Safe Countries For Black & Brown LGBTQ+ Travelers - Part 1!

As a Black or Brown LGBTQ+ person, safety is so important and it can be difficult to find experiences tailored to us, especially darker-skinned individuals. This is the first in my series of Safer countries for Black/Brown LGBTQ+ Travelers. Keep in mind, these are my personal experiences as a lighter skin Black person who usually travels on her own. Though I often meet up with other travelers of color, I do have some privilege as I can usually blend in with the locals.

Now, obviously, racism is everywhere and no one place is perfect, but these are the locations I’ve found to be most welcome. We deserve to experience the world too!

So, the first country that should go on your travel list immediately is Malta!

Coast of Malta. Sourced from Fodors.

Beautiful and accessible, Malta is about a 2 hour flight from Rome, and its rich with history and culture. Did you know English is one of their official languages?

Image of a Maltese church. Taken by me.

Malta ranks one of the top 5 safest destinations in Europe for LGBTQ+ protections and I was able to walk around unbothered. While the cobblestone streets can be a bit creepy at night, I never actually felt unsafe walking back to my hotel.

I had a great time with the nightlife, however you’re going to have much more fun with popup events that are promoted on social media rather than the local ones you find online. Messaging promoters also gives you the best chance to avoid any negative interactions, as racism can be common during nightlife. In my experience, the locals were incredibly kind and welcoming, though I will admit neither I, nor the person with me was dark-skinned. That being said, my friend and I did not witness any racist incidents, and the island is quite diverse.

The prices on the island was relatively cheap, I stayed at a resort hotel on the water that was less than 100 euros a night, and my flight from Italy was under 100 as well.

Video of Maltese resort hotel. Taken by me.

The food and activities are reasonably priced, I spent about 350 euros for a 3 day trip, which included some excursions around the island. Personally, I recommend you stay much longer!

Picture of me on an island off the coast of Malta. Taken by my friend.

Malta should be put on your list immediately, especially if you’re looking for a safe,but still exciting solo trip. Plus there were cute little cats everywhere, the locals take care of them.

Picture of local cat at Maltese resort. Taken by me.

Stay tuned for the next installment of safer countries for you to visit as a Black or Brown Queer person!

This is Tia On Tour, where curiosity meets community!