Studlagil Canyon in Iceland – Once Upon a Journey

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

Gay Miami Beaches – The Nomadic Boys

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

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

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

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

The Imperial Citadel of Than Long – Keep Calm and Wander

The Imperial Citadel of Than Long - Keep Calm and Wander

The Imperial Citadel of Than Long in Hanoi is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its cultural, political, and architectural significance. Unlike other UNESCO World Heritage Sites I’ve been to, the citadel was kind of a disappointment to me. I thought I was gonna see much more than just one edifice of a bygone era.

Standing or sitting at the facade gave me an impression of its well-maintained domain. But, of course, I was wrong! Go up and you will find its outgrown sods.

I believe that there is more to this sole structure but they’re not showing it -yet? The brochure I had said about objects (coins, ceramics) that were excavated in 2004 but I didn’t see one.

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Hanoi Gay Travel Resources

Lesbian Malmo – Once Upon a Journey

lesbian Malmo, Sweden - Once Upon a Journey

Malmo is a trendy, eco-friendly, diverse, and green city in the South of Sweden. It’s the third-largest city of Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and it’s the spot for young creative entrepreneurs. Almost half of Malmo’s population is under 35 years old and over 180 different nationalities live in the city. Malmo has many universities, so many students around the world come to Malmo to study. The city is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, and start-ups!

In this article, we will tell you all about the top things to do in lesbian Malmo. From exploring Malmo from the canals to playing boule to relaxing at the sauna, to visiting one of many museums; in Malmo it’s all possible. We will also tell you where to stay in Malmo and about a few Malmo restaurants where you can enjoy delicious foods.

This article is in partnership with Malmo Town, who invited us to explore Malmo. As always, all experiences and opinions are our own.

Explore Malmo Old Town (Gamla Staden)

The heart of Malmo is its old town. You can’t visit Malmo without exploring Gamla Staden. Wander around for at least half a day to enjoy the cutest streets with cobbled stones, colorful houses, historic squares, restaurants, cafes, museums, and shops. Don’t forget to bring your camera, as you want to take pictures here!

Full Story at Our Taste for Life

Lesbian Malmo Travel Resources

Sri Lanka’s Kandy Lake – Keep Calm and Wander

Sri lanka's Kandy Lake - Keep Calm and Wander

The views around Kandy Lake are worth seeing. I recommend you walk around the lake and just enjoy it leisurely. Stop in a nearby cafe or under a shed if you needed to. Strolling around was actually kind of therapeutic to me after a whirlwind of sightseeing days before I arrived here. On my second day in Kandy, I had a whole morning free so I used the time to stroll around Kandy Lake.

After the early visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, I told my driver I’d spend the rest of the morning strolling. He was okay with it and told me where to meet him afterwards.

Kandy Lake is a man-made lake that was built in 1807 to beautify the the country’s most sacred Buddhist temple.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Sri Lanka Gay Travel Resources

Best Gay Beaches in the World – The Nomadic Boys

Best Gay Beaches in the World - The Nomadic Boys

Waves lapped gently against the shore, the sun beat down and warmed my every fiber, palm trees swayed in the breeze. As I took a sip of my ice-cold mojito, I asked Seby: “Is there anything better than a trip to the beach?”

“Of course” he replied, “a trip to a gay beach!”

I had to admit, he was right. Whether it’s the chance to get active in the water, show off your hard work in the gym or simply top up that tan, it’s no secret that many gay guys feel most fabulous at the beach. This has meant that gay beaches have popped up across the world down the years, providing a hotspot for local gay communities and gay tourists too.

From vibrant city center beaches where summer nightlife lasts well into the early hours or more relaxed, isolated affairs with a cultivated vibe, gay beaches come in as many shapes, sizes, and guises as gay men. Whether you’re searching for the best gay beaches in the United States or fancy visiting a gay beach further afield, our rundown of the twenty best gay beaches in the world has got you covered.

Fire Island Pines Gay Beach in New York, USA

Fire Island is a thin sliver of land running parallel to the south shore of Long Island in New York. It’s a serious gay mecca on the east coast, where the Manhattan gay boys come to party during summer. The main gay areas are predominantly located around Cherry Grove (or “the Grove” for short) and Fire Island Pines (aka “the Pines”). The beaches around here are gay as hell.

The Grove and the Pines have been gay havens since the 1960s and have largely been left alone as self-governing communities. This has allowed an “anything goes” attitude to flourish here, which makes for some wild fun as well as some of the skimpiest swimsuits we’ve ever seen! Spots such as Pavilion are ideal for drinks in the sun before moving on to more hedonistic establishments such as Sip n Twirl.

Our favorite spot is located on the wild stretch of beach between the Grove and the Pines, separated by a large forest. As you enter the forest between the two communities, continue heading towards the beach ahead and there you’ll find it. The total walk from either the Grove or the Pines ferry dock is around half a mile. Check out why we also rate Fire Island as one of the best vacation spots in the US.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Ios – The Globetrotter Guys

Gay Ios - The Globetrotter Guys

We first visited Ios as part of our gay sailing trip around the Greek Islands in 2019 and immediately fell in love with this beautiful island.

Ios is part of the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea and can be found between Naxos and Santorini. It is a relatively small island at only 18 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide.

The island is known for its lazy days, beautiful beaches and party fuelled nights.

As places like Santorini become increasingly popular with huge numbers of tourists, places like Ios give you the opportunity to explore an equally beautiful island without so many crowds, especially since it has no airport so you can only arrive by sea!

Like Santorini, Ios is covered with white washed, blue domed buildings which look stunning and are iconic of these islands.

When it comes to gay Ios, it does not have a well established gay scene like you would find in Mykonos (see our Gay Travel Guide to Mykonos). However like many places we visited around Greece, we felt welcome as a gay couple and did manage to find it’s one gay bar during our explorations!

Check out our Gay Greece Guide for a shortlist of our top gay destinations in Greece.

In our mini ‘Gay Ios Travel Guide’ we share the best things to do in Ios as well as where to stay, and some great recommendations for a sunset drink!

By Sion & Ben – Full Story at the Globetrotter Guys

Greece Gay Travel Resources