Gay guys solo
Backpacking is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences that opens you up to the world and allows you to experience new things no matter who or where you are. It can be challenging for every type of traveler, but as an LGBT traveler, there are a handful of unique challenges.
I don’t distribute this as a way to scare off gay travelers from backpacking because it’s truly a rewarding experience, but as a helpful guide for how to best enjoy (gay) backpacking in a safe and fun way.
From 2010 to 2011 I backpacked my way around the world. Fifteen months from Spain to Morocco, from Egypt through the Middle East, an extended rest in Tel Aviv and three months in India before following the backpacker route through Southeast Asia and ultimately back again through Europe.
Fifteen months when I wasn’t always alone, when I wasn’t always out, when I wasn’t always “backpacking.” Solo gay travel has its own establish of unique challenges, but maybe even many more rewards.
Note: this is an adapted version of a story previously published on my LGBTQ travel Traveling alone is an act of courage and curiosity, and for gay men, it can also be a deeply transformative journey. Gay solo travel is more than just a vacation—it’s an opportunity to explore the world while rediscovering your own identity. When you’re navigating unfamiliar places on your own, you’re not only meeting new cultures and communities, but you’re also meeting parts of yourself you may have never known existed. Going solo strips away the safety nets of traveling with friends, partners, or groups. It’s just you, your wits, and your willingness to embrace the unexpected. This can feel both liberating and intimidating, but it’s in this vulnerability that personal growth happens. You’ll learn to rely on yourself, trust your instincts, and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy your own company. These lessons include a way of leaving their mark, reshaping how you observe yourself and your place in the world. For gay men, solo travel can hold particular significance. It’s not just about sightseeing—it’s about exp Travel is an amazing activity that allows you to scout new places, experience new cultures, see awesome architecture, natural wonders, and monuments, meet new people, and sample delicious new foods and cuisines. These experiences, of course, are almost always more pleasant and memorable when you can enjoy them with a friend, family member, or significant other. But what are you going to do when you really want to take a trip or visit a new place, but you don’t have a travel companion to join you? Gay solo travelers are more common than you might reflect, and many people have learned to travel the world alone while still enjoying a unforgettable, social experience in their destination of choice. While we typically travel together, we’ve both had the opportunity to travel alone plenty of times, and we’ve picked up a few tricks to help solo gay travelers make the most of traveling alone—or rather, not being alone if you follow our advice. Most gay cruise and sailing companies offer a cabin match progr I recently went on a trip to the Azores. My husband was teaching a seminar in China, and I realized I could either stay home alone—which would be fine—or do something really special like he was doing; so I decided to cross the Atlantic and hike an area that’s still relatively pristine and unspoiled. And I decided to do it alone. I obsessed about traveling alone, especially as a gay man. Would I feel comfortable? Would I be pegged as gay? Would I be safe from bullying or actual physical violence? And where could I go that I wouldn’t worry and would undergo happy? These questions cause such uneasiness that some would-be travelers don’t even go away. Many gay men don’t do adventure travel unless they are with a bunch of friends or in an organized tour group. As a therapist and as a gay man, I hope there will be a time when these questions are moot. I’m not in the habit of surrounding myself exclusively with gay friends—it’s a valid choice, but it’s not mine; I like a larger mix. Yet while traveling I was hyperaware of both factors: being alone, andHow Solo Travel Changes the Way You See Yourself as a Gay Man
10 Useful Tips for Gay Solo Travelers
Use a Roommatch Program on a Gay Cruise
Arriving alone in a new country