Im looking for somewhere to go in April after Phnom Penh, Thailand and Penang. Any suggestions?
I've kind of given up on Seoul, and Manila just seems too hard.
So, what about Taipei? Anybody have some up to date information?
I've searched the net and the gay boards, but I need someone who has actually been there.
Cheers.
Mmm.....just read Kakadai's thread below. Nirish's experience in Taiwan doesn't sound all that encouraging.
The boys always flock to one so answering for others is a risky endeavour. However I've heard good things about Taiwanese boys and my other Australian correspondent tells me Grindr in Sydney and Melbourne is jammed full of horny Taiwanese boys there on a working holiday. Since most of us don't pursue boys 24/7 you have to consider what else to do. I've heard the Guandu Nature Park in Taipei is just the thing if you're fond of animal spirits.
Failing that there's always North Korea.
In April, for the great weather...I'd chose Cat Ba out in Ha Long Bay in North Vietnam. Plan ahead with the schedule, take the high speed ferry out of Haiphong. I've stayed at the Holiday View Hotel with beautiful views of Cat Ba, the Bay and all the boats and just a short walk around the corner to the beach. It's one of the closest hotels to the beach and the local beach is beautiful (in my opinion) with services (umbrella, chair, food, etc..) and a nice clean beach, shallow for a good way out. There was a disco when I was there last, a big arena like thing...pretty simple, but pretty friendly the crowd. You can catch a boat out to Ha Long Bay from Cat Ba, lots of options with that in mind and that in itself is amazing to see. The food choices are pretty simple, but you're on the sea and so fish and seafood is fresh and affordable.
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Surfcrest
As already me mentioned sex / craic wise I had a fairly shit time in Taiwan but I fully accept that others have said the opposite so I'm quite happy to accept and concede that perhaps it WAS just totally my own fault there, however to give myself some credit I did put in the effort as normal whilst there but found it just wasn't happening and ( gay life wise) I did strongly feel like an unwelcome ( invisible) outsider in general - and with my shit memory for me to remember that feeling now a few years later that confirms to ME that it must have been crap enough to leave that imprint on me.
I should add that I did quite like the place in general and was happy to have gone to see it etc but sex / guy / fucking wise It definitely didn't do it for me but I'm always keen and happy to hear others views as if it was "me" then I'll maybe put it back on my list to try again someday.
I get your comment about Manilla too but have you thought of once getting there jumping on the short connecting flight to Cebu as its a lot more chilled and relaxed and I believe there's plenty of guys who would be more than happy to say hi to you there perhaps ?
I've been a regular visitor to Taipei around 25 or so years, most recently about 3 times a year including the last four October Gay Pride Parades (last year 65,000 attended). I love the place and reckon Taiwan guys are amongst the most gorgeous in Asia.
First impressions
It's easy to get to the city. Taxis at the airport are quite expensive (around US$35) but there are regular and inexpensive buses to the domestic airport and the main train station. The modern subway (MRT) makes it a very easy city to get around with fares to most destinations US$1 (NT$30). There's a wide variety of hotels to suit all budgets including hostels. The city has a number of attractive sites to see (the National Museum with many of ChinaтАЩs most precious artifacts is an absolute must), but generally most of it is not what you'd call an attractive city. This is largely because when Chiang Kai Shek and his 2 million followers fled to Taiwan after being seen off by Mao's troops in 1949, Chiang assumed their stay would be temporary and with the help of the USA he'd soon be back in Beijing. Things like town planning were therefore not a priority.
Gay Scene
Unlike Bangkok and Pattaya, the gay scene is not nearly as тАЬin your faceтАЭ. But it is there and it is well worth the effort to explore. The main problem in the bars is that most Taiwanese guys go out in groups. So if you see someone you like in a bar, the chances are heтАЩs with a bunch of his mates and may be reluctant to break away from that group. So you need to be patient. Another issue is that many guys have only limited English. A third is that many Taiwan guys can be a bit shy with foreigners. But again thatтАЩs no reason not to approach someone provided you do so tactfully and respectfully. A good place to start exploring is the Red House close to Exit 1 at the Ximen (pronounced тАЬshe-menтАЭ) subway station. This is a bit like BangkokтАЩs Silom Soi 4 with lots of gay bars and eating places. It can be a bit quiet during the week but really comes alive on Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays.
A good place to meet guys is at some of the various gay saunas. There are lists on various sites. These range from Aniki which is reputed to come close to Babylon in Bangkok and usually has many dozens (occasionally 100s) of guys mostly in their 20s and 30s, to much smaller and older places like Hans Mens Sauna which is 100 meters from the Red House, or much larger, older places like Rainbow about 200 meters away. Aniki has recently been remodeled. Hans is rather dingy, in desperate need of renovation and has a wider age range, but it is usually possible to meet students there. Rainbow has a relatively young crowd but there are lots of reports in chat rooms of their having lots of тАШattitudeтАЩ and being generally unwelcoming to foreigners.
Taipei has some gay massage parlours. I have never visited but am told many of the masseurs are handsome and the massages are good. However, happy endings are limited to hand jobs. If you are into open-air cruising, 228 Park (used to be called the New Park) a few blocks behind the main station and the Caesar Park Hotel has for decades been one of the main areas to meet local guys.
Hot Springs
Taiwan was a colony of Japan for 50 years and hot springs were developed in areas of volcanic activity just outside the city. These are not just hot pools but mini social districts with restaurants and bars in addition to the bathing areas. Two are exclusively for men. I have only been to one which attracts mostly guys in their 20s тАУ 40s.
Over the Gay Pride week-end it is so packed youтАЩll have to queue for up to an hour to get a locker and then you will not see the water as it is so packed with bodies. At other times, Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays should find lots of young guys but I have found quite a few guys there most days of the week. Unlike Thais, Taiwanese guys have no hang-ups about walking around naked without covering any of their bodies. Many of the younger ones have done their military service and so have well-toned bodies. There is a tiny sauna but it has a light on and since a few straight guys also attend, action is limited. But bodies are literally jam-packed next to each other most of the time! So, not a place for sex but sometimes you can meet and chat with Taiwanese or other Asian visitors and exchange phone numbers for later.
Getting there is easy. Just take the subway to Shipai station, exit in the direction the train is taking. On your right is a taxi rank. Show this card to the taxi.
The drive up a steep hill will take about 10 minutes and cost around US$4.50. You can also take a bus for around US$1, but I strongly recommend a taxi for the first time. If you forget to take a small towel with you, you can buy one at reception. Entrance is around US$10. When you leave, the girls at reception will order a taxi either to the subway station or your hotel BUT you must have its name and address written in Chinese. They do not speak English. There are more details on this blogsite тАУ
http://simonlover83.blogspot.com/2013/0 ... 51a355da46
Social Networking
For your first visit, I strongly suggest linking up a few days in advance with one or two guys from gay romeo, gaydar or fridae. A guide is extremely useful тАУ and may be extremely cute! Once there, the usual social networking sites especially jack'd are very popular.
Thanks for your replies.
Kommie, I just love your suggestion of North Korea. Of course, it was always on my radar but I've been told access to all the gay gogo bars, steamy saunas and massage places is limited to Communist Party cardholders only. And I don't have time to organise a card. And Gayromeo, jack'd and the like are totally useless, as the Internet in North Korea can be unreliable at times. Still, who knows - you may soon be reading a Pyongyang Report from me.
NIrish, if you couldn't have fun in Taiwan then nobody could!
Surfcrest, I've already been to Ha Long Bay. I know why it's called Ha Long - For Christ's sake, ha long till we get back to shore?? I hated the whole experience. And, of course, gay life is non-existant.
Fountainhall, doomo arigatou. I knew I could rely on you. Thanks for that comprehensive report. Having read it, I might just take the chance and give Taiwan a look. It would be great to find a sauna/hotspring that also caters to ...err....older gentlemen. I'd hate to turn up and find myself amongst a bunch of 20 year olds. I'd feel completely out of place.
I need to give it some more thought. If all else fails, there's always Chiang Mai again.
Honestly, knowing mess you do that's sort of what I was trying to get across as trust me I spent a full week trying VERY hard and out of two gay massage places I went to only one offered begrudgingly offered a happy ending and he didn't make as much as eye contact with the whole time and there was definitely a feeling of "fine, if I really MUST but let's get this over with as quickly as possible and go please now".Originally Posted by a447
And I soent a lot of time in the red barn area each night ( my - the only - gay hotel was right beside it and the above poster is quite correct about the guys going out in groups etc but I would differ in his view of them being shy and not having great English etc ( yes I was told all those excuses too by several people) but based on my own witnessing and judging of human interactions they weren't shy they just wanted nothing to do with me / a white guy / a foreigner and after several days of me having this discussion with my gay hotel manager and a few other people in the one gay friendly bar who did speak ( but not fuck) me they eventually conceded the point and agreed I might have a point but they didn't like to admit it and have their fellow countrymen appear unfriendly / racist - but like I said I look forward to other's opinions incase I was just having an off week or just wasn't ANYONES type perhaps.
But also just to repeat I did like seeing the place and wouldn't say never go, give it a twirl for a wee change and "who knows" - it could be YOU :-)
No need to worry. I have been many times to that hot spring and to one of those saunas. In the hot spring I am almost always older than anyone else (and less in shape), often by a considerable margin. Absolutely no-one bats an eyelid.
Clearly our experiences differ. But it really is fact that most Taiwan gays are shy about interacting with foreigners and a great many have limited English. One reason is that there are far fewer foreign expats basing themselves in Taipei than in, say, Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok and even Tokyo. So as the gay scene in Taipei has exploded over the last 15 - 20 years it's understandable that the vast majority of Taiwanese have paired off with fellow Taiwanese. I have one very good friend in Taipei who studied in London and really wants to find a English boyfriend. He's been looking for 3 years without success!
As I mentioned, the Red House is great over the week-ends but can be pretty dull on weekdays. Because they are more impersonal, saunas are a better way to hook up during the week. Best, though, is through social networking sites. That way you can easily find those for whom being with a foreigner and language are not issues. I still believe that the key to 'success' is patience, tact and respect. It does take time, and in that regard, I find Taiwan is more like meeting up with japanese guys in Tokyo.
Perhaps I am biased and you should take that into consideration. If I was not living in Bangkok, the city I would most prefer to base myself in is Taipei!
New Low Cost Carrier to Taipei
Incidentally, there is a new low cost carrier now flying between Chiang Mai and Taipei, and from March 1st also from Bangkok (Don Mueang) to Taipei. Fares are very competitive with round trips as low as Bt. 5,145 from CNX and Bt. 6,890 from DMK - both with 15 kg baggage allowance.
http://www.flyvair.com/en/plan/promotions
Even though India recently re-outlawed homosexual behaviour I still got plenty of eye contact when I stopped over in Delhi on my way to Bangkok a couple of weeks ago, as I think I told you over coffee one morning. My other Australian correspondent tells me the cottages and backrooms of Sydney and Melbourne are full of Indians cruising. Mind you, the BO ...
Then of course there's Sri Lanka, home of science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke for many years, apparently just so he could canoodle those dark-skinned boys. India and Sri Lanka must be anathema to the Board's paternalists who believe that the darker-skinned people like the Thais are incapable of democracy, so perhaps a first-hand report?
As an aside I was particularly taken by Indian prime minister Modi's address to your parliament last year where he said "Democracy offers the best opportunity for the human spirit to flourish". Smiles and bkkguy (not to mention the absent lego) must be gnashing their teeth. And he's not even a whitey like them!
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