Gay Life in Italy – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Life in Italy - Marco from Puglia - The Nomadic Boys

Marco From Puglia on Gay Life in Italy

Whenever we come to Italy, our gaydar is always in a state of flummox! Every other guy here is ripped to perfection and dressed immaculately. Personal space isn’t an issue with Italians – it’s easy to misconstrue innocent friendly warm gestures. Not that we’re complaining!

We always welcome a trip to the bel paese. We love it and always leave wanting to return – from our first year anniversary in Venice, our gay road trip in Puglia, the glorious Amalfi coast, exploring historical Rome, and partying in the exciting gay scene of Milan. The Italian cities and countryside simply tick every box.

But, when it comes to LGBTQ rights here, it is lagging behind its West European neighbors. For example, Italy has not yet introduced LGBTQ+ equality (although civil unions were introduced in 2016) and anti-discrimination laws have not been applied nationwide. This is not to say that this beautiful country is in any way a dangerous place for queer travelers – quite the contrary! This place offers so much for LGBTQ travelers and welcomes them with open arms. So what is gay life in Italy really like?

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Italy Gay Travel Resources

Pattaya’s Supertown – Thailand’s New Gay Destination

Supertown - Gay Supertown Blog

Thailand is a wonderous country, it is a mix of a ancient culture and modern cities, warm beautiful beaches and cool misty mountains. Thai people are very welcoming by nature and will endeavor to make you feel most welcome!

Most major cities have a significant gay population of both Asian and Westerner and the public by & large is accepting of the lifestyle. As a vacation spot, it is hard to beat. For gay tourists it can be a wonderful destination to explore. Unlike many places, Thailand caters to gay tourists of all ages.

Pattaya / Jomtien Beach is located on the Eastern Seaboard of the Gulf Of Thailand approximately two hours south of Bangkok, the country’s Capitol. The official population stands about 100,000 but that number does not include non Thai Ex-Pats and many Thais who work here but call other provinces home.

Thailand’s Supertown Gay Complex

Jomtien Complex  south of town by about 4 km which for years seemed a “hit or miss after thought” with only a few bars and a lot of empty shophouses. A few years ago, Jomtien Complex was renamed Supertown Jomtien Walking Street to avoid confusion with a similarly named Condo.  Many locals still refer to by its former name.

Full Story at the Gay Supertown Blog

Jomtien Gay Travel Resources

Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Cambodia With Local Aaron - The Nomadic Boys

Cambodia is surprisingly queer friendly by Asia standards – and we loved it! We easily rate it as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in Asia.

Traveling in Cambodia as a gay couple was a joy for us. We never felt discriminated against anywhere we stayed, and also discovered a pretty big scene in the main cities, particularly in Phnom Penh and in Siem Reap.

Living in Gay Cambodia

Culturally, the LGBTQ community here has a lot of visibility in society, with a small gay pride taking place in Phnom Penh every year since 2003, the Cambodian film Who Am I? in 2009 was the first to depict a lesbian couple and became a huge hit. More recently, in 2015 gay Cambodia got its first LGBT magazine called Q Cambodia and in June 2017, the government announced it would introduce a new course in schools to teach students about LGBTI issues, sexuality, and gender – an amazing feat!

However, that’s from our perspective as foreign tourists. What’s the true reality like? In Phnom Penh, we connected with our local gay friend, Aaron, who spent his childhood living on the streets of Phnom Penh for 8 years until he managed to develop a better life for himself and his family. In this interview with Aaron, he tells us about life in Cambodia and what it’s really like.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Colombia Gay Travel Resources

Kilting It Up in Gay Scotland – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Scotland - Nomadic Boys

With landscapes full of drama and wonder, accents so heavy and thick they sent ripples down our spines, and gorgeous men who go full commando under their kilts, is it any wonder gay Scotland will always have our hearts?

We’ll never forget our road trip around the rugged Scottish countryside, the natural phenomena that we got to witness up close, and the wonderful people that we met along the way.

Visiting Gay Scotland (in a Kilt)

An outsider’s perception of Scotland may be that it’s nothing but rolling hills, a few lakes, fields of sheep and cows, and tiny villages full of red-headed bearded men. It couldn’t be further from the truth! While there is plenty of nature (and gingers, but hey, we think they’re very hot), Scotland has an incredible history and mythical side to it.

There’s Nessie, the legendary Loch Ness monster. The shape shifting kelpies. The piercing shrieks from the banshee – or maybe that sound was just me having to work through a muddy field in a rainstorm!

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Scotland Gay Travel Resources

Hanging Out in Gay Edinburgh – The Nomadic Boys

Hanging Out in Gay Edinburgh - The Nomadic Boys

Here is our fabulous gay guide to Edinburgh, with the best places to sleep, eat, drink, party, and more.
We hold our hands up…we are kilty of falling in love with Edinburgh!

From the ever-present visual of the castle that looms over the city to the faint sound of bagpipes you can hear on most street corners, we couldn’t help but look around in love and say aloud to ourselves “thistle do nicely.”

We spent hours wandering about the bustling Royal Mile, down the winding Victoria Street (which famously inspired JK Rowling in creating Diagon Alley), and into the thriving Grassmarket courtyard, where we found a bountiful selection of pubs and cafes. But it was the electric and kind spirit of the Scottish people that loch-ed in our deep love.

This was our second trip to Scotland together – last time focusing on the gay scene of Inverness and the gorg beauty of the Scottish Highlands. We really fell in love with the Scottish capital. Edinburgh is a city steeped in history and mysticism, with a stunning photo opportunity on every street corner.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Edinburgh Travel Resources

Visiting Gay Zurich – The Nomadic Boys

Visiting Gay Zurich - The Nomadic Boys

The Nomadic Boys Visit Gay Zurich – And Tell About It

Zurich. A city so organised, so efficient, so perfect in every way, it is said to run like clockwork.

Enter the Nomadic Boys: two ditzy, calamity gay guys descending upon the city, with their mouths agape, and disrupting the peace entirely. We were two pink peas in a pod!

We quickly had to get used to how “operational” gay Zurich was. Like reminding ourselves that when a bus or a train says they are leaving at a specific time, they meant there are actually leaving at that time (as opposed to the time being a gentle guideline like they are back home!).

Once we got into the rhythm of the city, we fell in love. There’s the classic architecture, the mild-mannered people, the mouth-watering food, and of course, a plenitude of chocolate.

The only drawback is – how darn expensive it is! Our first night there we both audibly gasped when we opened our menus – and it wasn’t because the place didn’t serve margaritas… Other than that, there is so much to love and gush over. And we’ve laid it all out down for you below.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia - The Nomadic Boys

“Guys, how many days should I stay in Phnom Penh?” …is a question we get asked a lot by our readers. And the answer is, it really depends on how much time you have on your hands to explore Cambodia. We came here expecting to stay for a few days but ended up staying for a few weeks!

Phnom Penh is the capital city and main transport hub of Cambodia. It’s famous for the Killing Fields – a harrowing memorial dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime. Most come to visit this then quickly move on to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat. For us, we extended our trip here because we quickly fell in love with the bustling Cambodian capital. It’s a very cool, modern, city, similar to Bangkok but on a much smaller scale.

At the end of the day, it depends on how long you’ve got for your Cambodia trip. We think you could easily spend a week (or two!) in gay Phnom Penh and never be bored. However, for those pushed for time, we think two days is more than enough to get a flavor of the city and learn about the country’s sad history.

When is the best time to visit Gay Phnom Penh?

We think Phnom Penh can be visited at any time of year. There is no “ideal” time to go or months to avoid.

In terms of weather, the dry season takes place between November to April. At this time of year, the sky is usually clear blue. However, this is also the peak tourist season, so hotels are at full price, and tourist attractions are heaving with package tourists.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Vietnam Gay Travel Resources

Gay Life in Nepal – The Nomadic Boys

Gay Life in Nepal - The Nomadic Boys

Our friend Tilak from Kathmandu tells us about gay life Nepal and how it was growing up here.

Gay Life in Nepal – The Shining Pink Beacon of South Asia.

When it comes to LGBTQ rights, Asia as a whole is notorious for being super conservative, especially across South Asia. Here, most countries have anti-LGBTQ+ laws in place (like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives), and one of them even has state execution on the cards – Afghanistan! Only India, Bhutan, and Nepal have thrown out and repealed their anti-gay laws. However, Nepal is the only one to have gone further and introduced a comprehensive set of anti-discrimination laws to protect its LGBTQ community.

This is why we rate Nepal as one of the most gay friendly countries in Asia. But as we said, this is one very conservative region of the world with much work to be done. Nepali society remains very conservative – many men end up leading double lives, marrying a woman to please the family, keeping their true nature hidden deep in the closet.

The Nepali gay community is evolving and growing more confident every year thanks in part to the amazing work of LGBTQ organisations like the Blue Diamond Society. In Kathmandu, we met local boy Tilak, who showed us the small gay scene in Thamel and told us more about gay life in Nepal. Whilst the country is very progressive on paper, and to foreigners, for the local LGBTQ community, Nepal is still very conservative, and for this reason, Tilak asked that we keep his identity anonymous.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Nepal Gay Travel Resources

Travel Guide to Gay Mongolia – The Nomadic Boys

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

Japanese Gay Life – The Nomadic Boys

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