Gay Asia

From The Nation Indonesia’s economy is under significant pressure as the rupiah hits a 27-year low, and the Jakarta Stock Exchange Composite Index plunges 7.1%—its steepest drop in 14 years. These signals may point to deeper structural issues in the country’s economic and political landscape. Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, Director of the Jakarta-based Center of Economic and Law Studies, warns that the rupiah’s depreciation reflects market distrust toward President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership and economic policies, including the establishment of the Danantara sovereign wealth fund. Indonesia was once a top investment d…

Bhutan is perhaps best known for a comment made by its former King suggesting "gross national happiness" was a better guide for a nation than "Gross National Product." When I visited in 2007, the country had its fair share of poor people, but then it had only recently opened up to the rest of the world. Television had only been introduced in 2000 and the number of tourists that year was only around 7,000. By 2019 the number had increased to 316,000 and hotels had mushroomed. Whereas I stayed in a mix of simple hotels and guest houses, soon after you could spend five nights in different 5-star hotels. That said, I loved my two weeks in the country, the more so as every Bhu…

Anyone experience of meeting/ paying for guys in Muslim countries in the Middle East and South East Asia? I find Arab men and many Pakistani men irresistible, I’ve not that much experience of Arab guys, but here in Manchester, UK, where I live, the Pakistani guys are gagging for it! I’ve heard that in strictly Muslim Saudi Arabia for example, it is not difficult at all to meet men on the apps etc. And in Lahore in Pakistan, every Thursday apparently, loads of men gather around the city’s biggest shrine at sunset. People assume it’s a religious gathering but really it is just an excuse to gather in a big tight circle and grope all the men inside the circle!

From VN Express Kuala Lumpur, Luzon Island, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City, and Singapore have been named among the world's 25 top trending destinations for 2025 as voted by Tripadvisor readers. Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, ranked second on the list. Known for its iconic Petronas Twin Towers, an 88-story skyscraper standing at 451.9 meters, Kuala Lumpur also boasts the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Malaysia, with a vibrant façade resembling a colorful totem pole of iconography. The six-tiered Thean Hou Temple, dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu, is another popular spiritual attraction. A visit to …

From CNN Travel The train click-clacks along at a steady rhythm, passing through various shades of green. Lush rice fields morph into dense forests, while rivers glisten in the morning sun. The verdant, tropical landscape is briefly interrupted by colorful sparks of life in the form of towns and villages, where people are going about their morning routine — street vendors serving breakfast to commuters, women carrying fresh produce back from the market and kids gathering in their red and white school uniforms. This is the view from the Argo Wilis Panoramic, a bright and airy carriage on the Argo Wilis train. Running between the cities of S…

How’s the gay scene in Goa? Has anyone been? Would it be a good place to spend New Year’s Eve?

From The Nation / The Straits Times With the US presidential election approaching on Nov 5, US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar and The Straits Times’ bureaus in Asia explore the impact on trade and security in the region under a prospective Harris or second Trump administration. Just four days after the 47th American president moves into the White House in 2025, a pair of VIPs from China will begin receiving a stream of excited visitors. The much-awaited debut of the giant pandas on Jan 24 at Washington’s Smithsonian National Zoo, where they are now under quarantine, could hardly be timed better. The furry emble…

From The Nation At the election in February, Prabowo Subianto, 73, presented himself as heir to the immensely popular President Joko Widodo, the first Indonesian president to emerge from outside the political and military elite. Subianto, who was then defence minister, vowed to continue the modernization agenda that has brought rapid growth and vaulted Indonesia into the ranks of middle-income countries. In a speech last month, Subianto, who’s also the chair of the Gerindra Party, reminded party members to always remain loyal to the nation, not to him. He also vowed his unwavering commitment to defend the people, even at the cost of his life. …

From VN Express /Reuters Indonesia has mandated that all international travelers complete an electronic health declaration form before entering the country to prevent the spread of monkeypox (mpox) virus. The requirement applies to all foreign visitors, including cabin crew, according to Kristi Endah Murni, Director General of Air Transportation under the Ministry of Transportation, as reported by Antara News Agency. The decision follows the World Health Organization's classification of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern on Aug. 14. Travelers must complete the form, available at sshp.kemkes.go.id, within 48 hours befor…

From The Thaiger Indonesia has introduced a long-term visa scheme aimed at attracting rich, “good-quality” foreign investors, President Joko Widodo announced. The new Golden Visa offers a 10-year residency permit to those rich enough to invest up to US$10 million in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. The scheme includes a five-year visa option, requiring an individual to set up a company worth US$2.5 million, while a 10-year visa needs a US$5 million investment. For those not establishing a company, a five-year permit can be obtained with a US$350,000 investment and a 10-year permit with US$700,000. These funds can be allocated towards Indonesian government bonds…

From Pattaya Mail By Barry Kenyon Thailand stands alone in its adoption of gay marriage. The ruling Pheu Thai party intends to go further and to recognize gender identity changes as well as to legalize prostitution, male as well as female. There is also a proposal to legalize commercial surrogacy for same sex marriage partners. The country is making a firm bid to be the world pride venue in 2028. Even a decade ago these moves would have been unthinkable in the land of smiles. The 10-member ASEAN is a commercial union, of sorts, but rarely interferes in each country’s domestic affairs. Nowhere is this clearer than in sexual law. Indonesia and Myanmar both h…

Any helpful tips regarding Dubai? I shall be travelling there for business in about a month. I've never been there before and wonder if there is anything to enjoy there besides expats.

From Malaysia Sun KATHMANDU, Nepal - Nepal has hosted its first international LGBTIQ tourism conference. Following the spectacular success of a legally recognized same-sex marriage in November, Nepal wants a piece of the multibillion-dollar pink market. "Forget about Nepal's skewed past. We now aspire to create more just and equal societies." "Let the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ) have equal economic opportunities," urged Sunil Babu Pant, Asia's first openly homosexual former politician, at a conference in Kathmandu. A few years ago, it was typical to see police beating gay and transgender people on …

Flew Nonstop on Thai Airways in Business class, old 777-200 tired plane, but still the best, friendliest service going. I did my e- Visa on arrival while in Bangkok and so angry at myself for not noticing an error on my passport expiry date. It self populated from the scan of the passport, but while I scrolled down, I must've changed the date without knowing. The immigration guy was super nice and great English...when he said there was a problem, I thought it was I entered my hotel address as Bali, because in my mind I was going to Bali first. But that wasn't it, was the wrong expiration date of my passport. My option was to do it online again, go to the VOA cou…

I found this YouTube video. A good reminder that there are always those coming up with new scams and that you should remain mindful of the culture when traveling. Posting this in the Asia forum, but it is universal... https://youtu.be/feNzw6QrSPA

I created a master list of the Myanmar spa scene. I have never been to Myanmar but found all these beautiful offers. If anyone is traveling to Myanmar soon, Please share your experience and also DM me for contribution.

From VN EXpress The Indonesian air safety agency has called for better pilot fatigue monitoring mechanisms after an investigation revealed that both pilots of a commercial aircraft had recently fallen asleep in-flight. A pilot and co-pilot were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes during a Batik Air flight from south-east Sulawesi to the capital Jakarta on Jan. 25, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said. The report, seen by AFP on March 8, was uploaded to the agency’s website in late February. Indonesia is a vast archipelago with a poor air safety record despite relying heavily on air tr…

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Hi gay fellow travellers I really enjoyed reading all the stories and travel report from this community. Now I want to share my experience in Saigon 5 years ago. I rented an airbnb with street door access 2 floors. I used 2nd floor for my own rest and the first floor dedicated for escort use luckily there was a bed and bathroom on each floor. There was a website called https://www.ngaytho.me/diendan/ You check what they offer and talk to the mamasan via a local chat app called Zalo, tell the mamasan who you want and where do you want to meet. Mamasan is good at communicating in English even if you have trouble you can still use google translate for scheduling. I p…

I will be passing through Saigon, Vietnam soon and trying to figure out what to do there. Does anybody have any experience with Nadam Spa?

Wanted to try someplace different, so I came to Indonesias 2nd largest city from Jakarta. I decided to take the train, 8 hrs vs flying to see some scenery for a change and they have a Luxury Executive train with lie flat seats....glad I did , was really interesting, left on time and arrived 5 minutes early- downtown to downtown, no long taxi's to/from airports, security, bag check , blah, blah, blah. Stayed at the Doubletree hotel, got upgraded to a nice suite. Wish Doubletree service and rooms were this nice in USA. Also as a Diamond member, free b'fast, and executive lounge tea time and free cocktails for 2 hrs nightly and canapes/finger foods. The breakfast buffet…

I don't know which forum to post this to, but what's the story with big blond hunky E. European guys posting ads in Asia? I've been watching one big Ukrainian guy who has been stuck in Bangkok for a year. I know of another Czech who moved to S.E. Asia. And when I was last in Bangkok, I saw several very porn-looking Euro boys (one of whom I could swear was Carlo Festa, but he would have been too old) walking through the night market. The Lady-Boys made a hilarious show bowing and kowtowing before these nordic gods. I suppose the cost of living is cheaper for these guys and the client base is presumably appreciative of their "exotic" attributes (turnabout for fair play). Is…

From VN Express By Hoang Phong Many Southeast Asian countries have started offering 'golden visa' policies to lure wealthy foreigners with longer stays and exclusive benefits but each country has its own requirements. Indonesia Indonesia has become the latest country in Southeast Asia to launch its so-called "golden visa" program earlier this month, allowing foreign investors to stay in the country between 5 and 10 years, depending on the value of their investment. To be eligible for 5-year visa, foreigners need to set up a company worth $2.5 million, while for the 10 years visa, a $5 million investment is required. For foreign …

From CNN KathmanduCNN — As Nepal’s first openly gay parliamentarian, Sunil Babu Pant educated his colleagues on LGBTQ topics. More than a decade later, the former lawmaker and activist is sharing similar knowledge with locals and tourists on the capital’s streets. On Saturdays, Pant hosts a heritage walk through the heart of Kathmandu, which is dotted with ancient temples, stupas and decrepit old houses that have withstood haphazard urbanization. The three-hour tour introduces the city’s matriarchal religious sites while exploring elements of gender and sexuality. These sites, some in Hindu temples, feature paintings and wooden carvings with deities en…

Look what happened in Indonesia yesterday. It is now illegal to have sex with any one other than your legal wife (which, being a Muslim country, means sex between legally married a man and a woman). The law applies not only to all Indonesians, all non-Indonesians not living in the country but also to all tourists! Even though the religion practised in Bali is based on Hinduism, the law applies there as well. So if any gay couples or pairs have plans to visit Indonesia, stay platonic because these crazies will certainly have their own version of Iran's morality police. Penalties can be up to one year in prison.