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10 most gay friendly countries in Asia

10 most gay friendly countries in Asia

Our round-up of the best gay friendly countries in Asia based on LGBTQ rights, gay events, and exciting travel highlights.

We love Asia. Whether it's chilling on the oh so heavenly beaches of Thailand to gobbling up as much sushi as our tummies can handle in Tokyo, we always look for an excuse to return.

This is a continent that offers so much in terms of cultural experiences, food, and landscapes, with some of the most humble people you'll ever meet. We spent the first 2 years of our Nomadic Boys adventure traveling around Asia and have since returned several times for more. However, when it comes to LGBTQ rights, Asia is on the more conservative end of things.

Gay couple travel book Nomadic Boys Out in the World

Despite this, there are several gay friendly Asian countries paving the way forward for LGBTQ rights. We honor them in this breakdown of our top 10 most gay friendly countries in Asia.

Homosexuality in Asia

Homosexuality across most of Asia is still very taboo. There are still many places where being gay can not only get you arrested (like in Myanmar, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka) but can also get you legally executed (such as Brunei and Afghanistan)!

Overall, we found that LGBTQ rights in Asia have a long way to go to catch up with Europe and America. For example, in quite several Asian countries where being gay is legal, it remains such a taboo in society, that most men end up just leading “closet” lives, marrying a girl, just to please their family – we saw this a lot in Russia, China, and India. However, we also found the younger generation to be more tolerant and open-minded – a sign of hope for the future.

Wine tasting in Mendoza with nomadic Boys

Asian countries that have legalized LGBTQ

Currently, the countries in Asia where being gay is legal are India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Mongolia, South Korea, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia (but not in Chechnya which has gay concentration camps), and Singapore.

Gay marriage in Asia

As much of Asia remains firmly in the closet, it's unsurprising that very few nations on the continent have legalized gay marriage. To date, there is only one part of Asia that has legalized gay marriage, which has earnt it its place as our top #1 gay friendly place in Asia – Taiwan!

The “race for second place” is a fascinating one to watch. Currently, Thailand is on the brink of introducing civil unions (the step below gay marriage) with limitations. On a more regional level, some countries have started to recognize limited rights and benefits for gay couples such as Cambodia, certain cities in Japan, and Hong Kong.

There's only one Asian country where gay marriage is legal, but the race is on for second place!

Our criteria for ranking the top gay Asian countries

We've based this list on the following criteria:

  • Where are they at with gay marriage legislation, along with other LGBTQ laws?
  • What is the gay scene like and do they have any notable annual LGBTQ festivals?
  • Our personal experience traveling there as a gay couple.

We have taken it as a given that homosexuality is legal in the countries we've selected.

We've also included two “places” (Taiwan and Hong Kong) rather than “countries”, because although they're not officially recognized “countries”, they can still be regarded as a “country” given they have their own flag, currency, national anthem, and set of laws.

Gay friendly countries in Asia
Check out our 10 favorite LGBTQ-friendly Asian countries

1. Taiwan, the gayest country in Asia

Taiwan flag for one of the most gay friendly countries in Asia

Taiwan is the runaway pink trailblazer of Asia. In May 2019 it broke all records by becoming the first (and to date, only) place on the entire continent to pass equal marriage laws. Whilst the other countries in this list are still grappling with civil union legislation (if at all!), Taiwan has powered ahead and is the clear leader on our list.

Gay Taiwan in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: it was never illegal!
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: gay marriage laws passed in May 2019.
  • Gay scene: large gay scene in Taipei as well as in Kaohsiung and Taichung.
  • Gay events in Taiwan: Taipei Pride in October, which includes big parties like the WOOW Pool Party and the Formusa Pride Party. Also, look out for the monthly Blush queer parties.

LGBTQ rights in Taiwan

A big part of what makes Taiwan the most progressive Asian country is that after the 38 years of the restrictive Martial Law era ended in 1987, there was a huge push for democracy and change. Anti-discrimination laws were passed in education (2004), employment (2007), and other areas of business (2017). In addition, gays were allowed to openly serve in the military in 2002, the right to change legal gender was introduced in 2008, and conversion therapy was outlawed in 2018.


The gay scene in Taiwan

The biggest LGBTQ community in Taiwan can be found in the capital, Taipei, which also has one of the best gay scenes in Asia. Most of the gay bars of Taipei are based in and around the Ximen Red House Complex, such as Cafe Dalida, Secret Garden, and the Commander D fetish bar. Other gay bars nearby include Hero, Hunt, Goldfish, and Fairy. In terms of gay clubs in Taipei, Gstar and Cercle are the most popular. Other cities in Taiwan like Kaohsiung, Tainan, and Taichung City also have a few gay hangouts.


Gay events in Taiwan

Taiwan is notorious for having the largest gay festival in Asia: Taipei Pride. It takes place on the last Saturday in October, attracting crowds of around 150,000. Some of the best gay parties in Taiwan happen around Taipei Pride, in particular the WOOW Pool Party and the Formusa Pride Party. The Mr Gay Taiwan pageant also takes place in late October, usually coinciding with Taipei Pride. The other big gay event in Taipei to look out for is the monthly queer party called Blush. Find out more in our interview with local boy Po-Hung about gay life in Taiwan.

Did you know? Taiwan has its own God for homosexual love called Tu'er Shan or the Rabbit God. Tu'er Shan has his own temple in New Taipei City, making it the only gay religious shrine in the world!

Taipei gay scene Pride in Taiwan
Taipei Pride is the largest gay event in Asia!

2. Thailand

Thailand flag welcomes all LGBTQ travellers

Thailand is often cited as one of the most popular gay destinations in Asia and we fully agree. Thailand is our happy place in the world, especially the gay scene of Bangkok. We love the Thais and found them to be very welcoming and friendly. What sums it up is a recent Nida Poll, which showed a whopping 88.72% of Thais to be accepting of gays (although in the same survey, a less impressive 59.20% were in favor of gay marriage laws).

Gay Thailand in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: 1956
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: Thailand's marriage equality bill is set to become law towards the end of 2024 / early 2025, so watch this space!
  • Gay scene: large gay scene in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket. Smaller gay scene in Chiang Mai.
  • Gay events in Thailand: the Songkran Bangkok Gay Circuit Party in April, Bangkok Pride in June, the Asia Circuit Festival in June, and the BangkokThai International Film Festival (BANGIFF) in October.

LGBTQ rights in Thailand

Thailand legalized homosexuality in 1956. At the time, it was one of the first Asian countries to legalize homosexuality. Since 2015, it has had an array of anti-discrimination laws in place in education, employment, and elsewhere, including hate speech. About the military, gays have been allowed to openly serve since 2005 and homosexuality was declassified as an illness in 2002.

With regards to gay marriage, Thailand's House of Representatives passed the gay marriage bill with a whopping majority of 400-10! All that remains is for the Senate and the King to make it into law, which is estimated to take place towards the end of 2024 or early 2025.


The gay scene in Thailand

The majority of the gay scene in Thailand is in the capital, Bangkok, particularly around Silom Soi 4 and 6. We love it because there is always an exciting atmosphere and we always have a great time. Some of the main gay bars to check out include Stranger, Circus, and Balcony. The best gay club in Bangkok is DJ Station, GOD. Other places in Thailand with a gay scene include Pattaya, Phuket, and to a lesser extent, Chiang Mai.


Gay events in Thailand

Whilst the country doesn't have a formal Pride taking place each year, Bangkok's Songkran Gay Circuit Party in April is one of the most exciting gay festivals in Asia. Around this time of year, there is also an equivalent gay party taking place in Phuket and Pattaya. Also in Pattaya is the annual Asia Circuit Festival in June. Bangkok Pride takes place every June and grows in popularity each year.

Bangkok had its first gay film festival in 2015, which is now the BangkokThai International Film Festival (BANGIFF), open to all. Whilst it's lost its gay title, it still retains a significant LGBTQ segment. The BANGIFF takes place in October.


Did you know? Thailand is one of the most trans and LGBTQ-friendly Asian countries. Find out more about transgender life in Thailand in our interview with trans person Regina who moved from the Philippines to live in Bangkok. Also of note is that in March 2019, transgender filmmaker Tanwarin Sukkhapisit, was elected to the Thai parliament, becoming the country's first-ever transgender MP.

discovering the gay bars of Bangkok in Silom
A gay night out in Bangkok

3. Cambodia

This is the flag of Cambodia

In the “race for second place”, Cambodia is often touted as the next most gay friendly place in Asia after Taiwan. When we arrived in Phnom Penh, we found an unexpectedly large gay scene, which we loved. Throughout our travels in Cambodia as a gay couple, we found people to be very accepting towards us, particularly in the big cities like Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville.

Gay Cambodia in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: it was never illegal!
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: the “Declaration of Family Relationship” (DoFR) is a symbolic Civil Contract and public ceremony for gay couples, introduced in 2018.
  • Gay scene: large gay scene in Phnom Penh and a smaller one in Siem Reap.
  • Gay events in Cambodia: Phnom Penh Pride and also in Siem Reap, both in May.

LGBTQ rights in Cambodia

Cambodia has no record of ever having any anti-gay laws in its history! The equal age of consent has always been 15 for everyone whether straight or gay. However, there are not yet any anti-discrimination laws in effect. Whilst gay marriage is not yet legal in Cambodia, in 2018 the government introduced a civil contract that gay couples can enter into called a “Declaration of Family Relationship” (DoFR), offering limited rights. The DoFR is a symbolic civil contract between two people who are willing to be together and share the responsibility of taking care of family, children and distributing joint assets.


The gay scene in Cambodia

The capital, Phnom Penh, is where you'll find the best gay bars and clubs like Space and Blue Chilli. Siem Reap, the base to visit Angkor Wat, also has a fun gay scene with gay bars like Miss Wong and Barcode.

Group photo at Space gay bar in Phnom Penh
Discovering the gay bars of Phnom Penh

Gay events in Cambodia

In May, there is an annual Pride in Phnom Penh going strong since 2003. More recently since 2018, Siem Reap also has an annual Pride taking place in May.


Did you know? Rumour has it that King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia is gay! Nothing is official but this ballet-dancing-lifelong-bachelor remains a much-loved figure in Cambodia. Whether King Sihamoni is gay or not, one thing he has publicly come out for is for progressive LGBTQ rights, including gay marriage. Read more about gay Cambodia in our interview with Aaron from Phnom Penh.

Cambodia gay friendly country in Asia King Norodom Sihamoni supports LGBTQ laws
King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia is rumored to be gay

4. Japan

Japan is number 4 of the gayest countries in Asia

Didn't you also fall in love with Antoni when he was making apple pie with sweet old Yoko in Queer Eye's: We're In Japan? For us pure magic – our favourite Netflix show in one of the places in Asia we love…it was everything! What was also interesting in this series was the second episode when the Fab Five were exploring the gay scene of Tokyo, which we highly recommend watching. The LGBTQ community of Japan is, of course, not without its challenges. But as far as Asian standards go, we found Japan to be one of the more LGBTQ-friendly countries in Asia.

We place Japan high on this list because, from our perspective as foreigners, we feel it is one of the safest and most welcoming nations in Asia. And where else in the world are you going to find a city with over 300 gay bars?!

Gay Japan in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalised: 1880
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: none yet, but in 2015 some cities began issuing “Partnership Certificates” – an unofficial document to help with hospital visits and renting apartments.
  • Gay scene: large gay scene in Tokyo and a few queer hangouts in Nagasaki, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto.
  • Gay events in Japan: Tokyo Rainbow Pride in April/May and the Rainbow Reel Tokyo LGBTQ film festival in July.

LGBTQ rights in Japan

Japan got rid of its anti-gay laws in 1880 and interestingly has one of the lowest ages of consent in the world – 13 (which is the same for everyone, straight or gay). Other progressive laws include the right to change your legal gender (introduced in 2003) and gays allowed to openly serve in the Japanese military.

With regards to anti-discrimination laws, there are none nationwide. However, Tokyo and Ibaraki each have their own anti-discrimination laws in place. In relation to gay marriage, it is not legal in Japan, although some parts of the country allows LGBTQ couples to register a “Partnership Certificate”, which gives limited rights to aid with hospital visits and renting apartments.


The gay scene of Japan

Tokyo has a whopping 300 or so small gay bars crammed together in the “Ni-Chōme” area of the Shinjuku district. Some of the main gay bars and clubs of Tokyo to check out include Arty Farty, Campy! and AiiRo. Check out our gay guide to Tokyo for more details. Other cities in Japan that have a few notable queer hangouts include Nagasaki, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima.


Gay events in Japan

The main gay festival in Japan is the Tokyo Rainbow Pride in April/May, based mainly around Yoyogi Park. In July the Rainbow Reel Tokyo takes place, which is the main annual Japanese LGBTQ film festival.


Gay travel to Japan

As gay travelers to Japan, we felt very welcome. When it comes to customer service the Japanese are ahead of everyone. They do everything with such precision and attention to detail, always with a smile. Whoever you are, you'll feel this in Japan. For locals, however, the situation is more complex because Japanese society is quite conservative. Despite this, it's changing and improving all the time; certainly by Asian standards.


Did you know? The original geisha of Japan were men not women! The taikomochi were male advisors, artists, and gifted storytelling entertainers to their feudal lords dating back to the 1200s. The first female geisha didn't appear in Japan until the 1700s but quickly grew so popular that “geisha” became associated with women rather than men.

Japan one of most gay friendly countries in Asia
Japan is one of our favorite gay friendly countries in Asia

5. The Philippines

The philippines is not without issues when it comes to LGBTQ rights but it is still very welcoming

As far as we're concerned, Filipinos are one of the friendliest people on the planet. The Filipino Hospitality is a thing and it is very important to them. Every time we hang out with Filipino friends anywhere in the world, whether in London, Toronto, or Manila, we always leave feeling loved and happy. They have that power and we ADORE them for it.

The 2013 Pew Research Centre study about society's attitudes to homosexuality around the world found that 73% of Filipinos felt that homosexuality should be accepted, which was one of the highest. However, the Philippines is still heavily influenced by the Catholic Church, with large parts of society retaining very backward, conservative, and homophobic views. Despite this, we strongly feel that the Philippines is one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in Asia.

Gay Philippines in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: it was never illegal!
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: the Civil Partnership Bill was introduced in 2017 and is likely to become law very soon.
  • Gay scene: the main gay scene is in Manila. There are a few gay hangouts in Davao City, Quezon City, Cebu City, and Boracay.
  • Gay events in the Philippines: Manila Pride in June, Quezon City Pride in March, and the QC International Pink Film Festival (QCIPFF) in Quezon City in November.

LGBTQ rights in The Philippines

Homosexuality has always been legal in the Philippines and the age of consent has always been the same for everyone throughout its history. Interestingly, the Philippines has one of the lowest ages of consent in the world: 12!

Anti-discrimination laws are in place across parts of the Philippines and will soon be applied nationwide. To the military, gays have been allowed to openly serve in the Filipino army since 2009. With regards to gay marriage, although this is not yet legal in the Philippines, the Civil Partnership Bill was introduced in October 2017 and is likely to become law very soon.


The gay scene of The Philippines

The main gay scene of the Philippines is in the capital, Manila, which has hangouts like O Bar, Adonis, and Nectar. Other cities with notable LGBTQ hangouts include Davao City, Quezon City, and Cebu.

Boracay Island used to be a massive gay party destination. Find out more in our gay guide to Boracay. You can also read about what it's like growing up gay in the Philippines in our interview with Rione from Manila.


Gay events in The Philippines

Manila Pride in late June is the largest gay event in the Philippines, attracting around 25,000 people. Quezon City also has a Pride in March. The annual QC International Pink Film Festival (QCIPFF) in Quezon City in November is famous for being one of the largest and best LGBTQ film festivals in Asia.

The Filipinos are very enthusiastic about beauty pageants, particularly the Mr Gay competitions. Every year the Philippines sends their representative to the Mr Gay World competition, and has even won it twice: John Fernandez Raspado in 2017 and Janjep Carlos in 2019.


Did you know? The Philippines has the only LGBTQ political party in the world! In 2003, the LGBTQ political party Ang Ladlad(meaning “out of the closet”) was established by writer Danton Remoto. Sadly, due to lack of political funding, their campaigning efforts were limited, so they only managed to get 0.38% of votes in the 2010 election, 0.37% in 2013 and were disqualified in the 2016 elections.

Xmas with our gay Filipino friends
A fabulous Xmas with our Filipino friends

6. Hong Kong

The flag of Hong Kong

Whilst Hong Kong is generally regarded as part of China, we list it here independently because, like Taiwan, Hong Kong is a fabulous pink breath of fresh air in what is a very conservative region of the world. Being gay in China is tough, especially due to the strict freedom of expression laws. These laws ban any online display of “abnormal behaviors”, which includes homosexuality. In addition, there are no anti-discrimination laws in place in China and gay marriage is a looooong way away from becoming a reality.

In Hong Kong, things are more relaxed. Society in Hong Kong is still quite conservative but its reputation as an international financial hub and its independence from China has allowed it to thrive to become one of the most gay friendly places in Asia.

Gay Hong Kong in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalised: 1991
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: none, but in 2009 the Hong Kong government introduced limited rights to cohabiting couples. A high-profile court case is currently reviewing the lack of a Civil Partnership law.
  • Gay scene: large gay scene in Hong Kong with several bars, clubs, and parties.
  • Gay events in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Pride in November, an LGBTQ Film Festival in September, and an annual procession for IDAHOBIT on 17 May.

LGBTQ rights in Hong Kong

The anti-gay laws were revoked in 1991 with the age of consent equalised to 16 in 2006. There are anti-discrimination laws in place but only for government employees. In terms of gay marriage laws, there are none, but this is currently being challenged in the Hong Kong High Court. Foreign registered gay marriages are however recognised in Hong Kong.


The gay scene in Hong Kong

Despite its small size, there are several gay bars across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, particularly in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. Some of the best gay bars and clubs in Hong Kong include FLM, T:ME Bar, Petticoat Lane, and Bing Bing.


Gay Events in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Pride in November is the largest gay festival, attracting around 10,000 people. In addition, on the 17th of May, there is an annual procession for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). The Hong Kong Lesbian & Gay Film Festival in September is regarded as the oldest LGBTQ film festival in Asia, dating back to 1989.


Did you know? Hong Kong is confirmed to host the Gay Games in November 2023. The Gay Games is like the LGBTQ equivalent of the Olympic Games, held every 4 years. It started in 1982 in San Francisco and has been hosted in a different city ever since, mainly in North America, Europe, and Australia. This will be the first time it takes place in Asia, which is terrific news for the LGBTQ community of Hong Kong!

7. South Korea

South Korea round flag

South Korea is a bit of a paradox. On the face of it, it is renowned for having a persistent LGBTQ intolerance due to antipathy from influential evangelical conservative Christian groups.

Yet the capital Seoul has not only one of the best (and biggest) gay scenes in Asia, it has the second-largest gay festival and has also become a cultural hub for queer culture. Remember, this is where Kim Chi and Soju from RuPaul's Drag Race come from. Also, one of our favorite gay icons originates from South Korea: comedian, Margaret Cho.

Gay South Korea in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: it was never illegal!
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: not recognized under South Korean law but attempts have been made to introduce gay partnership laws in the past, with pending court cases for it.
  • Gay scene: Seoul has one of the largest gay scenes in Asia, with no fewer than two gay villages – the main one around Homo Hill in Itaewon and a more local one in Jongno.
  • Gay events in South Korea: the Seoul Drag Parade in May, the Seoul Queer Festival in July, the Korea Queer Film Festival in Seoul in July and the I Am Seoul circuit parties in August.

LGBTQ rights in South Korea

On the one hand, South Korea has never had any anti-gay laws ever in its history. The age of consent has always been equal at 13, and the right to change legal gender was introduced in 2006. But on the other hand, there are no gay marriage or civil union laws, no national anti-discrimination laws and there is an outright ban on LGBTQ people openly serving in the military.

The silver lining: whilst there are not yet any national anti-discrimination laws, many provinces are enacting them at a local level, and in 2014, the government voted in favor of an anti-discrimination UN resolution against LGBTQ people. In addition, homosexuality was officially declassified as “harmful and obscene” in 2003. Concerning gay marriage, there is a strong push to change the constitution in favor of gay marriage, with important court cases taking place about it.


The gay scene in South Korea

Seoul has one of the largest gay scenes in Asia with queer hubs in Homo Hill in Itaewon, and also in Jongno. Homo Hill is where the majority of the popular gay bars of Seoul can be found like Lollipop, Queen, Q-Bar, Almaz, Always Homme, Bottoms Up, and Why Not. Jongno is where the original Seoul village started and is now more of a local scene with places like OWOO, Wallpaper Karaoke Bar, and The Nine.

Seoul also has some of the best gay parties, like Trance and Shade @ CakeShop, Gray Club, SOHO, King, HIM by Pulse, and the HOMPA by Le Queen. The Seoul gay scene also has a large drag show scene, which has given us the likes of Kim Chi and Soju on RuPaul's Drag Race.


Gay events in South Korea

What South Korea has in terms of conservative Christian intolerance, it sure as hell makes up for it in terms of a gay scene and queer events! Seoul Pride sums this up. Every year, usually in June/July, the capital hosts the second largest LGBTQ event in Asia (after Taipei Pride) called the Seoul Queer Festival, attracting crowds of around 120,000.

Sadly, as popular as this event is, conservative Christian groups always try to hinder it. They managed to get it cancelled in 2015 and in 2018, an online petition demanding it to be cancelled managed to get almost 220,000 signatures! Thankfully, it still went ahead successfully, as have all subsequent Seoul Pride events since.

The Seoul Drag Parade started in May 2018, campaigning for awareness for the queer community. It was so successful that it become an annual event every May. In terms of film festivals, the Korea Queer Film Festival (KQFF) takes place in July. Finally, the I Am Seoul circuit parties in August rival the Songkran Circuit parties of Thailand as some of the best in Asia.


Did you know? Seoul has become one of Asia's top destinations for plastic surgery, particularly among men looking to achieve a “pretty boy” look and a macho physique; usually inspired by the strong K-Pop culture like boy band Shinee.

In the K-pop world itself, more and more celebrities are coming out. For example, in March 2016 the girl group Mercury debuted with Choi Han-bit – a transgender model; and in January 2018 the singer Holland famously came out, becoming the first openly gay K-pop idol in the country.

Gay South Korea culture
Boy band Shinee are one of the many “pretty boy” looks South Korean men are trying to copy

8. Vietnam

This is the round Vietnam flag in our best gay countries in Asia article

Vietnam is a gay friendly country because it has quite progressive LGBTQ laws. We certainly found the Vietnamese people to be accepting and welcoming to us as a gay couple.

But while we've included it in our list we've placed it towards the lower end, below South Korea. This is because, despite the progressive laws, the country lacks a big gay scene, particularly when compared to more conservative countries like South Korea and Hong Kong.

Gay Vietnam in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: it was never illegal!
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: gay wedding ceremonies are allowed but are not legally recognized and do not offer any rights.
  • Gay scene: small gay scene in Saigon and a few gay hangouts in Hanoi and Da Nang.
  • Gay events in Vietnam: Viet Pride in Hanoi takes place in August.

LGBTQ rights in Vietnam

Vietnam has never had any anti-gay laws, has always had an equal age of consent for intercourse (17), gays are allowed to openly serve in the military, the right to change your legal gender was introduced in 2017 and single gay people are allowed to adopt. There are no anti-discrimination laws yet, but in 2006, the Government passed an anti-discrimination law to protect people with HIV from discrimination, which included provisions for free health care.

Whilst there are no gay marriage laws yet in Vietnam, in 2015 the government passed the Law on Marriage and Family, which outlaws the ban on gay weddings. Whilst this doesn't give any recognition to gay couples, it does allow gay marriage ceremonies to take place without fear of arrest.


The gay scene of Vietnam

Despite having a large LGBTQ community in Saigon and Hanoi, the gay scene is not that big at all, with only a handful of queer hangouts. The main ones are in Saigon and include Republic, Le Pub, and Thi Bar. The capital, Hanoi, only has one gay bar called GC Bar. With such a small gay scene, the gay dating apps are your friend in Vietnam, so we recommend using them to tap into the local LGBTQ community.


Gay events in Vietnam

Viet Pride is the main gay event in Vietnam, which takes place in Hanoi every August. It includes a bike rally parade, a film festival, and an After Pride party. Find out more about what gay life is like in Vietnam in our interview with gay local Quan from Saigon.

DId you know? Vietnam had an openly gay US Ambassador in 2014/15 called Ted Osius. He was always very supportive of LGBTQ events and frequently posed with his husband and children.

9. India

Since India passed gay mariage laws, it has become a gay friendly country

India has the potential to become a big gay mecca in Asia. It has a huge LGBTQ community (this is, after all, a country of almost 1.4 billion people), which is growing more and more visible and confident by the day, particularly since the country revoked its anti-gay laws in a landmark 2018 court case.

However, we place India towards the lower end of our list because society remains very conservative. Many gay Indian men have to lead a very closeted life and marry a woman to please their family to avoid being ostracised by their local community. In addition, the gay scene is small quite small, and underground compared to other places further up on this list.

Nonetheless, India is one place in Asia we are keeping an eye on. We think it's very likely to become one of the next Taiwan-like pink trailblazers on the continent…they have an openly gay Prince after all (read about him below) as well as a camp-as-hell movie industry, which released an unapologetically gay Bollywood film called Saavdhan (Extra Careful of Marriage).

Gay India in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalized: 2018
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: none, but it is under review by the Law Commission of India and there are several gay marriage cases taking place.
  • Gay scene: most of it is still quite underground, but more and more gay hangouts are opening up, especially in big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
  • Gay events in India: Mumbai Pride (Queer Azaadi Mumbai) and the Mr. Gay India pageant are in Jan/Feb, Chennai Pride in June, the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival in June, Bangalore Pride in Oct/Nov, Delhi Pride in November and the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk in December.

LGBTQ rights in India

Up until 2018, it was illegal to be gay in India under Article 377 of the 1861 Indian Penal Code, introduced during the British colonial years. This law was revoked by the Delhi Court in 2009 but then brought back by the Supreme Court in 2014, then finally revoked again in 2018. We hope it stays this way!

There are some anti-discrimination laws in place in India, but only against the state. In addition, gays are banned from openly serving in the military, and homosexuality has been declassified as an illness.

In relation to adoption, single gay people are allowed to adopt in India regardless of orientation. India also has some pretty progressive laws for trans people: the right to change gender and third gender option laws were both introduced in 2014. In relation to gay marriage/civil union laws, whilst there are none, they are under review by the Indian Law Commission with some high profile court cases taking place. Find out more about gay life in India in our interview with Raj from Delhi.


The gay scene in India

Most large Indian cities are slowly developing a gay scene. They are constantly growing and evolving since the anti-gay laws were overturned in 2018. In Mumbai, there are regular gay meet-ups and gatherings organized by the Gay Bombay group and Salvation Star. In the capital, Delhi, there are gay nights like Pink Tuesday at Depot 48, Rainbow Thursday at PDA Martini Bar, and Kitty-Su on Thursday evenings at The Lalit.

In Bangalore, the best gay bars are Pink Sky Bar, Chin Lung, and Gaylord. Read more in our article about why India is safe for gay travelers.

We found that a large part of the gay scene in India is still quite underground. We suggest using gay dating apps like Grindr to tap into the local LGBTQ community, as we found out in our gay night out in Delhi.


Gay events in India

There are quite a large number of gay events in India taking place throughout the year. Mumbai Pride is called Queer Azaadi Mumbai (QAM), which takes place in January/February (Azaadi means “Freedom” in Hindu/Urdu). Delhi Pride takes place on the last Sunday of November. Other Pride events to look out for in India include Chennai Pride in June, Bangalore Pride in October/November, and the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk in December.

In terms of film festivals, the biggest is in Mumbai in mid-June called the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. It was famously inaugurated in 2016 by Sir Ian McKellen.

Finally, just like the Philippines, the Indian queer community takes the Mr Gay World pageant very seriously. Every January, they elect Mr Gay World India in a big gay festival which usually coincides with the Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride.


Did you know? India has an openly gay prince. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of the Rajpipla throne in Gujarat came out in 2005. His mother took it so badly that she reacted by placing a newspaper advertisement publicly disowning him!

This didn't stop Prince Gohil from campaigning for LGBTQ rights. For example, he set up an AIDS prevention charity called the Lakshya Trust and supports many charities that help minorities. He also buddied up with Oprah several times to speak about the LGBTQ community of India:

10. Nepal

This is the flag of Nepal, one the most LGBT welcoming countries in Asia

Nepal has the opposite paradox of South Korea. This is mainly due to the extremely progressive constitution introduced in 2007, which brought with it a whole array of LGBTQ-friendly laws. However, like in India, Nepalese society remains conservative, with men expected to marry and have children, so many gay men lead closeted lives. In addition, much like in Vietnam, there is a comparatively small gay scene given how queer-friendly the laws are.

Gay Nepal in a nutshell

  • Homosexuality legalised: 2007
  • Gay marriage or civil unions: none but the government is discussing it.
  • Gay scene: no gay scene but some straight places have a gay night on weekends in Kathmandu.
  • Gay events in Nepal: the Mr Gay Handsome beauty pageant in June and the annual Gaijatra LGBTQ Pride Parade in Kathmandu, which is usually in August, but the date changes every year.

LGBTQ rights in Nepal

In 2007, Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled that discrimination on the grounds of orientation or gender identity was against the law. The court also ordered the government to legally establish a third gender category to recognize the rights of transgender people. This prompted the Nepalese Government to introduce one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, being one of the few to expressly refer to protecting its LGBTQ community.

Since 2007, being gay is legal in Nepal and the age for consensual intercourse is 16 for everyone. In addition, gays are allowed to openly serve in the military, and full anti-discrimination laws have been introduced in all areas. With regards to trans people, the right to change legal gender was introduced in 2007, along with recognition of the third gender.

Adoption and marriage laws are still non-existent for the LGBTQ community in Nepal, but the government announced that it is looking to make a separate law to legalize gay marriage…so watch this space!


The gay scene in Nepal

There is a thriving LGBTQ community in Kathmandu doing some amazing things! The wonderful PINK Tiffany is the main gay bar in the city. Other gay friendly bars include Fire, and Purple Haze. For more, check out our Kathmandu gay guide, and be sure to read our interview with local boy Tilak from Kathmandu for a more local perspective.


Gay events in Nepal

There are two main gay events in Nepal, both in Kathmandu and organized by The Blue Diamond Society. The first is the Mr Gay Handsome beauty pageant in June and the other is the Gaijatra LGBTQ Pride Parade, which is usually in August, but the date changes each year. There is also the Nepal Pride Parade that takes place annually on the second Saturday of June.


Gay travel to Nepal

From our perspective as a gay couple traveling in Nepal, we quickly fell in love with the Nepalese people as we did with the Filipinos. They are extremely warm-hearted people, eager to welcome you, no matter who you are. What summed it up is our (straight male) guide during our Annapurna trek, who was apprehensive about us at first, but quickly became a good friend, and later sent us a very sweet DM on Facebook saying, “I respect your close friendship”.


Did you know? Nepal has a “third gender option” on the landing card. When we arrived at Kathmandu airport we thought we were coming to another conservative Asian country where we'd have to stay in the closet, especially in public. So imagine our surprise when we arrived and found an “Other” option for “gender”!

Nepal Gay Pride in Kathmandu
Check out these cuties at Nepal's main queer festival in Kathmandu

HONORARY MENTIONS

Laos

Just like its Buddhist neighbors Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, Laos has never had any anti-gay laws. But in terms of gay marriage laws, there are none, nor any notable discussions about it taking place at the government level (yet). In terms of a gay scene, there are a few gay hangouts in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. As gay travelers in Laos, we felt safe here and found the locals to be quite gay friendly. For a more local perspective, check out our interview with Somphorn from Luang Prabang, a dear friend who sadly passed away very recently. You can also watch our video from our travels in Laos as a gay couple:

Mongolia

Homosexuality was legalized in 1993 and there are a few gay hangouts in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. They also have an annual Pride in Ulaanbaatar in August called the Equality Walk. Find out more in our interview with gay local Zorig from Ulaanbaatar, and watch our Mongolia video:

Gay travel in Asia: is it safe?

We found gay travel in Asia to be very safe. The people are so respectful and love welcoming foreigners. We never once experienced any problems anywhere. In the worst-case scenario, people thought we're brothers. However, we were always careful to respect local customs by avoiding PDAs in certain places. We also checked in advance that the hotels we stayed at were ok to host a gay couple.

We also discovered that regardless of the LGBTQ laws, most places have some form of “gay scene”. At the end of the day, whether you’re in Bangkok, Moscow or Seoul, there will always be an LGBTQ community living and working there.

Nomadic Boys by the rainbow crossing of Tapei
Taipei is one of the gayest cities in Asia

Read more travel adventures like this in our book!

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We hope it inspires you to have a fun and safe trip!

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Gay couple travel book Nomadic Boys Out in the World

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Our guide to the most gay friendly countries to visit in Asia!
Stefan Arestis

Hey everyone, I'm Stefan, the curly-haired Greek flavor behind the gay travel blog Nomadic Boys. Together with my other half, I have explored more than 90 countries across 5 continents. What I love most about traveling is discovering the local gay scene, making new friends, learning new cultures. I've written about LGBTQ travel in numerous online publications such as Gaycation Magazine, Gaycities, Gay Times and Pink News as well as for other non-gay-specific publications including Lonely Planet, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Huffington Post. Check my full bio here.

Nguyen Ngoc Hieu

Sunday 5th of March 2023

Initially disappointed when Vietnam only placed 8th in the list, but I get what you mean. To me, Vietnam is a great place to LIVE as a gay person, but not necessarily a great place to TRAVEL as one. Vietnamese in general aren't fond of partying tbh, so it's understandable that the gay scene isn't very vibrant. On the other hand, people of the LGBTQIA+ community live very openly and freely here, especially in big cities. There is very little discrimination, and people just simply don't care about your sexuality. Not to mention that recently, there are more and more gay couples willing to express their love for each other publicly, which is a great thing! FYI: Vietnam is actually changing its marriage law next year (2024), and people are making a petition to legalize same sex marriage.

Stefan Arestis

Monday 6th of March 2023

That's amazing to hear! We definitely need to review the list when Vietnam passes its gay marriage laws - very excited for that :)

BG

Sunday 20th of December 2020

It should be noted that many Asians, regardless of country, view sexuality much differently than a western gay would. Even the concept of "love" and "relationship" is different.

On that same note, the family is much more important, as well as the progression through age. For instance, many countries do not rely on retirement funds and social programs to take care of the elderly. That is the responsibility of the children of a family. Parents spend their lives giving and supporting their children, with the concept that the children will repay at the end of a person's life. While you may condemn the "conservative" view in some of these countries, it is a necessity. Without that conservative society norm, the elderly would be forgotten and thrown away. This is why you will find many "gays" in these countries marrying the opposing gender. It is culturally expected for them to have children and families, so as to not be a burden on society. Bi-sexual thinking is also more of a norm, as sex is a form of entertainment and relief from the daily dredges of life in these poorer nations.

As western influences and liberal ideologies get introduced and accepted into these countries, they breakdown the fabric of the societies and are causing more harm to the general populous than actually doing good. This is especially true in places where LGBTQ progress has been made. Sure, it is great for the minorities of gays in the country, but at what cost to the remainder of societies. It is one thing to ensure that the minorities have equality and acceptance, but to push that acceptance on societies not prepared for such drastic and quick change is harmful. Just look at what happens when western nations, such as America or the UK "colonize" other nations. It can take decades for a society to become prepared. Your commentary in this article is from the viewpoint of a gay traveler, not invested in these societies and cultures. Your comment about where it is best to party and travel. You sweep in, enjoy the surface gratifications that present themselves in designated gay hotspots, but fail to look at the subsurface of what it does to families and society outside of the gay streets and bar areas of a community. As an American gay man living in China for 8 years, and Thailand for 5 years, I assure you that gay life is not as peaches and cream as you want it to be.

Stefan Arestis

Sunday 20th of December 2020

Thanks for this BG. We agree with you except we also factor in the experience from a local's perspective based on LGBTQ locals we've interviewed. This is important as it's one thing to see things from a traveler's perspective; another to see it from a local's perspective and we definitely encourage people to see it from both.

Aradhy jain

Saturday 15th of August 2020

I didn't even thought about India to get mentioned in this list but as it was mentioned in it I felt that my country is growing and not lacking behind which is very good you will see many people in the society those will not except you identify as gay but these people are mostly older age one but there are many teenagers also so indian gays and lesbian have to face many problems but just hoping for a bright future

Stefan Arestis

Saturday 15th of August 2020

We are also super excited to see the wonderful LGBTQ community of India evolve :)

ARKAPRAVO RAY

Monday 20th of July 2020

How come South Korea is on the list! People cannot come out because there is so much stigma attached to gay lifestyle.. they are also bullied at school or workspaces if their orientations are known!

Stefan Arestis

Tuesday 21st of July 2020

It's so sad! But we were excited to see a thriving gay scene in Seoul unlike many other Asian countries!

Jerry

Wednesday 15th of July 2020

Greetings from Taiwan, so happy to see your edifying list. What I am pointing out is that Taiwan has never banned gays from serving in the military since the duty is obliged by law to all males over the age of 18. Gay people still have to serve in the military unless they are diagnosed with gender identity disorders (some people did fake it to avoid conscription). In 2001, the commander of military police issued an order which forbids gay people to serve in the military police, was severely opposed by the NGOs, the Minister of Defense abolished it in 2002.

Stefan Arestis

Wednesday 15th of July 2020

The point we are trying to make is being allowed to "openly" serve in the military. When a country allows that, it's a pretty big deal! So that law in 2002 was quite significant...to give you an idea, the USA didn't pass this (ie revoked "Don't Ask Don't Tell) in 2010/11!