At GayTravel.com, we are all about giving our readers the latest information on gay friendly destinations all around the globe. On the flip side of this coin, it’s important to shed light on countries gay travelers should avoid. Unfortunately there are many places that are still resistant to the gay community. Steering clear of these destinations will not only ensure travel safety but also prevent tourist dollars going to homophobic countries. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to every generalization, and no destination is completely safe or completely dangerous. Safe travelers are happy travelers!
Africa: The past year, there have been horrific acts of violence against members of the gay community in African countries like Cameroon, Senegal, and Uganda. On the upside, many African countries provide gay travelers ample support, and even have vibrant LGBT culture of their own. South Africa, Morocco, and Mozambique are at the top of the gay travel list.
Asia: Islamic countries in Asia tend to be dangerous for members of the gay community, with the exception of Israel and Lebanon. In general, countries in Central Asia should be avoided. In Southeast Asia, Singapore and Bali are excellent places for gays to visit, but beyond that caution should be heeded. With that said, India, Mumbai, and New Delhi are excellent gay hubs and generally invite the gay community in with open arms. Other countries like Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh aren’t as open, so be cautious while exploring these places. Countries in Pacific Asia are incredible destinations that are very open to members of the gay community, especially in major cities. We give China, Japan, the Phillipines, and South Korea our thumbs up!
Australia and Oceania: Australia and New Zealand are both incredible places for to visit. Many other countries in the South Pacific have liberal politics, but some are still in the dark ages when it comes to visitor safety- or safety in general. Fiji, Papa New Guinea, and Solomon Islands should probably be avoided.
Europe: Unfortunately, there are various countries in Europe that are low on the list of gay-friendliness, including Russia, Turkey, and Georgia. True, there are specific cities in a lot of these homophobic countries that have thriving gay scenes so sticking to the major cities is your best bet in terms of getting a taste of the local gay culture!
North America and the Caribbean: Though liberal, the United States has an eclectic mix of states with differing stances on homosexuality. Similarly, Mexico has a variety of gay-friendly cities that shouldn’t be missed, although Central America doesn’t have as great of a track record with the gays. Similarly, the Caribbean is notorious for its homophobia so heeding caution is highly recommended.
South America: Surprisingly, South America has made huge strides in the direction of gay-friendliness and LGBT awareness. Outside the major South American cities, travelers of all sorts should be cautious especially because of high crime rates and drug activity.