Vietnam was once considered a wasteland; a developing country still struggling to overcome the scars left by a terrible war. Now, that’s no longer true. Incredible food, fantastic sites and a sizeable gay population awaits travellers, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City. 

For gay culture, it is best to head for Ho Chi Minh City. Here, quite unexpectedly, a vibrant gay culture emerges and opens up to gay travellers. There is popular gay bar Apocalypse Now, a dance venue that draws in gays and lesbians both from the city and from abroad. Then there is Samsara, a sweaty gay dance club which attracts mostly men. The Golf 3 Hotel hosts live music in a variety of languages, where it is not unusual to find gay men and lesbians dancing the night away. Q Bar, in the basement  of the Opera House, is a stylish after-hours venue that is also welcoming to gays and lesbians. All in all the city is the most welcoming part of Vietnam for gays and lesbians, but ask around if you are in any of the other major cities; you might be pleasantly surprised.

There is no law making homosexuality or gay sex illegal for men or for women in Vietnam. There are, however, still some conservative attitudes towards gays and lesbians, but within cosmopolitan areras such as Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.

There are three international airports in Vietnam. For Ho Chi Minh City, you can fly into Tan Son Nhat Airport, the busiest of the three. Hanoi is served by Noi Bai airport, or, for travellers heading to the centre of the country, there is Danang airport, which is less busy but still relatively accessible.