If you must be gay—and, dear reader, you really must—then it’s only natural that you’ve found yourself here, consulting our list of the best destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers to visit. While it’s true that queerness may be temporarily masked for survival reasons and that travelers should be prepared to compromise on aspects of their presentation out of respect for local customs and mores, sometimes that’s just not going to work. Many countries around the world are safe and fabulous destinations for openly LGBTQ+ travelers. (Admittedly, we're speaking generally here; it’s important to note it only takes one incident perpetuated by one bad actor or group to soil an individual’s trip—and that can happen anywhere.) So what are the places where you don’t have to put your most authentic self away?
This list of the best destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers to visit aims to include a few more countries beyond the usual European suspects by emphasizing the weight of public opinion (how the general public feels about LGBTQ+ people) over legal rights (e.g. sanctioned same-sex marriage) in accordance with data collected by Equaldex. Still, to make the cut: neither homosexual acts nor being transgender could be criminalized. Countries on six continents make the list.
Keep in mind: The word “best” in this instance is relative; Condé Nast Traveler editor Matt Ortile wrote about this a few years back, noting that so long as the travel is planned well LGBTQ+ travelers can safely enjoy many destinations not on this list, like Egypt. So, dear traveler, take some inspiration for this list, do your own due diligence, and see the world.
Brazil
One of the most startling revelations that comes out of a search for LGBTQ+ friendly travel destinations is the sparse inclusion of a country like Brazil. Its bustling and vivacious major cities—think of São Paulo's nightlife, Rio for Ipanema Beach's Posto 8 meeting place—make excellent stops on the queer traveler's itinerary for the sprawling legal protections and increasingly positive popular opinion (the overall score from Equaldex comes in at 78 out of 100.) According to the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association, even the country's more rural regions have made great strides towards progressivism in recent years. A great time to visit would of course be Pride Month in June, when the country hosts some 300 parades, but don't limit yourself. IGLTA outlines a relentless calendar of LGBTQ+ events year-round here.
Chile
With its equality index of 83 and public opinion index of 61, Chile is another solid option that LGBTQ+ travelers would be wise not to rule out. Larger cities like Santiago and Concepción have nightlife year-round, while the former city's Pride celebration is one of the largest in Latin America. As with most places, still, cities and metropolitan regions far outpace the rural—and, in Chile, the rural are more definitely worth visiting for such sites as Torres del Paine National Park and Atacama Desert.
Uruguay
Uruguay is one of the best countries on the South American continent for LGBTQ+ travelers, according to Equaldex: the public opinion index comes in at 73 and its overall score is 83, behind just Iceland, Spain, and Norway. And yet you never really hear about this quiet country in this, or any, travel context. This country is a sleepier beach destination than Brazil and is therefore better suited for travelers seeking relaxation; there's also fabulous wine-making in Punta del Este and slow-paced cultural immersion. But Montevideo (right on the Atlantic, and not far from Argentina's Buenos Aires, in case trip-stacking is of interest) has a lively scene especially around Pride.
Nepal
For queer travelers in search of trekking adventures, as well as peace and quiet, Nepal is one of the best destinations worth checking out. The ancient country, which was one of the first to introduce a legal third gender when it did so in 2007, gets a 61 in the equality index. IGLTA notes that it's not uncommon to see two people of the same sex walking down the street hand-in-hand in Kathmandu or elsewhere. You can visit year-round: September through June for trekking season, in avoidance of monsoons, and summer to enjoy the high mountain areas that rise above monsoon clouds. In the center of the country, the Kingdom of Mustang at the foot of the Himalayas is open to travelers for the first time.
Thailand
Thailand's visitor-friendly reputation encompasses LGBTQ+ travelers along with everyone else who's come from away. With its public opinion index sitting at 68 and a robust infrastructure of protections for queer and transgender people, this tropical country is a great option for travelers of all stripes. And if you get a weird look for kissing your partner in public, don't assume it's all about you; it's important to note that the conservative society here frowns upon public displays of affection for anyone. Norms are norms.
Cape Verde
The cover star for our April 2024 issue for its dynamic natural landscape, Cape Verde is an archipelago off the coast of Western Africa that offers a remarkable example of a place with a public opinion index (80, one of the highest in the world) well above its legal index (51). Generally speaking, this means most people here are accepting of queer travelers even though the government isn't on the cutting edge with regards to LGBTQ+ rights. In part, there's local celebrity and activist Tchinda Andrade to thank, famous for her mother henning of the local trans community, but one person alone does not a general attitude make, and Cape Verde's is exceptionally welcoming according to the data.
Norway
Norway is second only to Iceland in the rankings on Equaldex, with a public opinion index of 87 that puts it ahead of other Nordic countries like Sweden, Finland, and Denmark as well as other frontrunners in wider Europe like Spain, Germany, and Andorra. Europe in general gets a lot of love for being welcoming to LGBTQ+ travelers—it's common knowledge at this point, even though South American countries on average outrank at every turn. Norway makes the list here because, while always Iceland's bridesmate, it is a large and diverse destination in its own right with skiing, chances to see the northern lights, and the uber-cool culture capitals Oslo and Bodø.
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