GayThailand Forum : Suggestions for destinations outside Thailand - GayThailand Forum

Referring to Oogleman's comments back in 2006, I agree entirely. In many visits to Taiwan over the last 25 years, for me Taiwan guys are in general the most gorgeous in the region. I was just in Taipei for 3 days at the end of last week, and had another wonderful time, partly thanks to a young man I met on fridae.com.

The one point to remember about Taiwan is that most gay guys are 100% in the closet and are really afraid of coming out. But things are improving, albeit slowly. There are now more saunas, including one which, according to the utopia-asia website, is as good as Babylon in Bangkok. The same site does have a few comments about the "attitude" of some of the younger crowd, but that's not a new experience for us older, less in-shape guys. I only had time to revisit one of the older establishments, Hans Mens Sauna, and had no trouble in attracting a beautiful young student. (I have not given directions or more detail because you can get these, maps and much more detail at www.utopia-asia.com)

Thanks to my new friend, I did have one new experience - a visit to an all-male 24-hour hot-spring just outside the city where all the guys walk around totally nude. No small towels like in Japanese hot springs, and no embarrassment whatever about showing your assets or your lack of fitness! We were there between about 22:00 and midnight. In that time, there were never less than 50 guys, and at one point I estimated there were more than 80. I reckoned the age range was basically 20s - 40s and many of the younger ones were in very good physical shape (after all, Taiwan still requires all young men to go through 2 years of rigorous military service). I was certainly the oldest guy there, but no-one gave a damn. My friend said about 80% of them would have been gay. Many go with a small group of gay friends.

The facility is basically one large hot pool, with two smaller and colder ones. There is also a small steam room (unfortunately with a light) but it was always jam packed, naked bodies packed very tightly against naked bodies ). Heaven though this sounds, because the hot-spring is not 100% gay and gay guys are terrified about being known as gay, there was no ‘action’ as such. Just a little probing in the steam room and some eye-contact in the pool. I did notice that quite a few guys left together.

There are many hot-springs in this area just outside the city. Unfortunately, Taipei is not like most other Asian capitals in that there are not many signs in English; so it is far better to have a friend take you there. For those intrepid souls who like a challenge, though, it’s not that difficult. Take the subway to Shipai station on the Danshui line. When you get to street level, there will be taxis waiting. Just hop in one and show the driver the name card attached to this post. The driver will take you up a lovely windy road into the hills. As you start to smell sulphur, you will be dropped by a smaller road leading down to the right (taxi fare about US$4.50). Just wait there and a little golf buggy-type vehicle will come and take you to spring. Entrance is about US$6.50). In the changing room, place your clothes in a small locker, put NT$20 (60 cents) into a coin slot, close it and take the key with you.

The subway closes around 11:30 but the management will call a cab for you. The cost to get back onto the centre of the city was around US$10. Whilst I made no contacts there, it was a fascinating experience. I found it lovely just to watch so many good looking nude guys walking around!

As my budget is tighter than it used to be, I stayed in a mid-price hotel named Ambience at around US$135 per night (with free buffet breakfast and wifi). I had taken a recommendation from a couple of websites, and will definitely stay there again. It is a 3-year old 60-room boutique hotel in the middle of the city and a 10-minute walk from 2 subway stations. It is definitely gay friendly. Indeed, when I arrived around 20:00, both receptionists were cute, young and gay!

Last illustration about how “in the closet” most Taiwan guys are. On the subway to the hot-spring, a tall, slim and extremely handsome mid-20s guy entered and stood close to my seat. I gazed somewhat longingly at him and we made eye contact a couple of times, but he never responded, even with a smile. Then, as I was leaving, he suddenly gave me the loveliest smile along with a slight frown (indicating that he was sorry I was leaving? . . . wish I knew!). He then gave me a little wave and kept his eyes on me until the train was out of sight! Being a foreigner is definitely an asset in Taiwan if only because there are very few residing there.

I have also attached a photo of the cover of a magazine I found in the hotel. I assumed this was a gay guy (illustrating what with his fingers, I wondered??). In fact he is a straight baseball star turned entertainer who is about to get married. In Taiwan, though. almost everything seems to have a gay association!

I took KLM which has a really cheap daily flight. If you want pampering, its 747 business class with lie-flat seats and the usual business class trimmings is a steal at Bt.13,000 return - total!

fountainhall, on 22 March 2010 - 11:38 AM, said:

Once you saw that I wish you had gotten right back on and got off with him at his stop. I would love to know how that story might have ended. I have a feeling that you wonder about it yourself.

Gaybutton, on 22 March 2010 - 02:48 PM, said:

I am still wondering about it!! However, I was with someone taking me to the hot spring (as the train was full, we were not sitting together), and so I could hardly ditch him in favour of the newly discovered Adonis. Yet, if this guy had given any response at all to my earlier eye contact, I'm sure I'd have found a way to give him my hotel number, and then . . . who knows? Ah well, such is life!

fountainhall, on 22 March 2010 - 05:25 PM, said:

I suppose we've all experienced "the one that got away." Damn! I hate when that happens. Too bad he didn't figure out a way to give you his number . . .

bali in indonesia i found the most romantic and exhaustive place to spend your vacations there...i spent few days there with my partner and i just cant mention the luxurious hotels there...its a real paradise on earth...just have a visit there and feel the excitement...

Can't beat Japan for free sex. A cruising site with a chatroom that is quite good when i was there is www.jguyusguy.org Prices of everything else are pretty expensive but the sex is free.

Malaysia is only a bit more expensive than Thailand, but there is plenty of free sex available.