Queer Travel: The Most Relaxed Vacation Destinations for LGBT Travelers

Be who you are, love who you want? It would be nice!

Rainbow families, gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender people are not welcome everywhere in the world – in some countries same-sex love is even punishable by the death penalty. What sounds completely absurd can actually be dangerous when traveling. Therefore, it is important to look at the laws of the desired travel destination before planning your vacation if you are unsure.

What further complicates travel planning: A country is always more than its laws. Even if same-sex marriage is legal in the USA, that doesn’t mean that you can come out anywhere without any problems. And if homosexual acts are a criminal offense in Malaysia, it doesn’t automatically mean that same-sex couples can’t have a great vacation there.

That is why queer people unfortunately have to find out twice as much about their travel destination before they book their vacation: Where do I feel safe and welcome, where do I meet like-minded people, where can I live my love, where can I easily move into a hotel room with my partner? where to use relevant dating apps without getting into trouble with the population or the police? We give an overview.

The most enjoyable travel destinations for LGBTIQ + people

If you don’t want to hide and want to travel without fear of aggression, violence or punishment, you can choose countries and regions of the so-called western world: Western, Southern and Northern Europe, the USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

1) Queer Travel: Europe

Would you like to come into contact with other queer people while on vacation? One of the hotspots for the lesbian and gay community in Europe is Greece Mykonos, Santorini and the island of Lesbos, where one of the biggest lesbian parties in the world takes place every year: the International Eressos Women’s Festival.

Stand in Spain Gran Canaria, Ibiza, and the former fishing village Sitges near Barcelona, which is also a popular destination for the LGBTIQ + community, topped the list. On Mallorca is the international lesbian festival every year Ella celebrated, and also Madrid and Valencia have a thriving LGBTIQ + community.

There is also a big scene in cities like Lisbon, Paris, Amsterdam, London, Manchester and Brighton. The English seaside city has the largest number of same-sex households in England. And in the Finnish capital Helsinki clubs, restaurants and shops welcome queer guests with little rainbow flags.

Also on the French island Reunion Island The LGBTIQ + community is welcome off the east coast of Africa, and the island has even published a government-funded travel guide for a gay and lesbian audience.

Iceland is also known as a particularly lesbian-friendly travel destination. No wonder: With Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, the country got the first openly homosexual head of government in the world in 2009. Considered one of the most queer-friendly countries Sweden: Lesbians and gays have been allowed to marry here since 2009, and more Pride festivals are celebrated per capita than anywhere else in the world. There have long been gender-neutral shops and toilets in all of the larger cities.

2) Queer Travel: Asia

In Asia is Thailand a pleasant destination for gay or transgender people. Especially in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui you can take a relaxed holiday with like-minded people, and with luck you can take part in one of the Pride or Drag Queen parades. Also Bali and Taiwan are liberal about the LGBTIQ + scene. Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.

3) Queer Travel: USA and Canada

In the USA, the classic hotspots are called the community San Francisco, LA and Palm Springswhere every spring with the Dinah Shore Weekend the world’s largest lesbian festival is rising. But also new York, Key West, Miami Beach and Las Vegas are popular travel destinations, just like New Orleanswhere the gay community is as colorful as the city. In these places there are not only appropriate events, bars, clubs and Pride festivals, but also hotels especially for lesbians and gays.Are great too Seattle, Chicago, Austin and Portland. Northampton in Massachusetts has made a name for itself as “Lesbianville”. And stand in liberal Canada Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver at the top of the LGBT Q hit list.

According to the LGBTIQ + Travel Safety Index, these are the 25 best travel countries:

Yes, you read that right: Germany is not included!

4) Queer Travel: Caribbean

You have to take a closer look at the Caribbean, because life is not easy-peasy for everyone on the sun-kissed dream islands. In contrast to mainland Latin America, the formerly British-occupied islands in particular are hostile to the LGBT community. In Jamaica and Barbados, for example, same-sex love can put you behind bars for life. The Cayman Islands have also passed homophobic laws, as have Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and the Dominican Republic.

But if you still dream of a Caribbean vacation, you can go there without hesitation Cuba, Puerto Rico, Curacao, Martinique, the Virgin Islands, the Caribbean Netherlands, Aruba, Saint-Barthélemy and to the mexican caribbean coast to travel.

Queer Travel: The No-Go Nations

Homosexual acts are illegal in 71 (out of 195) countries around the world. In the worst case, the death penalty threatens. Publicly identifying yourself as a couple or using relevant dating apps can be dangerous there, even if more for men. But who wants to go on vacation in a country where homosexuality is persecuted and punished?

These are mainly countries in which religion plays a central role. Brunei, which applies Islamic law (Sharia), still decreed in 2019 that gay men can be stoned to death, while lesbian sex can be punished with 40 lashes and ten years in prison.

A homophobic climate also prevails in the conservative Christian one Uganda and up Jamaica. Also in Malaysia and Singapore the community has nothing to laugh about. From other popular holiday destinations you should consider the Oman, Iran, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, Zambia and Tanzania avoid.

But you should also circumnavigate Eastern Europe if you don’t necessarily want to go. In Poland, Hungary and Russia sentiment against same-sex couples is increasingly being made, and also in Romania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia Lesbians and gays are better off not showing their sexual inclinations in public.

Sources: everyqueer.com, queerintheworld.com, Spartacus Gay Travel Index, overtherainbow.de, onceuponajrny.com, Reisenexclusiv.com, asherfergusson.com/lgbtq-travel-safety

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