbian Mykonos, A Love Affair – Go Girlfriend

April 13, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

One of the more popular of the Greek islands, Mykonos – part of the Cyclades cluster of islands – has the reputation of a party island and a favorite stop for the jet set celebrities and yachts of the wealthy. A stop on many cruise itineraries, most tourist visits focus is on Mykonos Town (the largest town on the island), varied beach tours and tours to the historically significant local island of Delos. While rocky and scrubby in appearance, the flavour and mood of the island complements this stark mountainous beauty. This happening island has a vibe likened to Ibiza meets St. Tropez – serious fun!

It seems all roads lead to the center of the island and flare out from there in all directions. North is the windy side and famous for windsurfing opportunities unparalleled in the Mediterranean. South hosts the beautiful leeward beaches and home to the great resorts and party zones. West hosts the capital Mykonos Town, Agios Ioannis (of Shirley Valentine fame) and the UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Island of Delos. The Eastern portion of the island is, as yet, an untapped beauty.

Celebrate the Flavor of Mykonos

Mykonos Town – White-washed buildings and shops frame the shoreline, making this a picturesque maze of delightfully refreshing shops, diverse and sumptuous restaurants, vibrant sunsets and historic 16th century windmills. Built in a maze-like mash-up it’s said the intent was to confound looting and thieving pirates, confusing them and discouraging attacks – this is not your designer shopping district like major cities. Mykonos Town is very busy on cruise days, it’s restaurants most busy along the waterside towards sunset. After dark, the bars and clubs crank up their thumping party vibes, keeping this town hopping from early til late. A definite highlight to your Mykonos visit that will not disappoint.

Full Story at Go Girlfriend

Greece Gay Travel Resources

Gay Montevideo – The Nomadic Boys

April 13, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

“Guys it’s true, trust me: 98% of guys in Montevideo are either gay or bisexual!”

…so claimed our Uruguayan friend, Rodrigo, when we were chatting with them in Chains Pub about what gay life is like in Montevideo. Whether or not our friend is right, one thing’s for certain: the guys here are smoking hot!

Montevideo is often described as a “sleepy South America city“ – slow-paced, old fashioned, and nostalgia-tinged. Sleepy or not, we had a ball exploring the gay scene of Montevideo, its cutesy old town and the impressive coastline avenue, the Malecon.

And the bit about 98% of men here allegedly being homosexually inclined in some way? Well whether it’s true or not, this simply speaks volumes about how liberal, open-minded and chilled Montevideo is.

We’ve put together our experiences of Montevideo in this detailed gay guide to inspire your trip to include the best gay hotels, bars, clubs, events, things to do and more.

Is Montevideo safe for gay travellers?

Definitely! Montevideo is frequently rated as one of the most gay friendly cities in the world and based on our personal experience, we certainly rate Uruguay as one of the most gay friendly countries in the world.

To start with, Uruguay has a history of being extremely progressive, lenient and open-minded. It legalised abortions in 2012, established a welfare state all the way back in 1903 and legalised marijuana consumption in 2013. With regards to LGBTQ rights in Uruguay, they have long been secured and respected. For example, homosexuality was decriminalised as far back as 1934, anti-discrimination laws have been in place since 2003, adoption laws since 2009 and gay marriage implemented in 2013.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Uruguay Gay Travel Resources

Borobudur Temple: World’s Largest Buddhist Temple – Keep Calm and Wander

April 9, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

Borobudur Temple is the world’s largest Buddhist Temple. Judging from its massive size, artistry, handiwork, and significance, this temple deserves a UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Take a tour – that’s what I did. The van driver picked me up at 4:00 in the morning and we picked up four more passengers. It was an 11-seater van so it was not crowded at all. We slept all throughout an hour journey. By the time we arrived, some tourists were already ahead of us – in a busload!

Another way to go there is by getting a private car/driver. You can always flag down a taxi and negotiate with them. My hostel told me that IDR500,000 ($37) is a fair price. Take this option if there are 3 or 4 of you in a car.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Indonesia Gay Travel Resources

Thailand’s Trans Culture – The Nomadic Boys

April 9, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

As soon as we mention we’re going to Bangkok, our (straight male) friends are quick to shower us with the “ladyboy” jokes also offering advice on “how to spot them“!

We always try to challenge stereotypes about transgender people in Thailand, the most common usually emanating from a guy’s fear that “they” are plotting to trap and seduce him. The reality, of course, is that “they” really are not! Most are simply trying to lead a normal everyday life, just like you and me, in a world that still hasn’t fully accepted its transgender community.

We have many transgender friends around the world who we’ve met in our travels, like Finn from Berlin. We take great pride in the LGBTQ bond that unites us: as gay men we are ultimately part of the same rainbow family, undergoing the same daily struggles of acceptance. We, therefore, take great pride in using our online platform to have an educative influence for transgender issues by challenging stereotypes and promoting a positive image of our transgender brothers and sisters.

One of our very good trans friends is Regina, who we met when we were out partying in the gay bars of Bangkok. Like us, Regina loves travelling and has stories from all around the world to share. Regina was also open to telling us all about her transition as well as her experience living/working as a trans person in Asia.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Thailand Gay Travel Resources

The Hiking Trails of Ontario’s Darlington Provincial Park – Out With Ryan

April 8, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

If you’re looking to do some hiking near Toronto, the hiking trails of Darlington Provincial Park are the best place to get outdoors this winter. Located just off Highway 401, and a few minutes from Oshawa, Darlington Park is a lovely winter destination to visit for the day.

I surprised my boyfriend to a little day trip to Darlington to experience the beautiful Canadian wilderness and wanted to point out the highlights from our trip & why we’d definitely come back!

If you ever get a snowy day, definitely bring your snowshoes to the hiking trails of Darlington Provincial Park! We brought snowshoes, but due to the warm weather we had in January, we only got to use them for a little bit.

By Ryan – Full Story at Out With Ryan

Ontario Gay Travel Resources

Tokyo Gay Tours – The Nomadic Boys

April 8, 2020April 8, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

An urban jungle of intense energy, electric colours and lights. Yet it all flows together in an impressive orderly manner, absolutely nothing out of place.

This is Tokyo. It’s absolutely mad, like nothing you’ll ever experience! A frenetic city of almost 15 million people, yet somehow doesn’t ever feel crowded – unless you take the metro at rush hour…try this just once to experience it, but otherwise, to be avoided!

Every time we visit Tokyo it always feels like a culture shock and we love it! It gives us everything we want no matter how many times we visit. And as a bonus, it has a terrific gay scene with over 300 gay bars crammed in the tiny Shinjuku Ni-Chome district. We recommend checking out our detailed gay guide to Tokyo for more about this.

Whether you’ve been to Tokyo before or this is your first time, there are a variety of excellent Tokyo gay tours you can join to explore the best the city has to offer from experiencing the Shinjkuku gay scene with a local LGBTQ guide or learning about the city’s history with an LGBTQ focus. We’ve put together some of the best gay tours in Tokyo for LGBTQ travellers to check out right here.

Gay Night Tour of Tokyo

To experience Tokyo’s gay nightlife through the eyes of gay locals, we recommend joining this excellent tour of the gay scene. Remember above when we said there are over 300 gay bars? We weren’t kidding! The majority of Tokyo’s gay bars are tiny spaces all packed together in the Shinjuku Ni-Chome district. The one downside of this is that a handful of these small gay bars do not welcome foreigners and may even refuse you entry if you’re not local or know someone local to take you. Therefore having a gay local showing you the gay scene of Tokyo is the perfect way to get you into such bars as well as steering you through this wacky minefield of Tokyo queerness!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Grandview Gardens B&B – Gay Owned Bed & Breakfast in West Palm Beach, Florida

April 7, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

GRANDVIEW GARDENS B&B – ELEGANT WEST PALM BEACH B&B

Grandview Gardens Bed & Breakfast is in the center of West Palm Beach’s downtown, in the Grandview Heights Historic Neighborhood.

We’re just five minutes from City Place, the renovated and upgraded civic center – walk to fine dining, theaters, outdoor cafes, clubs and bars, and boutique stores.

Grandview Gardens Bed & Breakfast is also close to The Convention Center, Palm Beach Atlantic University, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and the resort island of Palm Beach, and just ten minutes by car from The Palm Beach International Airport.

We offer bicycles for guest use.

We’re surrounded by tropical gardens on Howard Park, just across from the Armory Art Center.

See the Grandview Gardens B&B Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

West Palm Beach Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Three Days In Lesbian Ubud – Our Taste for Life

April 6, 2020 by J. Scott Coatsworth

If you’re looking for the perfect 3 Day lesbian Ubud Itinerary, you’ll be pleased to know you’ve come to the right place. After spending over 2 months in this part of Bali, we can share what we got up to, and what we consider to be the essentials when spending 3 days in Ubud. We also include where to stay, where to eat, and all of our top tips, so you can spend less time planning and more time enjoying what this beautiful part of the island has to offer.

Nestled in the Balinese jungle, Ubud is the cultural and spiritual hub of Bali. Rich in lush nature, traditional architecture and vibrant culture, it’s our favourite place to base ourselves when we are on the island.

Made famous by the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love‘, many visit Ubud in search of spiritual transformation. Whether that be at one of the many yoga & meditation retreats, visiting a local medicine man, or simply spending time in nature. There’s something incredibly healing about the vibe in Ubud, and I can safely say it’s unlike anywhere else in Bali.

If you’re wondering what 3 Days in Ubud might look like, think majestic waterfalls, lush rice terraces, ornate temples, and phenomenal food. Ubud is a wonderland, and you’d be missing out if you excluded it from your Bali itinerary.

So let’s get to it. Here’s our perfect 3 Day Ubud Itinerary to help fuel your wanderlust.

By Charlotte & Natalie – Full Story at Our Taste for Life

India Lesbian Travel Resources