What are the most gay friendly Arab countries?

Being openly gay in the Arab world is certainly not an easy feat. If it doesn’t land you a jail sentence(!) or capital punishment(!!), the huge stigma attached to it will likely compromise your job prospects, alienate your family, or worse, make you the target of some pretty nasty homophobic violent crimes.

The point of this article is to show that despite being a very difficult place in the world for the LGBTQ community, there is a glimmer of hope for a better future. We are by no means saying these are gay havens in any way!

To be clear, being gay is illegal and difficult here full stop! What we are, however saying is that despite the negative press we hear about gay rights in the Arab world, there does exist a local LGBTQ community in each of these countries fighting for recognition, acceptance, and the basic freedoms we take for granted. We aim to help celebrate and support them in any way we can!

Despite almost non-existent gay rights in the Arab world, there does exist a local LGBTQ community fighting for recognition and acceptance

We have traveled extensively around the Middle East as a gay couple and overall had a positive experience. For example, we climbed the world’s tallest building in Dubai, wandered around the souks of Tunis, visited the impressive mosques in Abu Dhabi, and got lost in the messy cutesy streets of the Algier's Casbah in Algeria.

Of course, we were always cautious to avoid any public displays of affection and only booked a double bed in hotels we were certain were gay friendly. In short, for our safety, we had to go back into the closet.

In this article, we've set out the 5 most gay friendly Arab countries based on our first-hand experience and research. This only relates to the 22 Arab countries around the Middle East and North Africa, which are also member states of the Arab League, therefore, this does not take into account Israel, Turkey, and Iran. Be sure to also check out our guide to what we think are the most dangerous countries for gay travelers.

The selection process and 2025 update:

Our list of the most gay friendly Arab countries in the world is based on our first-hand experience as well as cross-referencing their LGBTQ laws, such as whether homosexuality is legal, or if proactive steps are being taken to legalize it. In addition, we were impressed by countries in the Arab world that have allowed LGBTQ events to take place publicly.

We prioritized the Arab countries that got rid of their anti gay laws – specifically Jordan and Bahrain. Then looked at how active the local LGBTQ+ community is, the (underground) gay scene and any queer events. One thing's for sure, having Saudi Arabia on this list is something we never envisaged when we first published this article back in 2019! Back then, it was a country you wouldn't even dare think of going to as a gay person. Also, back then, we had Lebanon top of this list…sadly, times have changed, and we can no longer include it.

Another point to note, we deliberately did not include the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Whilst Dubai, and to a lesser extent Abu Dhabi, have a lot of underground gay parties happening throughout the year, this is largely down to the large expat/cabin crew community in the country rather than it being a local initiative like it is in, say Saudi Arabia.

Tunisia has gained a positive reputation amongst the LGBTQ community of the Arab world, particularly due to the strong activism of organizations like “Association Shams” and “Mawjoudin”, who have been campaigning hard for LGBTQ minorities' rights. On 18 May 2015, “Association Shams” even received government recognition as an official organization.

More recently, an openly gay man, Mounir Baatour, is seeking to run for President! Whether or not he'll succeed, the very fact that he is able to run says a lot!

In terms of gay events in Tunisia, small discreet Pride receptions have taken place in private, mainly in the capital, Tunis. Most impressive is the Mawjoudin’s Queer Film Festival, which successfully took place in January 2018. This was a big deal because it was the first-ever public film festival in Tunisia to celebrate the country's LGBTQ community.

Gay rights in Tunisia

Whilst homosexuality is illegal in Tunisia with up to 3 years imprisonment (Article 230 of the 1913 Penal Code), activism is so strong that there are signs that this is likely to change very soon. For example, in June 2018, a government-sponsored committee called the Individual Freedoms and Equality Committee (COLIBE), advised President Essebsi to decriminalize homosexuality in Tunisia.

In addition, in April 2020, one particular gay marriage was legally recognized in Tunisia for the first time. Whilst gay marriage and homosexuality both remain illegal in Tunisia, this is still a small win for the Tunisian LGBTQ community! But sadly, until the anti-gay law is overturned, the LGBTQ community will continue to be harassed and risk being arrested for being openly gay.

Whilst the Gulf States are notorious for having some of the worst anti-gay laws in the world, Oman is another tolerant haven in the region. Omanis are proud of their culture, but they are more laid back and open-minded compared to their neighbors. A large part of this is because they practice Ibadism, a branch of Islam, which emphasizes tolerance and coexistence.

With regard to the gay scene in Oman, everything is underground, as is the case with most Arab countries. We advise using gay dating apps to connect with locals to discover more. Due to the strong censorship laws, you will need a decent VPN to do so.

LGBTQ rights in Oman

On the face of it, homosexuality is illegal in Oman, punishable with a jail sentence of up to 3 years. However, cases rarely get to court unless there is a risk of a public scandal. In 2013, an article in an Omani newspaper called “The Week” suggested Oman was more tolerant of LGBTQ people compared to the other Gulf states.

The Omani government (mainly led by the influential Shura Council, Tawfiq al-Lawati) responded by threatening to shut down the paper unless it publicly apologized, which it subsequently did with an entire front-page article.

Oman is stunning. We found it to be authentic in culture and rich in impressive landscapes, from the deserts to the beautiful beaches by the Gulf of Oman waters. Unlike most other capital cities in the Gulf, Muscat has no high-rise buildings. Instead, it's surrounded by mountains, making it unique.

Oman is a wealthy nation and neutral in foreign relations, which makes it a safe place to visit. The majority of Omanis are well-educated, civilized, and down-to-earth, which makes being gay in Oman slightly easier as long as you're discreet. Be sure to check out our detailed gay travel guide to Oman.

Saudi Arabia has a bad rep. Before my visit to Saudi Arabia in 2025, the overall response I got from all my friends was along the lines of ‘OMG, be careful Stefan, it's so dangerous for gays there, don't get arrested or flogged! etc etc'

And I get it. But this couldn't be further from the truth. As part of the Saudi Vision 2030, the country is aggressively moving away from oil to other industries, like tourism and sport. Since 2016, the powers of the religious police have been curtailed. Women are now allowed to drive, entertainment is permitted (eg, concerts, sports events), the Hijab is no longer compulsory, equal pay for both sexes, foreign tourism is allowed, and more. The result of this, the LGBTQ+ community that was underground before, has become more bold and visible than ever before.

Within minutes of opening up Grindr in Jeddah and Riyadh, I was quickly able to connect with locals and get invited to parties happening. Queer friendly events take place across the country throughout the year such as MDL Beast. Whilst this is also the case in Dubai, the difference is that in Saudi Arabia, it is driven by LGBTQ+ locals as opposed to foreigners. Read more

LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia

Historically, Saudi Arabia works on Sharia Islamic Law, which has a nasty take on homosexuality. Being openly gay here used to get you into a lot of trouble. However, since the push to modernize began in 2016/2017, the powers of the religious police have been curtailed. Speaking to a variety of LGBTQ+ Saudis about this, they would argue with me – “Saudi Arabia does not have an anti gay law!” They're not wrong – Saudi Arabia has no codified criminal code. Instead, it follows Sharia Law, and judges use their discretion to implement it…so they're not strictly right either.

But with the push to modernize, attract investment and tourism, no LGBTQ+ people have been convicted over the last few years. The Saudi Tourism Authority even updated its FAQs on its website in May 2023 to include a question for LGBT travelers:

Jordan's draw as a huge tourist attraction in the Middle East has helped bolster its gay credentials. So much so, that LGBTQ tour companies often offer Jordan as an add-on for holidays to Israel. We can understand why, given that such a small country offers unique cultural gems like Petra, Wadi Rum, and even a slice of La Mer Morte.

In terms of public gay events in Jordan, there have been several over the years, mainly for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

Whilst there is no obvious gay scene in Jordan, there is an underground scene, which you're likely to discover by befriending locals on Grindr. One well-known gay friendly bar in Amman is Books @ Cafe, which becomes a club on weekends. Read more in our gay guide to Amman.

LGBTQ rights in Jordan

On the one hand, Jordan appears to be one of the most progressive LGBTQ countries in the world for the simple reason that it decriminalized homosexuality in 1951, nearly 2 decades before the UK! At the same time, it also reduced the age of consensual relationships to 16, which is the same for heterosexuals. That already puts it miles ahead of all the other Arab countries!

Sadly, the LGBTQ community is victimized and prosecuted under laws relating to the disruption of “public morality”. For example, in 2017, the Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila was banned from performing in Jordan by the Ministry of Interior because their lead singer, Hamed Sino, is gay! Get inspired with our gay travel guide to Jordan.

LGBT rights in Bahrain

On the face of it, like Jordan, Bahrain is another shining gay star in the Arab world, having legalized homosexuality as early as 1976. It also has an equal age of consent of 21 for both straight and gay couples.

Sadly, other sections of the Bahrain Penal Code relating to “public immorality”, “public indecency”, and “immoral behavior” are used to crack down on the LGBTQ community in much the same way as it has been used in Jordan. But by the strict standards set by Arab countries, Bahrain remains the most liberal nation in the region for LGBTQ+ travelers. When we visited, we had no issue at all getting a double bed in any hotel we stayed at. LGBTQ+ locals we met also felt more free here than anywhere else in the region.

Looking for a gay friendly tour guide in the Arab World?

We've got your back! We've buddied up with an excellent company that can offer tours in and around the Middle East. However, for their security, they've asked to remain anonymous in this blog post. Therefore, if you're interested, message us privately by email or leave a comment in this article and we'll get you introduced electronically pronto.

Click here to see more from these cute Arab twins on Instagram.

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