nightlife

Lesbian London – Our Taste for Life

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Lesbian London - Our Taste for Life

London is one of the most gay and lesbian-friendly cities in all of Europe. I’ve lived and worked in London for almost all of my life. And I’ve always been grateful for its tolerant and open-minded attitude towards the LGBTQ+ community. As not only can you be yourself without fear of discrimination, but the gay and lesbian nightlife in London is some of the best in the world. From pulsating gay nightclubs and exclusive lesbian bars, to the cities world-famous PRIDE events, gay and lesbian London has a lot to offer.

London’s fabulous gay scene aside, the British capital is a thriving metropolis, bursting with culture, history, fashion, architecture, and an eclectic culinary scene. Not only that, but the city boasts an endless realm of attractions and places to visit that will keep you entertained for days on end. So if you’re looking for an action-packed, gay-friendly, city break in Europe, lesbian London is a winning choice.

You can honestly never get bored in London and all it has to offer. And this guide aims to provide you with all the information you need to have an unforgettable time. I’ve listed all of the hottest gay bars and nightclubs; gay-friendly hotels and hostels; the best LGBT+ centred events; as well as all the top things to do around the city. We will also touch on LGBT+ rights and social opinions in the UK, so you come fully prepared.

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

Lesbian London Travel Resources

Gay Colombo, Sri Lanka – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Colombo, Sri Lanka - The Nomadic Boys

“Colombo, the bustling capital city of Sri Lanka, is gritty, crowded but super charming.”

It has all the colourful quirks you’d find in India but with a more calming atmosphere. We felt like we were receiving a spiritual cleansing just by walking down the streets!

Colombo is bursting with Buddhist temples, markets and smiling Sri Lankan faces. Every corner is steeped in history and culture. We found ourselves torn over what activity to tackle next, what to see, what story to unravel, who to speak to, where to eat. It never gets dull for a moment!

As tourists with passing interests in history, it more than satisfied our needs. Everything from the museums to the many temples helped unravel the story of this great nation. As gay travellers, we still felt relatively comfortable to be ourselves (more about this below!) and find sparks of queerness in the city tapestry. Whether it be in the fabulous display of masks and costumes we found in the museums or the underground gay scene where we found our fellow brothers and sisters of the gay community.

We’ve put together this guide to Colombo for you to check out all the tips and tricks of exploring the city as an LGBTQ traveller. We also recommend you check out our gay guide to Sri Lanka alongside this guide if you’re exploring more of the country.

Is Colombo safe for gay travellers?

While homosexuality is still illegal in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans are very welcoming people and super curious towards foreigners whether straight or gay. We never felt in any danger for being gay, nor ever experienced any homophobia. Put it this way, we never thought twice about booking a double bed anywhere in Sri Lanka. In fact, there is even a growing number of hotels targeting gay travellers in nearby Negombo.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Sri Lanka Gay Travel Resources

Bangkok’s Stranger Bar – The Nomadic Boys

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Bangkok's Stranger Bar - The Nomadic Boys

What used to be an unassuming gay bar in Bangkok’s Silom Soi 4 gay scene is now one of the hottest gay hangouts in the city. Every evening from around 9pm Stranger Bar has a hilarious drag show featuring some of the most talented, quirky and hottest queens from all around Asia.

We first came here back in 2012/3 and barely noticed it – the gay scene of Silom Soi 4 dominated by giants Telephone and Balcony bars next door. When we returned a few years later it had started making an impact and had become one of the fixed staples on the scene. Then when we were last here in early 2020, it had become THE hottest drag venue in the entire city, busy every evening!

We caught up with the super charismatic owner of Stranger Bar, Chakgai. In this interview, Chakgai tells us what it’s like owning a bar in Bangkok, what gay life is like in Thailand and what it is about Stranger Bar that has made it become so successful over the years.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Bangkok Gay Travel Resources

Barcelona Gay Bars – The Nomadic Boys

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Having been the birthplace of the LGBTQ movement in Spain, Barcelona is a hot favourite for gay travellers moving across Europe. It has a rich history, fabulous sights, a gorgeous beach and a super hot nightlife at all the Barcelona gay bars.

There is so much variety across the city for when you’re hitting the town. You don’t even need to be the biggest party animal. You can be fairly chilled and still find a comfy corner to spend the evening. Bear in mind, the Spanish do things quite late, so if you’re planning an evening out and about, be sure to factor in an afternoon dolly nap siesta!

This is our comprehensive guide to the best gay bars in Barcelona, which you can see there are plenty to choose from!

Where is the gay neighbourhood of Barcelona?

Tucked into the centre of the Eixample district is the glowing “Gaixample” (pronounced gay-sham-ple) gay neighbourhood of Barcelona. This is where most of the gay bars of Barcelona can be found. The area is more specifically defined as being between Carrer de Balmes, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, Carrer del Comte d’Urgell and Carrer d’Aragó.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Barcelona Gay Travel Resources

WeHo Gay Nightlife – WeHoVille

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WeHo Gay Nightlife

West Hollywood’s best dive bar? WeHo’s best sushi restaurant? Our city’s best barbershop, pet boarding place, Pilates studio? These are among the many categories we included on WEHOville’s Best Of ballot in August. The online voting turnout was great (and monitored by us geeks to make sure we weren’t being trolled — i.e. Putin didn’t vote, only you did).

We published the results in West Hollywood Magazine, our quarterly print publication, which was out last week and which you can find in news racks, restaurants and shops around the city.

Best of WeHo Night Life
Best Dive Bar

No. 1
Mother Lode
8944 Santa Monica Boulevard
West Hollywood
www.facebook.com/MotherLodeWestHollywood
(310) 659-9700

The word “mother lode” means something of great value. In West Hollywood, where good ole fashioned dive bars are scarce, Mother Lode is that.

Tucked between the very precious P.U.M.P., owned by reality TV celeb Lisa Vanderpump, and the forever-under-construction space where the restaurant Bottega Louie is opening (some day), is this bar that offers cheap drinks, a chance to play pool and some outdoor areas for smoking. The interior is, uh, rough. And dark. And very charming for those of us into that sort of venue.

And if you’re looking for an early drink, or a late one, Mother Lode is the place, with operating hours from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Full Story at Wehoville

Greater Los Angeles Gay Travel Resources

New York Queer Clubs and Bars

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New York Queer Clubs - the Toolbox

The City that Never Sleeps has plenty of time for nightlife, and the New York queer clubs scene is one of the most prominent in the United States. After all, the Stonewall Inn — a Greenwich Village tavern that was the epicenter of the 1969 Stonewall riots — recently became the country’s first LGBT national monument.

Whether your idea of an amazing night out includes Broadway-worthy singalongs or crowded ragers, there are a number of excellent gay bars and clubs in New York City to check out. Get to know the local LGBT community at one of these eight spots — and don’t forget your dancing cowboy shoes.

For the Dancing: Industry

Grab a drink at the bar and make your way through the crowds to Industry’s dance floor in the back. The DJs at this Hell’s Kitchen club blast up-tempo, Top 40 hits and throwbacks to keep people dancing through the night.

For the Broadway Fans: Marie’s Crisis

Come to Marie’s Crisis and sing along with an amicable troupe of musical lovers regardless of sexual orientation. The skilled pianists at this low-ceilinged West Village basement bar play classics by Sondheim, Lloyd Webber, and Gershwin, while patrons harmonize. Don’t be surprised if you spot a celebrity belting out The Little Mermaid in the crowd: A-listers are no stranger here.

By Peter Schlesinger – Full Story at Travel+Leisure

New York City Gay Travel Resources

London Gay Nightlife

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London Gay Nightlife - Marty Hoeft We’ve gained unique insights into Madrid and Tel Aviv in recent weeks. Now, we’re heading to the mighty London with this YouTube video from gay social media app Moovz. Watch as cute local Marty Hoeft (don’t be fooled by the accent!) meets the people behind iconic LGBTI club nights and venues such as Popcorn, Fire and Ku Bar. Drag queen, scene queen and DJ extraordinaire Jodie Harsh is just one of the Londoners to be featured in the video.

Full Story at Gay Star News

London Gay Travel Resources

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