Gay Travel Tips For Egypt
Egypt hosts a wide variety of historical, cultural and religious sites, which makes the entire country fascinating. Egypt gay travel 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 a gay vacation 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.
These undercover operations and raids usually focus on arresting Egyptian men; however, tourists and local women have also been caught up in this persecution on occasion. While Egypt does not have laws that prohibit private, consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults, other laws are being used to arrest people, such as laws against contempt for religion and debauchery.
With that said, this is not to imply that Egypt should be avoided during gay travel, or that travelers will feel unwelcome amongst the locals. Most visitors find locals throughout the country to be very warm and welcoming and have reported no problems with the government or police during gay vacations. Of course, this ongoing persecution does mean that it is difficult, if not impossible to find any visible LGBT communities; however, there are popular gathering spots in Cairo, Aswan, Dahab, Alexandria, Luxor and other metropolitan areas. It is important to note that while these hangouts do exist, discretion should be used, because the police are also well aware of locations frequented by the LGBT community.
Egypt is a land of mystery with several must-see historical and cultural attractions. To experience some of the best offerings of Egypt, while also helping to ensure a safe trip without hassles, those seeking a gay holiday to Egypt should consider taking in this intriguing country as part of a gay travel tour, or at the very least, going through a travel agency that is aware of issues of concern to the LGBT community and is able to provide the information necessary for safe, fulfilling gay vacations to Egypt.
When planning a gay vacation 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.
These undercover operations and raids usually focus on arresting Egyptian men; however, tourists and local women have also been caught up in this persecution on occasion. While Egypt does not have laws that prohibit private, consensual same-sex sexual activity between adults, other laws are being used to arrest people, such as laws against contempt for religion and debauchery.
With that said, this is not to imply that Egypt should be avoided during gay travel, or that travelers will feel unwelcome amongst the locals. Most visitors find locals throughout the country to be very warm and welcoming and have reported no problems with the government or police during gay vacations. Of course, this ongoing persecution does mean that it is difficult, if not impossible to find any visible LGBT communities; however, there are popular gathering spots in Cairo, Aswan, Dahab, Alexandria, Luxor and other metropolitan areas. It is important to note that while these hangouts do exist, discretion should be used, because the police are also well aware of locations frequented by the LGBT community.
Egypt is a land of mystery with several must-see historical and cultural attractions. To experience some of the best offerings of Egypt, while also helping to ensure a safe trip without hassles, those seeking a gay holiday to Egypt should consider taking in this intriguing country as part of a gay travel tour, or at the very least, going through a travel agency that is aware of issues of concern to the LGBT community and is able to provide the information necessary for safe, fulfilling gay vacations to Egypt.
About the Author:
This gay travel article is offered by Howie Holben. Howie and Spirit Journeys present spiritual gay holiday options. You can find out much more about a spiritual gay tour at www.SpiritJourneys.com.
Post a Comment