About Us

How Holiday Houseboys was created

It was on a trip to Ho Chi Minh when I was alone in the evening and didn’t really know where to go out. I thought wouldn’t it be nice if I knew a local. Someone to show me around, where to go, what was of interest and to avoid the tourist traps that adorn such cities. And if I wanted to go out for a drink, where to go out and at what time would it be relatively busy.

Yes, I was aware of various guides such as Spartacus but cities are alive. Some places open, some close. And what I really wanted to know what was trending at that moment in time. Only a local could have such knowledge.

Then the idea of having someone to look after me on say a 2 or 3 day trip, sounded even greater. Someone who speaks the local language and to help with shopping. However that idea was revised because I realised that gay guys just wanted the assistance for half a day or full day, not someone to be permanently at their side.

So in 2016, Holiday Houseboys was born. I put an advert in a local newspaper asking for English speaking guides who were gay friendly. I never asked the sexuality of the guide, but they usually told me anyway. So the first Holiday Houseboy came from Ho Chi Minh, and then I selected a few more South Asian cities such as Phnom Penh, Bangkok, Negombo and Hanoi.

I discovered that this service is greatly loved by the guide and the guest alike. The guest loves being shown around by a friendly younger guy. And the Holiday Houseboy loves showing the guest around too.