Outdoors

Gay Alaska – The Globetrotter Guys

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Gay Alaska - The Globetrotter Guys

Alaska is somewhere that has been on our bucket list for a very long time. Whilst our knowledge is limited to glaciers, snow-capped mountains, whales and grizzly bears, every photo we see of the incredible landscape and wildlife just makes us more eager to visit!

Whilst a lot of the states in America are well-known for being either very gay-friendly, or the complete opposite, ‘gay Alaska’ wasn’t something we knew anything about.

To find out more, we spoke to local gay guy Victor, from Anchorage. Here’s what he has to say about being gay in Alaska.

Hi Victor! Can you first please introduce yourself to our readers? Tell them a little bit about yourself – where you are from / your hobbies and interests etc.

Hi guys! I’m Victor. I’m 36 years old, born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, but I’ve also spent a significant amount of time at Alexander Creek. Alexander Creek is a tiny community off the road system, meaning you can only reach it by boat, sea plane or snowmachine (we don’t call them snowmobiles in Alaska).

I have been married twice. The 1st time was to a woman, and I have two biological daughters. I have been with my husband, Eric, for just over six years now. We were married in Alaska in 2016 and I’ve never been happier.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

Alaska Gay Travel Resources

Gunnison Nude & Gay Beach

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Gunnison Nude Beach

The eastern shore of Sandy Hook is home to Gunnison Nude & Gay Beach, one of the most popular gay beaches in New Jersey. Gunnison Beach is clothing-optional and a fantastic place for a summer day trip. Locals from New Jersey as well as New York City frequent Gunnison. Ferry service from Manhattan makes the journey quite easy.

I found the crowd at the Gunnison gay nude beach to be quite open and friendly. Groups of friends mingle and passing beachgoers often say hello. People are much more relaxed here, similar to the vibe in New York’s cherished Fire Island Pines gay community. 

After you take your first trip to Gunnison, I’ll bet you can’t wait to visit again!

Getting to the Gunnison Nude Gay Beach 

If you’re driving, you can park inside of Sandy Hook’s Gateway National Recreation Area. For Gunnison Beach, follow signs for Lot G. The shore is only a five-minute walk from here.

If you’re traveling from New York City, then you also have the option of using the Sandy Hook ferry service. While it’s not as frequent, it can definitely be faster than driving on a weekend morning during summer. 

Full Gunnison Nude Beach post on wolfyy

Gay New Jersey Resources

South African Wildlife Sanctuaries – The Globetrotter Guys

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South African Wildlife Sanctuaries - The Globetrotter Guys

Without a doubt, one of the main draws of visiting South Africa is the native wildlife.

Almost as soon as you picture visiting South Africa – or Africa as a whole – images of iconic animals spring to mind – lions, zebras, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and cheetahs to name just a few.

Of course, the best way to view the local wildlife is in the wild. There are countless safaris to choose from, allowing you to see these animals in their natural habitat, such as Sanbona which we visited near to Cape Town.

However safaris can be quite expensive, span for a few days and there is of course no guarantee of sightings. So, for a lot of people, whether you are on a budget, or limited time, the next best alternative to see native wildlife is by visiting a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. 

Choosing a South African Wildlife Sanctuary

When it comes to choosing among South Africa wildlife sanctuaries to visit, there are a few things to take into consideration.

  • First, where is the sanctuary located – is it easily accessible to where you are based or staying?
  • Secondly, what can you expect to see there? Does the sanctuary have permanent residents, or do the animals change?
  • And for us, most importantly of all, is the sanctuary ethical – and how so?

As we were lucky enough to spend 3 months in South Africa during 2019, we managed to visit quite a few different sanctuaries.

Full Story at The Globetrotter Guys

South Africa Gay Travel Resources

Sunrise at Bali’s Mount Batur

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Mount Batur at Sunrise - Keep Calm and Wander

My adventurous trek to Mt Batur volcano to watch the sunrise was all worth it! 

“Sunrise trek to Mount Batur? Why not? Ok, sign me in!” Those were the words I uttered when a tour agent asked if I’d be interested. Of course, I paid the tour right away without qualms. You see – I love a mountain climb. I always do. At my age right now (I’m not really that old hag yet), I know, I’d be slower than I used to be.

For me, it’s all about proper breathing when trekking/climbing/hiking a mountain. And of course – keeping a distance from the person you are following with. I find that if I hike closer behind someone, I’m pressured/forced to keep up – and I won’t enjoy the journey anymore. So, I want to be the last one in a group.

Mount Batur Volcano Trek Tour

Based in Ubud, I was picked up at my accommodation at 2:15 AM. Then, they served us a pre-breakfast food: banana pancakes and coffee/tea. Right after that, we’re off to the base of Mt. Batur. When we arrived there, two guides met us (a group of 9) and briefed us about safety. They then each gave us a small flashlight for the trek.

At 3:40, we started our trek in the darkness. Under the star-filled skies, the adventurous climb was off to a good start.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Bali Gay Travel Resources

Mexico’s Coba Ruins – 2TravelDads

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Mexico's Coba Ruins - 2TravelDads

We love all things history and nature. And Mexico. Although we spend the most time in Baja California Sur there’s something truly unique and wonderful about the Yucatan Peninsula and the state of Quintana Roo. In addition to the pristine waters, wildlife and cenotes, the magical attraction of the Yucatan is the concentration of Mayan ruins, and visiting the Coba Ruins is really a special experience, but you need to know how to visit.

The Coba Ruins are by no means the most famous or most popular ruins on the Yucatan, but they are the most awesome to explore, especially the site called Nohoch Mul, the great pyramid. A visit to the Coba Ruins is a lesson in history, an incredible demonstration in nature, and an intense workout. Of the several sites I’ve visited for Mayan Ruins on the Yucatan, the Coba Ruins was, hands down, the best.

Which is Better, the Tulum or Coba Ruins?

More people visit Tulum which is much more famous than are found visiting the Coba Ruins, but it is not better. In terms of the quality of the site and access to the many ruins, both sites are very similar.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Yucatan Gay Travel Resources

Olympic Peninsula Bucket List – 2TravelDads

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Olympic Peninsula Bucket List - 2TravelDads

The Olympic Peninsula is amazing. I think it should be considered one of the seven wonders of the world even though it’s such a big region and not just one Wonder. This is our bucket list of the 13 most epic sites or activities on the Olympic Peninsula Washington.

As you’re planning your own time on the Olympic Peninsula, feel free to reorder these however make sense for you. There are of course more than 13 epic sites on the Olympic Peninsula bucket list but these take the cake and it cannot be missed when you travel the OP.

How to Get to the Olympic Peninsula

I read an article that said there are two ways to get to the Olympic Peninsula. I laughed out loud for a long time because it was so incorrect. There are twelve different ways to get to the Olympic Peninsula, so whoever said there are only two ways was extremely wrong.

You can take five different ferries to the Olympic Peninsula, and depending on your itinerary and starting point, any may be the right option for you. The five Washington State Ferry routes that sail to the OP are:

  • Seattle -> Bremerton
  • Seattle -> Bainbridge Island
  • West Seattle -> Southworth
  • Edmonds -> Kingston
  • Whidbey Island -> Port Townsend

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park – 2TravelDads

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BLOG - Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park - 2TravelDads

When we’re not lounging on a Florida beach in the hot sun or gallivanting the globe, we love to hike locally. Local, to us, is anything within a few hours’ drive of Seattle. One of our favorite local activities is hiking in Olympic National Park. It’s such an interesting place, with beaches, lowland rainforests, snow-capped peaks, and sweeping views from terrifying ridges. If you’re visiting Seattle hiking Hurricane Ridge is a great idea as it’s one of the closest access points to the Park.

I think most people in the Pacific Northwest will tell you that no visit to the Seattle area is complete without going hiking. There are tons and tons of options, but we truly prefer and will direct visitors to either Mt Rainier National Park or Olympic National Park. Both can be done as day trips or long weekends. Since we live closer, we more often go hiking in Olympic National Park and hiking at Hurricane Ridge is unforgettable every time.

Locale of Hurricane Ridge

As you’re driving on Highway 101 looping around the Olympic Peninsula, you must go through Sequim and Port Angeles. Although the towns themselves might not grab your eye immediately, they’re worth investing a day in…but we’re talking about hiking, not playing tourist.

So, you’re driving through downtown PA and you see a sign for Hurricane Ridge and you turn. You instantly start heading up hill. You’ll wind past the Port Angeles Olympic National Park Visitor Center, up through a few tunnels and keep going up out of the forest. All of the sudden you’re driving on the side of a mountain with little to no shelter and you keep going up. Eventually the road flattens out and you’re in a parking lot on the top of the mountain. Weird and beautiful..

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

Gay Phuket – The Nomadic Boys

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BLOG - Gay Phuket - The Nomadic Boys

Grab a water gun, head here in mid-April and you have a legit free pass to spray water at any cutie you see walking down the street!

Songkran is the Buddhist New Year festival, which takes place every year from the 13th to 15th April. Around this time, Phuket and Bangkok host some of the biggest gay parties across all of Asia. But the thing to do in Songkran is chuck water at everyone. Seriously – in Buddhism, this symbolises the washing away of bad luck from the previous year. It cleanses you! And oh boy do we gays love a bit of cleansing? Trust us to take this to a whole different level, using it as an excuse to sashay the streets topless (it is, after all, super hot here in April!), chuck water at each other and make it into a massive party!

Phuket continues the festivities right after Songkran when Phuket Pride kicks off. Though to be frank, we found Phuket to be one big gay partyville throughout the entire year. There’s an entire area of gayness here in Patong affectionately nicknamed “Paradise Complex”, where all the gay bars and clubs of the island are. Head a few blocks from here and you reach Patong gay beach, full of hot speedo-clad guys posing, tanning, cruising, Instagramming, TikToking…suffice to say, if you’re looking for a gay beach holiday in Asia, Phuket’s got you covered!

This is our detailed gay guide to Phuket based on our trip here including the best gay hangouts, where to stay covering all budgets, gay spas, things to do and more. Note for LGBTQ travellers heading beyond Phuket, be sure to also check out our bumper gay guide to Thailand.

Gay Phuket

We loved gay Phuket. It was almost as fun as the gay scene of Bangkok, but right next to the beach!

The main gay strip of Phuket is based in and around the “Paradise Complex” of Patong. This is literally the Phuket gay area, all nicely concentrated within a few pedestrianised streets. More specifically, opposite the Royal Paradise Hotel, just off Thanon Ratuthit Songroipi Road.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Gay Thailand Travel Resources

Gay Boracay – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Boracay - The Nomadic Boys

“Stefan, let’s go to Boracay and become beautiful mermaids!”

The thing is, Seby wasn’t joking when he said this to me as we were planning our Philippines trip. He showed me the Boracay Mermaids Instagram profile and exclaimed proudly – “this is going to be us!”

And sure enough it was!

Along with our mermaid adventures along Boracay’s gorgeous White Beach (more about this below!), this tropical Filipino island offers so much for LGBTQ travellers. It has an exciting (albeit small) gay scene to check out with many excellent gay friendly hotels, secluded beaches and highly rated restaurants.

Boracay used to be infamous for being a crazy party island where anything goes! However, things got so raucous and out-of-hand that the government decided to close it for a big 6 month clean up in 2018. Post-clean up, Boracay is as buzzing as it was before, but a lot cleaner, with stricter rules in place to adhere to in order to keep it clean.

Following our visit to Boracay, we’ve put together this detailed gay guide summarising the best gay hotels to stay, places to go out, things to do and other practical tips for LGBTQ travellers. We’ve also included a section about the rules in place in Boracay after the big 2018 cleanup.

Is Gay Boracay safe for travellers?

Absolutely!

The Philippines is generally a gay friendly country, particularly by Asian standards: we’d certainly rank it as one of the most gay friendly countries in Asia. This is largely down to the fact that despite being a very Catholic country, the Filipinos are extremely hospitable and welcoming. They are eager to please and show off their country, especially to foreigners.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Philippines Gay Travel Resources

Olympic National Park’s Ruby Beach – 2TravelDads

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Olympic National Park's Ruby Beach - 2TravelDads

Does anybody think of Washington State as a beach destination? Not hardly, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have the most beautiful beaches around. True, totally missing the palm trees, but we make up for it in other ways. Of all we’ve been to, the most beautiful beach in Washington is for sure Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park.

What makes Ruby Beach so awesome and dramatic? It’s the stacks, the weathered wood, the wildlife, the perfection of it all. We’ve got the scoop for how to visit and have an unforgettable time at the most beautiful beach in Washington. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find some of the red rocks and garnets that give Ruby Beach its name.

HOW TO GET TO RUBY BEACH

One of the things that makes Ruby Beach the most beautiful beach in Washington is its remote location. Located just over three hours from Seattle and a little more than 2 hours from Olympia, it’s not exactly an impromptu day trip. If you’re making the trek that far you should plan on spending a few days both at the beach and in the rainforest.

Yes, Ruby Beach is very near both the Quinault and Hoh Rainforest areas of Olympic National Park, either of which is easy to add to your trip to Ruby Beach. See, already you’ve started forming an awesome travel plan encompassing beaches, forests and more. Check out our Olympic Peninsula road trip itinerary to get some more ideas!

Tip: a weekend trip is plenty of time to do Ruby Beach, as well as the beaches of Kalaloch and La Push. If you can do three nights, that’s really best because then you can add in the rainforests to your plans and maybe even some hiking at Hurricane Ridge.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Olympic Peninsula Gay Travel Resources