The Gay Guide to Travelling with Pride, Out in the World by Stefan Arestis and Sebastien Chaneac, published by Pavilion Books
Better know as the Nomadic Boys, Stefan and Seby are pioneers of LGBTQIA+ travel blogging. In a world where the label ‘influencer’ is just a self-selected click away on any social media profile, they remain the gay travel influencers’ influencers.
The boys have been travelling and blogging the world together since 2014. Advising and guiding on destinations and offering advice on travelling safely as a member of the gay community. Their diverse approach to destinations, from obvious gay hotspots to those not best known for a gaycation – like Bhutan, and from popular to off the beaten path locations, has helped to keep them fresh, some 10 years after their journeys together started.
“…Read on, dear reader, and we’ll give you an insight into some of the places that have tickled and inspired us the most..”
Out in the World is more of an insight into Stefan and Seby and their experiences as gay travellers than the places they have visited. But that is fine – we can flick through the pages for inspiration then click on their online guides to get the necessary detail.
With such an established online presence, it is surprising that only the briefest mention is made of such a significant resource (only two website and two social media references appear across the book’s 192 pages). Individual destinations are not accompanied by links to the Nomadic Boys’ detailed website guides. Future editions might include this. It does serve a useful purpose given the confines of ink and paper. Between writing and publication one of Stefan and Seby’s favourite gay Puglia hangouts listed in their top Italy experiences has closed its doors. Printed media, unlike online guides, has no ability for real time updating!
Out in the World is a significant evolution for the Nomadic Boys creative journey as they transition from established digital presence to publishing a first book. It is fitting that the First Gentlemen of gay travel have a glittery, hard-cover book we can put on our coffee table, a useful review of a pioneering – and inspiring – journey in gay travel blogging.
The Gay Guide to Travelling with Pride, Out in the World by Stefan Arestis and Sebastien Chaneac, is published by Pavilion Books on 9 May 2024 (feature photo credit Pavilion Books/Nomadic Boys in Gallipoli, Puglia. Photo composite by the Puglia Guys).