Gay bar in bali

Surprisingly, Bali has historically been quite a popular gay haven in Asia : remember this is part of Indonesia, a country that has over the years become increasingly more homophobic. Bali stands strong in the face of this rising tide of hatred toward our LGBTQ community in Indonesia thanks to its unique Hindu heritage and the diverse international community across the island.

For LGBTQ travelers, Gay offers a tropical paradise, gorgeous beaches, world-class restaurants, plenty of welcoming gay hotels, and an entire strip of lively gay hangouts in Seminyak. We've put all of this right here in our lengthy gay travel guide to Bali based on our first-hand experience.

Heads up: We just wanted to let you know that this post contains affiliate links. That means if you book something through one of those links, we'll get a small commission, at no extra cost to bali. It helps us keep our blog going — so thank you in advance for your support! We strongly recommend investing in a good VPN like this one for your travels in Bali.

Whilst Bali is gay friendly, bar rest of Indonesia is not, and the internet is heavily regulated. To access it you will need to first install a VPN on your smartphone. Using a VPN will also allow you to browse anonymously and securely. Before visiting Bali, we wondered how such a gay haven could exist in a country like Indonesia, where the Islamic government has been working ruthlessly to oppress its LGBTQ community.

Stonewall Bali: New on the Gay Night Scene

Whilst homosexuality wasn't historically illegal in this former Dutch colony, the government has found ways gay target the LGBTQ community via other laws. Despite what's happening on the mainland, Bali continues to thrive, largely unaffected. Unlike the rest of the country, which has the largest Muslim population in the world, Bali is mainly Hindu — a religion that is more tolerant of our LGBTQ family.

As a result, the gay scene has been able to thrive here for many years. For example, in there was a formal crackdown on gay guesthouses in Bali. Post-pandemic, Bali has strived to change its image with the Bali Tourism Board stating it remains safe for gay travelers. While this is good news, it's a stark reminder to be careful and modest in Bali for your safety, limited PDAs to queer-friendly spaces.

More recently, the Indonesian government has proposed bali new law for December that bans sexual relations amongst unmarried couples with a penalty of a prison sentence of up to 1 year. Despite this Bali's governor confirmed this would not apply to touristsbut we advise being extra careful to ensure the place you're staying genuinely welcomes LGBTQ travelers.

For more check out our interview about what it's like to be gay in Bar with Joko from Java island. There sure is! We certainly did and loved it. Each bar offers a mix of cocktails, hilarious drag shows, and handsome GoGo dancers throughout the night. It's busy on most evenings, and on weekends, it's packed. The crowds eventually merge into one and spill out into the street outside, which is what we love about it.

These are all largely in and around Seminyak — see below for more.