7 Different Ways of Experiencing LGBTQ Travel in Asia

24.07.2024 - 23:35 / cntraveler.com

A few places immediately come to mind when it comes to LGBTQ+ travel—whether it’s New York’s historic Greenwich Village or Buenos Aires’ bustling Palermo District, Berlin’s underground Schöneberg or London’s nightclub-packed Soho. But Asia is featuring more frequently on travel itineraries that engage with queer communities around the world, thanks to a rising global visibility of what’s at the forefront of queer entertainment and culture on the continent. From the electrifying drag scene in Manila to the societal recognition of trans identities in Kathmandu, these Asian cities give dimension to celebrating queerness in all its global forms.

Notably, after Pakistan’s historic codification of transgender rights in 2018, more and more countries in Asia have made steady progress in the realm of queer advocacy and legislation. In 2019, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage; earlier this year, South Korea’s top court issued a landmark ruling that grants same-sex couples the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples; and this summer, the proposal of same-sex marriage in Thailand gained approval with official passage into law slated for later this year. With the recent flurry of change, and the promise of more to come, there’s plenty of reasons to appreciate queer culture throughout the continent.

To gain wholistic insight on LGBTQ communities throughout Asia—and how travelers can visit—I spoke to a mix of queer travel experts, locals, and destination specialists to share their best tips and advice. This isn’t a “best” list or an all-encompassing one about LGBTQ destinations in the region, so much as a list meant to help discover what is best for travelers looking for different experiences around the queer world. And with 48 countries, 4.6 billion people and counting, and over 17 million square miles of land area, this only scratches the surface of Asia and its queer communities. In no particular order, here are seven cities that represent the flexible, fun, and openly loving experience of LGBTQ travel in Asia.

Stranger Bar in Bangkok's lively Silom Soi 4 neighborhood is the first drag venue in Thailand.

The Pride party never sleeps in Bangkok, where lantern lights and neon signs line the streets. While the city’s official Pride celebrations take place every year in November, the city also hosts the White Party in December, a gay New Year’s festival that attracts over 25,000 partygoers annually. The celebration of the Thai New Year, Songkran, is another can’t-miss: Its crowning event is a citywide water fight where all are welcome. But Bangkok’s queer party scene isn’t exclusive to major holidays. Go out all-night-every-night in the neighborhoods Silom Soi 2 and