Quick Answer
Check the legal position on ILGA World or Equaldex, read your own government’s LGBTQ+ travel advisory, and research the specific city rather than the country. Laws change frequently in both directions, so use a live source rather than any article — including this one.
A ranked list of “safest countries” is the wrong tool here: the law changes, enforcement varies, and a single national label hides enormous differences between a capital city and a rural province. What follows is how to research a destination properly, and what to do once you have.
How to Assess a Destination
1. Start with the legal position, then look past it
Legal status is the floor, not the whole picture. Some countries with equal marriage still have regions where public affection draws hostility; some with no legal recognition have cities where daily life is unremarkable. Research both the law and the place.
2. Use a live source, not an article
Laws change in both directions and any static list goes stale. ILGA World maintains sexual-orientation and gender-identity law maps; Equaldex tracks changes; several governments publish LGBTQ+-specific travel pages. Check these close to departure.
3. Read your own government's advisory
The US State Department, UK FCDO, Global Affairs Canada and Australia’s Smartraveller all publish LGBTQ+-specific guidance, including whether local law criminalises same-sex activity and how it is enforced in practice.
4. Criminalisation still exists in roughly 60-something countries
The exact number moves as laws are struck down or introduced. Enforcement varies from near-zero to active. Where it applies, it can also affect visa applications, hotel room-sharing and what is on your phone.
5. Border and device checks
In a small number of countries, officials have searched phones for dating apps or photos. If you are travelling somewhere with hostile laws, consider what is on your device before you arrive.
6. Accommodation
Same-sex couples are occasionally refused a shared bed. Booking a chain or a property with recent reviews from LGBTQ+ guests avoids most of it; some booking platforms let hosts self-identify as welcoming.
7. Trans and non-binary travellers face distinct issues
A name or gender marker that does not match your ticket or passport can cause problems at check-in and security. Carry documentation, and research the destination’s rules on gender markers, which differ from its rules on sexual orientation.
8. The most welcoming destinations
Much of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, Uruguay and Argentina are consistently rated among the easiest, with established scenes and legal protection.
9. Cities differ from their countries
Large cities are usually more relaxed than rural regions in the same country — true almost everywhere, including in places with strong national protections.
10. Insurance and healthcare
Check that your policy covers you, that you can access any medication you need, and note that some countries restrict importing hormone treatments. Carry prescriptions.
Use live sources, not this page. Legal status changes in both directions and varies by nationality and by region within a country. Check ILGA World’s legal maps, Equaldex, and your own government’s LGBTQ+ travel advisory close to your departure date. This page explains how to read those sources; it does not replace them.
Practical preparation
Decide in advance how you will handle it. Many travellers are comfortable being out in some destinations and not others, and there is no wrong answer — but deciding beforehand is easier than deciding at a hotel desk. Being discreet in a hostile jurisdiction is a safety measure, not a concession.
Practically: register with your embassy where that service exists; keep the local emergency number and your embassy’s contact saved offline; have a booked, confirmed first night; and tell someone at home your itinerary. Connect with local organisations or community groups before arriving in less certain destinations — residents know which neighbourhoods and venues are fine in a way no guide can capture.
Finally, an honest caveat: none of this guarantees anything, and an incident is never the traveller’s fault. These are the same risk-reduction steps experienced travellers use, applied to a situation where the risk is unevenly distributed by geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which countries are safest for LGBTQ+ travellers?
Much of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Uruguay and Argentina rate consistently well. Verify current status on ILGA World rather than any article.
How many countries criminalise same-sex relationships?
Roughly sixty-something, and the number changes as laws are struck down or introduced. Enforcement varies enormously.
What should trans travellers check?
Whether your passport gender marker matches your other documents, the destination’s rules on gender markers, and whether any medication you carry is restricted there.