Travel information and news

Travelers in search of Bali gay vacations will not be disappointed in this destination that offers a variety of historical, spiritual and cultural sites, welcoming residents and a plethora of things to see and do, should consider Bali for their next vacation.

Whether on individual gay vacations, or visiting with gay tours, LGBT travelers will find that Bali has much to offer, including beautiful beaches, exceptional shopping, delicious cuisine, temples, volcanoes, picturesque terraces of rice fields and even an LGBT scene in some cities. From trendy boutiques and upscale hotels, to rural countryside with villages offering handmade crafts, Bali is a diverse, intriguing island nation just waiting to be explored.

Kuta, Seminyak and Legian each has an array of clubs, spas, restaurants and bars from which to choose, providing a variety of nighttime entertainment opportunities for LGBT travelers looking for a night out on the town. Drag shows are very popular in Bali and there are several clubs that offer shows throughout the week. The most popular of these is Hulu Caf, which is well-known for being Bali's original drag club and hosts performers six nights each week, often with internationally-known drag performers.

There are also garden restaurants and beachfront cafs that offer lovely natural settings, drinks, food and massage services, such as Bonita's and Callego Caf & Spa in Seminyak. For a slightly more upscale experience, La Lucciola Restaurant is located directly on Petitenget Beach, next to the Pura Petitenget Temple, and offers exceptional ocean views, delectable Italian cuisine and excellent service, which is provided by an all-male staff.

There is a cruisy wooded area nearby and Petitenget, along with Ganesha Beach in Seminyak and Blue Ocean Beach in Kata, is one of the beaches well-visited by the community. There is also a popular Italian restaurant in Petitenget Beach, La Lucciola, which offers an upscale dining experience with an all-male staff.

If you are considering gay travel to Bali, either as a spiritual journey or an exotic vacation that allows you to explore this beautiful country while experiencing the LGBT community in a foreign land, you may want to consider participating in Bali gay tours.

By taking part in a well-organized gay tours, you will be able to focus on your overall goals or intention for the trip, ensure that you do not miss out on some of Bali's most important historical and cultural sites - as well as hidden treasures, and avoid dealing with having to plan the logistical aspects of your vacation. Bali tours organized by travel professionals with experience organizing gay vacation are the best way to take in all that Bali has to offer, make new friends and create lifelong memories.

Howie Holben has been a world traveler for over 30 years. He is the caretaker of Spirit Journeys, a spiritually based gay travel group. Spirit Journeys has offered gay tours to Bali and gay travel in Bali since 1992.

Chile is a wonderfully unique place for gay vacations that allow visitors to ski the Andes, explore volcanoes, relax on pristine beaches, and hit the clubs in Santiago's gay district all in one day. The vast and varied landscape and landmarks of Chile include arid deserts, the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, the statues of Easter Island, the Elqui Valley of La Serena (long rumored to be associated with extraterrestrial activity), the Mirador de Chepu Penguin Colony, and old-world churches and architecture throughout the country.

The uniqueness of Chile's natural, cultural and historic attractions provide the opportunity to plan a variety of gay trips including adventurous excursions trekking through breathtaking Patagonian landscapes and exploring ancient island cultures, ski or snowboard trips to world-famous Andes ski resorts like Valle Nevado, pilgrimages to visit churches and experience the deeply entrenched Catholic influences throughout the country, family beach vacations in Vina del Mar, wine-tasting tours, or trips centered around the bustling nightlife and rich culture and history of Chile's capital, Santiago.

Chile has a long history of influence from both the military and the Catholic Church, which means that changes in attitude and acceptance of the LGBT community are progressing slowly. The center of Chile's gay culture lies in Santiago and this city is where gay vacationers will find the greatest acceptance, as well as the highest concentration of establishments that are gay-owned or gay-friendly. Barrio Bellavista is the seat of Santiago's gay community and is a trendy, clean neighborhood with quaint eateries, shops and cafes, as well as the vast majority of Santiago's gay bars, clubs and bathhouses. While you will not find any rainbow flags flowing from balconies or couples strolling hand in hand down the street, you will find gay and lesbian magazines prominently displayed at newsstands and happy couples taking tea at cosmopolitan sidewalk cafes.

The gay-owned Spanish restaurant, Capricho, is a popular first stop for a night out in Bellavista, often followed by drinks a one of the local gay bars and dancing into the early hours of the morning at one of Santiago's gay clubs. Options for clubbing range from discos much like those found in most large cities to risqu clubs with live sex shows. It is common to begin a night out with dinner around 9 or 10pm, followed by a lively night of escapades that may not end until the sun is coming up. There are also several bathhouses " often called saunas " in Santiago, including a more upscale option catering to professionals. As in the U.S., HIV is a concern and precautions should be taken to ensure a safe, enjoyable gay vacation in Chile.

Santiago's central location in this long, narrow country makes it an ideal choice as a home base for exploring all that Chile has to offer. Because it is also the most welcoming location as a gay travel destination, Santiago is a popular choice for gay vacations. When planning a gay vacation to Chile, working with a travel agency well-versed in gay tours in this region will assist you in designing a memorable vacation that is safe, fun-filled and meets your travel needs whether you are traveling as a group of single friends, a couple or a family.

Howie Holben gay holidays to Chile pointers. He is the owner of Spirit Journeys, a gay male vacations association. Spirit Journeys makes available spiritual gay vacation destinations world wide.

Naked yoga brings good benefits to those who take it up. What is gay nude yoga? It's just what the name says it is. Doing yoga in the buff. It breaks the boundaries of the 'norm' and gives the people who participate a fresh new understanding of the body and the art of yoga. No clothing, no inhibitions.

This type of yoga is designed to push you past the normal limits of your comfort range, and on to a more liberating and a more free experience. It may sound unappealing to you at first, but once you get past those feelings and into the experience, it has many benefits for those who dare to practice it. It's intention is not to exploit sexuality by any means, it's to go beyond that into a harmony and peace you haven't experience yet.

When practicing this form of yoga, your goal of finding a new and deeper sense of freedom is more easily achieved. By freeing your body, the mind and spirit will naturally follow. The clothes are like a representation of inhibitions. And inhibitions are what block the goals that yoga practitioners are trying to achieve. Once the barriers are removed, the goals are easier attained.

The bottom line with this form of yoga, is that, even though it's practiced in the nude, it's still basically yoga. It's a form of self-appreciation and discovery. It's a way to tune in to the universe in body, mind, and spirit. Society still doesn't accept nudity per say, so you wouldn't think many would take to this form of yoga. But you'd be surprised at how fast this is catching on. And in a positive light.

The art and practice of yoga has been around for centuries. Men have always had a passion for trying to connect the body with mind and soul, seeking a peace and a harmony between all that they are within themselves. Yoga is very simple to learn and can be done about anywhere. It can be practiced in groups, or you can practice it alone. It's very versatile.

Some of the benefits known to occur from yoga, are the peace and tranquility of the mind. It also is said to aid the body in ridding itself of toxins. It stimulates the mind and improves lung capacity and blood circulation. Digestion is assisted by this process as well. So you can see there are benefits to be had by this technique.

The practice of naked yoga is also known by the term 'naturism'. This is a political and cultural movement that defends social nudity both in public and private. It's like the nude beach arguments. It's an appreciation of the body, a testament to its beauty. It's believed that by freeing the body of clothes, it's easier to then free your mind and spirit.

Naked yoga has its benefits and is catching on fast. Some of these classes can be found with mixed male and female. But for the most part, they have been taken up by men. This old and widely used practice has taken on a new life as more and more people are discovering its benefits. Naked yoga is a very liberating and fulfilling experience. You can find more information online. If you're new, there are instructions for learning. If you want to join a group or class, you can do that too.

If you get really adventurous you can then go on to explore gay tantra yoga.

Article about gay nude yoga by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys also offers gay tantra.

As most people need to get away on vacation from time to time, it is essential than when doing so, one have as good a time as possible. This is true for anyone going on vacation. However, as gays continue to find issues related to discrimination and equal rights, there are definitely locations which are friendlier for gay vacations in the USA than others in relation to same.

Of course, with regards to any vacation, if individuals can plan ahead, then one is going to have a much better time. Better still, if one can read a number of associated reviews and assure a place is still in business. Then, one can layout their travel plans accordingly with regards to activities, lodging and travel in relation to getting to a preferred destination.

For, although the gay community has come along way in relation to gaining worldwide acceptance, there are still many roads to travel before such an accomplishment can be reached, if ever. This is because there are still several countries which do not welcome and some, who even have laws, related to homosexual lifestyles and behaviour. One such place being Morocco where one can be jailed simply for looking at someone of the same sex in a sexual way.

Regardless as to whether one buys travel guides or looks for such information online, there are a number of destinations which are more gay friendly than others. Although, one may want to call or e-mail businesses listed in such guides to be sure one is still in business. For, while most are successful, there are others which have had to close, especially during the recent economic downturn.

So, if one plans accordingly, based on knowledge about such a business, one can avoid any surprises which may be waiting at a preferred destination of choice. By doing so, one can also plan ahead with regards activities and lodging in the area along with finding a number of restaurants which not only cater to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered community but which also offer foods which one may require in relation to any dietary restrictions.

For, while the gay community has made a great deal of progress when it comes to acceptance overall, there are still areas, especially within the United States, which are still bigoted toward both the gay community and other alternative groups. Therefore, doing research with regards to such locations can also help one avoid staying in areas which may not be as safe as others. This is especially true when it comes to individuals who identify as being part of such a community.

However, if the States were smart, the States would pass laws applying the same equal rights with relation to gay marriage as others have done. For, in doing so, the States can increase their levels of tourism by promoting equality and acceptance for all. Something, States which have passed gay marriage laws have seen through an increase in associated tourism. To this end, many individuals seeking to go on vacation, often focus on the States which now have the option of gay marriage available on a legal basis, regardless as to whether one desires to get married on such a vacation or not.

To this end, before embarking upon gay tours in the USA, one may want to check online listings for a variety of bed and breakfasts, cruises, hotels, resorts and other gay related vacation activities. For, this can allow one to save a great deal of time while on vacation if one has done their research before hand. Still, even going on the fly, by picking up a tour guide related to gay travel, one is well on their way to a fun, safe and relaxing vacation regardless.

The author, Howie Holben, is the owner of Spirit Journeys, a gay vacations group that specializes in spiritual travel. Howie has travelled the world learning from indigenous peoples. You can find more about Howie, his work and gay travel with spirituality at Spirit Journeys website.

Italy is a land of art, history, architecture, romance and Vespas. Italy's exceptional scenery, rich history and deeply entrenched culture have made this enticing country a popular for those who are doing gay tours, as well as a popular setting for books, movies and plays. Singles, couples, families and groups of friends flock to Italy throughout the year for the fashion, the food and some of the most famous art and architecture in the world. Whether your ideal experience includes meandering narrow, ancient roads in Rome or Venice, languid drives through the countryside searching for lesser known historical sites and visiting wineries, wiling away an afternoon in a museum in Florence or experiencing Milans enticing nightlife, Italy is an ideal destination for gay vacations.

Folks looking for gay travel experiences in Italy will find the largest selection of gay clubs and bars in Milan and Rome; however, Florence, Venice, Bologna, Geneva and Padua, as well as other cities and towns frequented by tourists, also have gay-friendly and gay-owned bars and businesses that provide a welcoming environment for visitors on an Italian gay vacation. Travelers will find gay-friendly and gay-owned hotels throughout the country, including Tuscany's gay-owned La Quircia Rosa and Villa le Masse, and gay-friendly Hotel Porta Rossa, which is only a short stroll from the Galleria dellAccademia, which houses Michelangelo's David and is the one of the oldest hotels in Italy.

Italy's larger cities have established gay and lesbian communities, providing many options for your Italian gay tour. Milan is often thought of as the most accepting city in Italy, with Florence, Rome and Bologna also topping this list with larger gay and lesbian populations, which make each of these popular choices for gay vacations. There are gay pride celebrations in many cities and three lesbian and gay film festivals, including Milans Festival del Cinema Gay Lesbico e della Cultura Queer, the Turin International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and the Florence Queer Festival.

Enlisting the assistance of a travel agency that regularly arranges gay vacations to Italy or offers organized gay vacations to Italy is a good way to ensure that you will be working with someone who understands your particular needs and can guide you towards a safe, fulfilling gay vacation.

Also shorter waits in line and an organized itinerary will assist you in making the most of your Italian travel experience. Planning your gay vacation through a travel agency that is accustomed to organizing gay vacations or arranging gay travel in Italy is the best way to ensure that you have the information you need and the assistance of a travel agent that understands your needs.

Howie Holben gay journeys to Italy ideas. He is the owner of Spirit Journeys, a gay meditation retreat enterprise. Spirit Journeys suggests spiritual and gay trips throughout the world.

Gay tour operators are popping up all over the world and now offer dedicated tours for gays to travel together the world over in small groups. Lesbian and gay tourists can now enjoy Turkey for gay tours.

Turkey has a growing gay population and over the last 10 or so years, gay Turkish men have been interacting with other gays and lesbians around the globe.Hence, the growth in the gay and lesbian travel market.

Turkish Gay clubs and bars have published business websites with English content dedicated to gay travelers visiting them.

Turkey is predominantly Muslim, but they have an easy-going approach in comparison to other Islamic countries towards homosexual people. Turkey is very western and progressive in allowing gay men and women to enjoy a freedom to express themselves and access to promising careers and experiencing romantic intimacy.

Tour groups for gay vacations to Turkey allow no more than 15 people and are suited to travelers that are flexible, fun loving and enjoy meeting and interacting with new people and who will approach new cultures they visit with a sense of adventure and curiosity. The cozy tour groups offer an intimacy and camaraderie amongst travelers where they bond and become lifelong friends. If you are adventurous, like to meet new people and seeing new places small group gay vacations to Turkey are perfect for you.

These exciting gay vacations to Turkey are up market and offer delicious meals and up market accommodation in conjunction with professional tours. Themes for the tours include easy adventure filled trips, cultural and historical sightseeing, party vibe or quiet safaris or romantic cruises as well as nature walks.

Gay tour operators offer tour packages customized from interesting cultural sightseeing and various outdoor activities. You get to visit places that are off the beaten track and see exciting, well-known spots where you get to experience unique subtleties that most tourists don't get to experience.

Tour operators allow you to create your own tour if you cannot find a suitable package on the website suitable to your schedule where you can create your very own itinerary. Choose from the normal tour guides and books to create your own itinerary. Pick from any or all of the sights mentioned or request a place that was not mentioned, anywhere in Turkey. Greek Islands tours and Blue voyage cruises within Turkey are offered for private groups, big or small to fit in with your vacation period.

Rest assured that in planning your own gay vacation to Turkey, all major tourist attractions are connected with public bus transport, be it long distance or short distance.

The Turkish railways are not as reliable or comfortable as the Turkish bus service. Domestic air travel is available to and from Istanbul to the other entire local and all the international airports. Chartered flights unfortunately are available only during high tourism seasons and are rare even during the season.

When you plan a gay trip to Turkey, book in advance, especially if you plan on going during peak season in order to avoid delays on any requirements for flights and accommodation.

Exposition written by Howie Holben regarding Turkey and gay travel tours. Spirit Journeys can help with your next gay trip.

Vacations are something that everyone takes in order to get themselves out of the hustle and bustle of the real world for a little bit of relaxation and rejuvenation. This time away is very important to both our physical and mental health. There are many different types of vacations that one can take in order to fill these needs.

You can vacation alone, with friends or family, or you can travel with a group. You can also choose to travel with a group of people that have similar backgrounds and interests. Exploring gay spirituality is one choice for gay people.

On gay vacations, our gayness is one thing we all have in common. This shared life experience can only add to our vacation experience. Bonds are quickly formed in the group due to our shared experiences in life.

People that were at first strangers, become friends quickly and easily. This is one reason gay vacations are great way to travel. Knowing that we are understood by those around us adds an immediate sense of comfort to the group.

This understanding helps us to relax and open ourselves up and allows us to be a little more vulnerable. When we're relaxed and open, we're able to go a little deeper into the vacation experience. This allows us recover from life's stresses more quickly and more fully.

Taking it to an even deeper level, we can take gay vacations with people of similar intentions. Travelling with men and women that want to grow spiritually is one way to do this. Then not only do we share our gay spirit, we share goals for the vacation.

Gay vacations that include an exploration of the world and also an exploration of ourselves, can be very powerful. With the support of the others in the group we are able to let our walls down even further and live a freer life. And that's why we took a vacation in the first place, to be freer of life's responsibilities.

Proposals for gay travel penned by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys provides a gay retreats to remember and a gay adventure experience of a lifetime.

Turkey is a unique country with a distinctive culture resulting from being situated on both the European and Asian continents. Turkey's history and daily life is heavily influenced by both, with most considering Turkey to be economically and politically closer to other European countries, while it is geographically located mostly on the Asian continent and is solidly positioned as an Islamic country, along with its Middle Eastern neighbors, in terms of religion.

However, while it shares this conservative religion with nearby nations, visitors and residents agree that Turkey can be distinguished from other Islamic countries by its progressive and Westernized culture, resulting from its ties to Europe. These characteristics are what make gay tours to Turkey comfortable and generally without issue.

Millions of visitors travel to Turkey every year, many enjoying gay vacations that include exploring old-world architecture and ancient ruins, relaxing on beautiful beaches on the Mediterranean and Aegean coastlines, and partaking in gay tours that visit sites of historical, cultural and spiritual importance.

As the historical capital of both the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, there is virtually no end to the historic sites located throughout Istanbul and Turkey. Whether travelers opt for an urban gay travel experience in Istanbul, or a more rural vacation exploring old-world villages, visitors will feel like they have stepped into a different world where culturally-rich experiences are waiting around every corner.

From visiting hammams (traditional public Turkish baths) to sitting at sidewalk cafs drinking sweet black tea or strong Turkish coffee, gay vacations in Turkey allow travelers to immerse themselves in this distinctive culture, with plenty of opportunities to partake in once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Those who opt for gay tours to Turkey will find that their vacation experience can be even more memorable and fulfilling when they enjoy the additional benefit of having travel professionals organize their trip.

While travelers may not see a vocal, well-organized LGBT community during their gay vacations to Turkey, they will see that there is an LGBT scene and community. Unlike other Islamic countries, there are no laws specifically targeting the LGBT community and there are numerous community discos, bars and other establishments, many of which can be found in the Taksim Square neighborhood of Istanbul.

With numerous establishments from which to choose, visitors enjoying gay travel to Turkey have the opportunity to experience the Turkish LGBT community during their stay, and those who opt for participating in gay vacations will find that this is an excellent way to see some of the most awe-inspiring sites of historical, cultural or spiritual significance that Turkey offers.

Exposition for a gay tour in Turkey penned by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys creates cool gay tour deals.

Egypt hosts a wide variety of historical, cultural and religious sites, which makes the entire country fascinating. Gay travel to Egypt can include anything from taking a cruise on the Nile, crossing the desert on a camel, shopping in open-air souks, and taking in the awe-inspiring Great Pyramids of Giza, to shopping and dining in modern cities and relaxing on the pristine white sands of world-famous beaches. From the Temple of Edfu and the burial tombs in the Valley of Kings, to browsing through the Khan al Khalili Bazaar or visiting King Tutankhamun's treasures in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Egypt truly has endless offerings. Folks planning a gay vacation to Africa will not want to pass up the mystique and allure of Egypt, which is an excellent choice for gay travel.

When planning gay vacations to Egypt, there is some information that is helpful to know. While there are no specific laws outlawing same-sex sexual behavior between consenting adults in private, over the last several years, the government has stepped up its efforts to arrest and imprison gay men by using laws against debauchery and contempt of religion to imprison men arrested through raids at known gathering spots, undercover operations in online chat rooms and other underhanded methods.

Most of these efforts have been aimed at arresting Egyptian men; however, in some instances women and tourists have also been included. One of the most publicized cases of a sting operation that led to numerous arrests and imprisonment was the 2001 raid of the Queen Boat, which resulted in the arrest of over 50 men.

With this being said, that does not mean that gay travel to Egypt should be avoided, or that all locals can be assumed to be homophobic. Most folks who partake in a gay vacation tour to Egypt find that locals are warm and welcoming and report no legal issues during their travels. It does mean that you will not find a visible LGBT community for the most part. While there are popular meeting spots in Alexandria, Luxor, Dahab, Cairo, Aswan and other larger metropolitan areas, discretion is key, as these popular hangouts are also well-known to the police.

Egypt is an amazing country with a vast array of must-see attractions of both cultural and historical value. Folks who are interested in gay vacations to Egypt may want to consider a gay travel tour, which will help to ensure that you do not miss Egypt's best offerings and that the journey will be a safe one. If you prefer solo gay vacations, it is still advisable to at least go through a travel agent that is aware of the concerns and needs of members of the LGBT community when planning gay vacations to ensure a trip full of lasting memories and great experiences.

Post about Egypt authored by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys presents gay retreats for gay spiritual singles and couples.

India is a diverse country with a lot to offer to all types of travelers. With both sun-drenched, sandy beaches and the snowcapped Himalayas, and plenty of incredible, beautiful terrain in between, gay trips to India are filled with opportunities for relaxation or various outdoor adventures. Long-held as a center of spirituality and nature-based healing methods, an India gay vacation is an excellent choice for travelers in search of opportunities to reprioritize, refocus on the important things in life and reawaken their spiritual self.

Of course, India has many other sides, which allow for gay vacations that also focus on exceptional dining experiences, visiting important historical, cultural and sacred sites, experiencing life in a rural Indian village, exploring India's untouched wilderness or partaking in shopping trips that include both modern boutiques and traditional bazaars.

Folks on a gay vacation in India will likely find that it can be a challenge to locate visible LGBT communities, even in large metropolitan areas. Of course, there are some identifiable gathering and cruising spots, mostly in urban cities. An important step towards equality was taken in 2009 when the Delhi High Court voted to overturn a--8-year-old law that defined same-sex sexual activity as a punishable act under "carnal intercourse against the order of nature." This law has been on the books since the time of British colonial rule and is still enforced throughout India. While Delhi no longer includes same-sex relations under this law, it is still used in the majority of the country to occasionally prosecute both gay and straight people and can result in punishments that include high fines and imprisonment, up to a life sentence.

Activists are trying to rectify this situation, but in the meantime, those who are on gay tours to India should be aware of this. With that said, there are many LGBT people living in India and there are some gathering spots, as well as the cruising areas you can expect in nearly any country, no matter how conservative. While there are mixed feelings at both a community and government level about LGBT folks, ideas about sexuality are changing, making India an ever-improving option for gay travel.

While the subject of same-sex relationships may still be somewhat taboo in India, it is a popular destination for gay vacations and most LGBT travelers report no problems during their gay tours. One way to help ensure that you do not experience issues during a gay vacation to India is to participate in an organized tour arranged by a well-established, professional company offering exceptional tour opportunities that cater to the LGBT community. Opting for traveling to India as part of a tour group is a great way to make sure you do not miss some of the most popular attractions, visits to sacred temples and life-changing experiences available when traveling in India. Opting for traveling to India as part of a group is a great way to make sure you do not miss some of the most popular attractions, visits to sacred temples and life-changing experiences available when traveling in India.

Thoughts about India written by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys list of gay guides is amazing. Their gay travel in 2010 is well rounded.