In 2021, there are still 69 countries in the world that criminalize homosexuality (and therefore transsexuality).
Places to which LGTBI + people are not recommended to travel.
Apart from these, there are many other countries, and especially cities, throughout the globe that can be classified as
LGTBI-friendly
(tolerant of this community).
Taking advantage of the fact that June is the month of Pride, we asked two travel agencies specialized in tourism for this group about new destinations that can be visited throughout the year.
Pride celebration in Taipei Freedom Square in June 2020. Alberto Buzzola getty images
Fast-paced destinations in Asia
If the LGTBI traveler is interested in discovering the Asian continent, they should know that there are original, interesting and safe options such as
Taiwan.
This island state was the first Asian country to approve equal marriage, in 2019. To discover the
queer
atmosphere
of its capital, Taipei, you have to visit the neighborhoods of Ximending and Zhongxiao Dunhua, full of bars, clubs and shops.
As Ana Pérez León, head of the Gaysliving agency, explains, it is normal for people who travel alone to want to meet other travelers from the group. A good way to do this is to stay in hotels frequented by other LGTBI travelers. If they do not specify it in their description, agencies such as Gaysliving previously verify with those responsible for the accommodation the treatment and security. Some recommendations in Taipei are Green World Hotel and Westgate Hotel. Another
LGTBI-friendly
destination
in Taiwan is the city of Taichung, in the east of the country.
Bali,
in Indonesia, is a perfect destination for those looking for tropical jungles, volcanoes, paradisiacal beaches or ancient archeology with more than a thousand temples to visit. In Seminyak, at the northern tip of the island, you will find Batu Belig Beach and the hotel of the same name. The area is one of the favorites of the gay community for the great treatment and service offered by its bars and restaurants.
It may come as a surprise being in a very conservative region of Asia, but
Nepal
is one of the safest enclaves for LGBTI people on the continent.
In 2015, the Nepalese parliament passed several laws against discrimination against the collective and in recent years it has become a fast-paced destination due to the amount of activities in nature it offers in a unique setting like the Himalayas.
Pink Mountain Travels and Excursion, the first and only professional gay and lesbian travel agency in Nepal, schedules all kinds of outings.
View of Cape Town (South Africa) from Signal Hill.
MStudioImages getty images
African enclaves that are open to LGTBI tourism
The African continent is generally a not recommended destination due to its dangerous legislation towards homosexuals and transgender people, but there are two countries in which not only is the group not persecuted, "but work is also done locally to encourage the arrival of these tourists", As Marta Borrachero says, at the head of Bolleras Viajeras, an agency specialized in organizing trips for lesbian and bisexual women. This is the case of
Boavista and Sal,
two of the islands that make up the volcanic archipelago of Cape Verde, off the northwest coast of Africa. Both concentrate the largest LGTBI tourist offer with kilometers of sandy beaches, pleasant temperatures throughout the year and excellent gastronomy, a legacy of the Portuguese colonial era.
In
South Africa,
equal marriage has been legal since 2006 and its capital, Cape Town, is a cosmopolitan and vibrant city.
To learn about the history of the group in the city, you must visit the De Waterkant neighborhood.
In this enclave, it is worth visiting the Crew nightclub and the Beefcakes restaurant, and staying in LGTBI hotels such as Glen Boutique or Waterkant House.
All kinds of tourist offer in the American continent
In the American continent there are also several destinations to visit and where you can be yourself.
Although
Peru
is not, in general, a country characterized by its tolerance towards the collective (especially in rural areas), in its capital there is an air of diversity.
Lima even has a municipal ordinance against discrimination in the Miraflores neighborhood, the bastion of the LGTBI community in the Peruvian city.
As Borrachero explains, the recommendations of her agency focus, above all, on the security of being able to travel alone as a woman.
“Both heterosexual, lesbian and bisexual women.
And if it's safe for women, it's probably safe for gay and bisexual men as well, ”he adds.
In Miraflores there are many places only for lesbian women, such as Twinlife.
European Bonus Track: Iceland
The island of ice and fire is another
LGTBI-friendly
option
that allows combining urban tourism and activities in nature: crampon rides on glacier ice, visits to lakes with icebergs, lava caves, geysers, calderas and volcanoes, and sightings of whales.
Iceland
was the first country in the world in 2009 to elect an openly lesbian prime minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir.
In its capital, Reykjavik, you can enjoy an electronic music session and some dinner at the gay bar Barra Bravo, or a fun Drags show in the Gaukurim room.
Costa Rica
is the destination that is becoming more popular among LGTBI travelers in Central America. Manuel Antonio National Park, on the central Pacific coast, is one of the most spectacular places in the country: rugged jungles, white sand beaches and coral reefs. Pérez recommends another pearl of the Costa Rican Caribbean, the Tortuguero National Park, which can only be accessed by boat. "A treasure of biodiversity that hides sea turtles, sloths, toucans, crocodiles and even jaguars", adds the person in charge of Gaysliving. The entrance and exit to the country is done from its capital, San José, which Pérez also recommends visiting, and stay at Hotel Colors Oasis, only for LGTBI adults.
Another Caribbean country,
Cuba
, is a safe and welcoming destination for tourism in general. Less than two years ago the island opened the first hotel for LGTBI people, the
Grand Muthu Rainbow
resort
, in Cayo Guillermo. Havana is the city where more diversity can be seen on the island, but it is also worth visiting other
LGTBI-friendly
places such
as Santa Clara, recommends Borrachero, "for its wonderful keys and beaches."
Just a few nautical miles separate Cuba from
Key West
(Florida).
The southernmost point of the United States is not only famous for the house museum of Ernest Hemingway - who lived there during the 1930s - but for its beaches, water sports, nightlife and architecture.
A place of growing popularity due to its respect for diversity.
Its leisure and gastronomic offer is concentrated on Duval Street and all those who visit it cannot leave without watching the sunset from the Mallory Square pier, which also hosts a festival with live performances and art exhibitions.
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