Our vacations in Thailand combine varied locations, opportunities to meet the Thai people, tasty and healthy food, and the camaraderie of a lively, friendly, gay and lesbian group.

Related pages:

The Thai language

Making yourself understood

Mai pen rai: a slogan and a philosophy

Gay life and culture

Getting around Thailand

Thai customs

Basic travel facts

Things to try...

Alyson Adventures, which specializes in active vacations for gay men and lesbians, offers a Thailand tour in which you'll travel to five entirely different parts of this friendly tropical country.

Why Thailand? Many reasons. First, Thailand is gay-friendly — or, more accurately, the Thai's tend not to label and separate based on gay-straight categories. Sexuality is considered a natural and enjoyable part of life, under the prevailing Buddhist philosophy, and while certain customs of public behavior should be respected by any visitor, most Thais believe it's none of their business what you do in your bedroom.

Thailand is also an exciting country for travel. From the mountains of the north, to the beaches of the south, an enormous variety of landscapes, adventures, and natural beauty await the visitor.

Finally, Thailand is rich in both history and natural beauty. Exquisite Buddhist temples adorn both city and countryside. In our two-week trip, we'll enjoy lakes and beaches, mountain vistas and forest trails.

FIVE CORNERS OF THAILAND

Our Thailand trip takes us to five regions, each entirely different. Our small gay group quickly finds itself at home in each location.

Bangkok: It's everything you've heard: Big, energetic, sometimes noisy, often congested. We'll make use of Bangkok's central artery — the Chao Phraya river — to avoid some of the worst traffic.

Hill tribes trek: In the mountains of the north, we trek (and travel partway by elephant) to the remote tribal villages that have for generations lived entirely apart from the modern world. Over a single wood fire, our guide cooks a dinner that rivals anything in Bangkok.

Chiangmai: Once the capital of Thailand, now its second-largest city, Chiangmai (or Chiang-Mai) has many of the pleasures of Bangkok, including ancient temples; a thriving gay life of saunas, clubs, and restaurants; and — whether you're looking for a bargain, or quality craftwork, some superb shopping.

The rainforest: Hike to a remote waterfall. Follow an underground river as it winds and splashes through a twisting, dark cave. Sleep in a bamboo hut floating on a pristine lake, and instead of a morning shower, jump in for a morning swim. The workaday world never seemed so far away

The sea: We end on the island of Phuket, nestled against the waters of the Andaman Sea. Sea-canoe into the hidden tunnels of towering limestone islands. Meet gibbons being rehabilitated for the wild. Sit on a long crescent of sandy beach, or hike in the rainforest.

Please click on links above to read more about each of these regions, or proceed to the trip overview for details of what's included, departure dates, and pricing.