Asia offers so much for gay travellers. Whether you’re looking for rich cultural experiences, magnificent natural wonders or exciting gay parties, Asia’s got it all.
We’ve put together all our experiences and adventures from our travels in Asia including travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway through Russia, camping with Mongolian nomads in the Gobi Desert, hiking with Sherpas in the Himalayas of Nepal, partying in the awesome gay bars of Bangkok, trying fried scorpions and tarantulas in Cambodia and standing in awe at the Great Wall of China outside of Beijing.
Asia is generally a very conservative continent and not as gay friendly as Europe and America. It therefore pays to be careful in Asia, particularly in countries where homosexuality is illegal (like in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Myanmar, Malaysia) or it’s such a taboo that being open can get you into a lot of trouble (like in Indonesia and Russia).
On the whole, we generally found Southeast Asia to be more welcoming towards LGBTQ travellers, with pockets of fabulousness in East Asia (like Japan and Taiwan) as well as in South Asia (like Nepal and India).
Our top pics for gay havens in Asia which welcome LGBTQ travellers the most include: Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Nepal and Cambodia.
Some of our favourite places that we’d go back to in a heartbeat for the gay parties include the Songkran Circuit parties in April in Bangkok and Taipei Pride in October – the largest gay event in Asia. As foodies, we were particularly enthralled by the thalis of India, the curries of Sri Lanka, anything Japanese(!), and the delicious street food across Thailand and Malaysia. As divers, we loved the coral reefs around Indonesia’s Komodo National Park, Japan’s tropical southern Yaeyama islands and El Nido in the Philippines.
Some of our most popular gay travel content about Asia includes:
Below you’ll find our latest content relating to gay travel in Asia, from city guides, country travel guides, inspiring content detailing our experiences, and more!
The Kuang Si Falls in Luang Prabang, Laos, is one of the most stunning backdrops that now proudly adorns our living room wall back home. It was a beautiful day …
Here is everything gay travelers need to plan a fun and safe trip to Azerbaijan. We include our vital practical safety tips for LGBTQ travelers and our pick of the …
This is Seby’s account of what it was like trekking in the Himalayas in Nepal during our Annapurna Trek to Thorong La Pass, which is at an altitude of 17,769 …
Our detailed guide to some of the best gay restaurants in Bangkok to check out the delicious food that Thailand is so famous for! Eating out in Thailand is always …
Have you ever wondered what gay life in Bhutan is like? We spoke to a couple of inspiring LGBTQ people in Thimphu who gave us their unique perspective on what …
Our detailed gay travel guide to Bhutan, a country clouded in mystery, wanders, and has recently opened up and embraced LGBTQ tourism. Imagine Wakanda but in Asia! A progressive nation …