Gay Travel To Thailand: Our Country Guide To The Land Of Smiles / By Stefan Arestis / nomadicboys / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Tourism Culture & Art News Office
Gay Travel To Thailand: Our Country Guide To The Land Of Smiles / By Stefan Arestis / nomadicboys / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Tourism Culture & Art News Office
Our gay travel guide to Thailand based on our personal experience – practical safety tips, top things to do, gay highlights, best foods and more.
“You’ve been to so many places in the world guys, you must have a favourite?”
We sure do! Can you guess what it is?
Hint…it’s a country with gorgeous beaches, mouth-watering food, a rich cultural heritage, plenty of adventure activities, warm-hearted welcoming people, largely inexpensive, and a fantastic gay scene in its capital…
…it’s Thailand!
That’s right, the “Land of Smiles“ is one place we are always happy to come back to. It was one of the first places we ever came to in Asia many moons ago, and it’s one place we always strive to visit again and again, every single year! From the Circuit parties during Songkran to the fantastic street-party feel during New Years, we love love LOVE Thailand! For this reason, we rate Thailand as one of the not-to-miss gay travel vacation destinations in the world.
Thailand is a destination that offers so much to LGBTQ travelers. We’ve put together this comprehensive gay guide to Thailand setting out the best gay scenes across the country, the best queer events to look out for, lots of inspiration for the best activities to do here, and other practical information for LGBTQ travelers.
Here we go!
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Overall, Thailand has progressive LGBTQ laws in places, easily making it one of the most gay friendly countries in Asia in our humble opinion. For example, homosexuality was legalised in 1956 then declassified as an illness in 2002. Furthermore, comprehensive anti-discrimination laws were introduced in 2015, the LGBT community have been allowed to serve openly in the military since 2005, and civil union laws are on the verge of being introduced.
In relation to the transgender community, the right to change legal gender is in the process of being introduced as well, but despite the lack of comprehensive laws about this, Thailand remains a haven for the transgender community in Asia. All the transgender men and women we met during our travels in Asia strived to come to Bangkok for a better life and to have the best surgeries. You can read more about this in our interview with our transgender female friend Regina from the Philippines.
When it comes to same-sex marriage, Thailand still has a way to go, especially when compared to its more liberal Asian neighbour, Taiwan which became the first place in Asia to introduce gay marriage laws in 2019. However, by Asian standards, Thailand remains one of the few LGBTQ-friendly hubs in Asia.
We have many local gay friends in Thailand we made during our many visits here. On the whole, they love their country and are thriving there, but as ever, the reality for locals is always different from how a foreigner sees things. For this reason, we interviewed a few of them to give you an idea of their perspective of what being gay in Thailand is really like: check out our interview with Saroj from Bangkok as well as our interview with the fabulous owner of Stranger Bar.
Gay tour of Thailand
Discover how Thailand earned its moniker ‘The Land of Smiles’ on this awesome gay tour with Out Adventures. The boys over at OA run four annual departures through the country with stops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Phuket. Their April departure even aligns with the country’s famous Songkran water festival. As the old circuit ditty goes, LET’S GET SOAKING WET!
We keep coming back to Thailand for this very reason. The Thais are one of the most warm-hearted and welcoming people we’ve ever come across. Most are Buddhist, a religion with tolerance and acceptance at its core. We felt this from the moment we set foot for our first time at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a young gay couple: no one cared that we are a gay couple, no one gave us funny looks and no one was violent towards us. At worst, people asked if we are brothers…!
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How to Stay Safe Whilst Traveling?
As gay travelers, safety is our #1 priority! This is why we’ve put together our Ultimate Travel Safety Checklist for LGBTQ travelers.
However, Thai society is still very much conservative as are most places in Asia. Outward displays of affection are generally uncommon by both straight and gay couples.
For example, when greeting someone for the first time, the Thais do not hug, kiss or rarely shake hands. Instead, they traditionally put their palms together in a lotus bud by the chest and bow the head.
We avoided public displays of affection for this reason, not because we felt afraid to do so, but more out of respect; it’s not something straight couples did so we followed suit.
We can guarantee that gay travellers to Thailand are very unlikely to ever encounter any homophobia during their holiday. It is a destination that is guaranteed to captivate you in many ways that you will no doubt be planning your next trip back to the “Land of Smiles” as soon as you’ve left – just as we do every single time we depart!
Get your personalised gay friendly itinerary to Thailand
We’ve teamed up with the excellent gay travel company OUT Asia to offer our readers an exclusive 5% discount off the total cost of any trip you book with them. They specialise in crafting tailored trips and
Gay Travel To Thailand: Our Country Guide To The Land Of Smiles / By Stefan Arestis / nomadicboys / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Tourism Culture & Art News Office
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Very Special With İstanbul Guide / 7 Of The Best Neighborhoods In Istanbul / Turkey / By Jennifer Hattam / lonelyplanet.com/Sedat Karagoz / Istanbul,New York Travel,Tourism News Office / Jennifer Bar / Tony Bar / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Travel,Tourism News Office
İstanbul’s World Brands, Wonderful Food And Beverage Venues And Art Galleries,
İstanbul’s World Brands, Wonderful Food And Beverage Venues And Art Galleries,
7 of the best neighborhoods in Istanbul
With its huge size and centuries of history, it would be impossible to see all of Istanbul in one trip – or perhaps even in one lifetime.
10 Of The Best Modern Art Galleries in İstanbul,
Still, its central neighborhoods are relatively compact, and each has its own distinct character and offerings. First-time visitors and those on a tight schedule will likely want to book a hotel in Sultanahmet, smack in the middle of Istanbul’s star attractions, while time spent in other districts gives insights into different aspects of local life in a city that contains multitudes.
Get to know Istanbul by each neighborhood one at a time.
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10 Of The Best Modern Art Galleries in İstanbul,
1. Sultanahmet
Best place to stay for unmissable sights
The (seriously) historic center of Istanbul and the former seat of both the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Sultanahmet contains the majority of the city’s most-visited sights within walking distance of each other, making it a convenient base.
For historic atmosphere, it’s certainly hard to beat: the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque face off across Sultanahmet Square, with the storied Hippodrome alongside and the grandeur of Topkapı Palace just a stone’s throw away. Even seemingly nondescript parks, plazas and parking lots are built atop or alongside ancient ruins.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
With a dense concentration of hotels, accommodation options cater to every budget, including rooms in restored Ottoman mansions and simple pansiyons (hostels) with million-dollar rooftop views over the neighborhood’s domes and minarets.
The flip side is that little local life remains in Sultanahmet, and the generally tourist-focused restaurants hardly show off Turkish cuisine at its best.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
2. Beyoğlu
Best neighborhood for contemporary art and culture
Across the Golden Horn (and a short tram ride away) from Sultanahmet, winding streets climb past the Galata Tower to İstiklal Caddesi, the pedestrian thoroughfare that cuts through the bustling Beyoğlu district.
Known in the past as Pera and Galata, this area has historically been home to many of Istanbul’s Christian and foreign communities.
Today, it retains numerous – and sometimes beautifully restored – European-style apartments from the late 19th and early 20th century.
Important cultural institutions such as the Pera Museum, the newly opened Istanbul Modern, SALT Beyoğlu, SALT Galata (in the former headquarters of the Ottoman Bank), the Istanbul Research Institute and numerous small galleries have established themselves in some of these buildings, making the neighborhood ideal for an afternoon of art-going.
Though no longer the nexus of the city’s dining and nightlife scene it once was, Beyoğlu still has fine contemporary restaurants as well as lively meyhanes (taverns) where the raki and conviviality flow freely.
In addition to the large hotels around Taksim Square, you can find smaller hotels and rental apartments in the Cihangir, Çukurcuma, Galata and Karaköy quarters within Beyoğlu, each of which has an attractive atmosphere of its own.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
3. Fener and Balat
Best areas for antiques and Instagram shoots
Traces of history blend with a stylish present in the adjacent neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, along the banks of the Golden Horn.
The landmark “iron church” and Patriarchal Church of St George attest to the area’s more cosmopolitan past, while colorful old homes and cobbled streets have become a favorite backdrop for film crews and Instagram influencers alike.
Antique collectors, bargain hunters and nostalgia buffs descend on the neighborhood’s many antique stores, especially when they hold lively auctions, while the cafe culture here thrives.
This area doesn’t have many hotel or nightlife options, but a tram along the water – as well as a slower but more scenic ferry on the Golden Horn – make it relatively easy to get back to Sultanahmet or Beyoğlu after a day’s leisurely wandering.
The popularity of the Kadıköy district on the Asian side of Istanbul has exploded in recent years, creating a neighborhood that’s vibrant day and night, with third-wave coffee shops, hip boutiques, small independent art galleries, restaurants, cocktail bars, pubs and live-music venues.
While the neighborhood has a few notable sights – a museum dedicated to a beloved Turkish rock star, a 1927 opera house, a mixed-use cultural center in a restored gasworks, a colorful street market – the main attraction is simply soaking in the scene and admiring the spectacular sunsets from the long waterfront park’s promenade.
This area has a handful of hotel options, mostly near the water, but it’s easy to hop over for the day or evening from Eminönü or Karaköy on a ferry ride – a quintessential Istanbul experience in itself.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
5. Nişantaşı and Teşvikiye
Best places to go for luxury shopping
Just north of Taksim Square, chic Nişantaşı and Teşvikiye draw a fashionable set with their leafy streets lined with designer boutiques and high-end department stores, stylish sidewalk cafes and grand apartment buildings. This area has good restaurants and some luxurious hotels, too. The neighborhoods abut Maçka Park, one of the largest green spaces in the city center and a popular spot with picnickers, dog walkers and joggers.
Though the area is in the central city, limited transportation links are a downside. Walking to the Osmanbey metro station or downhill to the buses and ferries of Beşiktaş are the best ways to connect to the rest of the city.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
6. Kurtuluş and Bomonti
Best areas for market shopping and local life
Down-to-earth Kurtuluş and up-and-coming Bomonti are just on the opposite side of the Osmanbey metro station from Nişantaşı and Teşvikiye – but a world away in atmosphere.
Kurtuluş offers the best of traditional neighborhood life, with bustling streets and a wealth of small homestyle restaurants, bakeries, delis and other food stores.
10 Of The Best Modern Art Galleries in İstanbul,
Anchored around the Bomontiada entertainment complex in a historic brewery building, Bomonti has a growing dining and nightlife scene, as well as some higher-end hotels. In between is Feriköy, where an open-air market is set up in a parking garage multiple times a week, with vendors selling organic produce on Saturday, antiques on Sunday and a mixed array of foodstuffs and homewares on Mondays and Thursdays.
Best places to stay for deluxe hotels with Bosphorus views
The neighborhoods of Beşiktaş and Ortaköy along the Bosphorus are home to some of Istanbul’s most luxurious international hotels, boasting broad views across the famous strait.
Beşiktaş itself is a busy transit hub with a youthful vibe and lots of casual bars and restaurants around its lively market area. A group of restored late-19th-century Ottoman row houses in the Akaretler part of the neighborhood, near the Naval Museum, is now home to cafes and contemporary art exhibitions.
Amazing Restaurants, Cafes And Meeting Points,
Sitting under the first Bosphorus Bridge, Ortaköy has a beautiful baroque mosque and a popular waterfront area. Both areas have ferry docks, though Beşiktaş has more connections. In between sits hilly, green Yıldız Park, former hunting ground to the sultan, now a popular place to have a big Turkish breakfast buffet in a century-old pavilion.
10 Of The Best Modern Art Galleries in İstanbul,
Very Special With İstanbul Guide / 7 Of The Best Neighborhoods In Istanbul / Turkey / By Jennifer Hattam / lonelyplanet.com/Sedat Karagoz / Istanbul,New York Travel,Tourism News Office / Jennifer Bar / Tony Bar / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Travel,Tourism News Office
Very Special With İstanbul Guide / 7 Of The Best Neighborhoods In Istanbul / Turkey / By Jennifer Hattam / lonelyplanet.com/Sedat Karagoz / Istanbul,New York Travel,Tourism News Office / Jennifer Bar / Tony Bar / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Travel,Tourism News Office
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Very Special With İstanbul Guide / 7 Of The Best Neighborhoods In Istanbul / Turkey / By Jennifer Hattam / lonelyplanet.com/Sedat Karagoz / Istanbul,New York Travel,Tourism News Office / Jennifer Bar / Tony Bar / Janbolat Khanat Almaty Travel,Tourism News Office
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