Visiting Istanbul next month

[Sherlocked]

Hello everyone. Just got my e-visa and I'll be visiting Istanbul in the first week of September for one week. I have gone through the existing posts on Istanbul on these forums, but still had some questions that I would be grateful if anyone could answer!

1. Saunas other than Aquarius - Most people on the forum have mentioned Aquarius sauna, but none of the other reputedly gay saunas. Google and gay travel websites mention Firuzaga bath, Cihangir sauna and Yesilderik hamam too. Has anyone had an experience at any of these saunas and hammams, or any other hammams I've missed out? At the above saunas, is fun only to be had with patrons (like in saunas in the West), or are the masseurs up for extra services as well?

2. Tekyon club - All the gay websites say that this is a pretty popular club in Istanbul. However, the Google reviews are pretty mixed! Has anyone visited Tekyon? Are escorts also available here (a few of the Google reviews mention this)?

3. Massage places - This is probably my naivete, but I was expecting a lot of gay massage places like there is in other parts of Asia like Thailand or Singapore, but through a Google search I could hardly find anything. I found this masseur called Bora (https://malemasseuristanbul.weebly.com/), who has a few good reviews - does anyone have any experience with him? Apart from that, I've found these two massage listing websites - https://www.masor-turkiye.com/, and https://www.masajturkiye.com/. However, the descriptions indicate only a professional massage, with nothing sensual/erotic. Does anyone have experience hiring from either of these websites; are the masseurs willing to go beyond and offer extras? Are there any other masseurs/massage services in Istanbul that forum members can recommend - I was pretty surprised to hardly find anything!

4. Apps/websites - A few people on this forum have mentioned hiring escorts through Planet Romeo or Rentmen? Are they both equally popular and reliable, or is one better than the other? I checked out Istanbul listings on both websites, and they were pretty extensive, but reviews are few. Given some of the dangerous experiences guys have mentioned having through online hiring from Grindr (I don't use Grindr so won't be hiring from here) or to a lesser extent, Romeo (Hunqz) and Rentmen, I was wondering if either one was safer/more reliable? Some of the older reviews mention Hornet being popular; is that still the case or is it now not that popular?

5. Stray dogs - Have any of the forum members had any negative experiences with stray dogs - like attacking people, etc.? I know this point seems a bit unusual, but there has recently been a lot of controversy in Turkey over an app called Havrita which points out locations of supposed aggressive street dogs that have attacked people. On the other side, a lot of people are calling for it to be shut down because some people have apparently poisoned street dogs after learning their locations through the app.

Thank you all in advance. I will truly be grateful for any answers anyone shares. I will of course post a trip report of my experiences once I'm back, that I hope will be helpful for forum members visiting Istanbul in the near future. This forum has been extremely helpful to me so far!

 

[Olddaddy]

Yes I can't wait to read your report.

I'm planning on Turkey next year.

[young11]

For me, Turks are very hard to deal with, which makes Turkey far less attractive for this sort of trips. If you speak the language it might be different but most guys will try to charge you more than what you pay in Europe, although it is far less expensive there. I believe that is because escort scene is scarce there. They will use fake photos, they will disappear in the middle, or they will try to rob you or try to charge you more once you meet. What is the worst is that most of them cannot deliver...They don't really understand what it takes to be an escort, they think it is an easy job or low hanging fruit if you are willing to do some anal (top). One time I got myself into a difficult situation: a well advertised escort on hunqz (he is probably still there) came to me and of course, I always explicitly ask if he can kiss with tongue and can get hard before meeting. He didn't wanna kiss after we met and said he had some teeth problems (a lie or at least he should have told me that when I explicitly asked about tongue kiss) and then he recorded me while I am giving a head to him. I confronted him, which he denied but i am 100% sure he recorded me. Unfortunately, you cannot get police involved in this sort of countries, so you are left with far less options. If you talk to expats who live in Turkey, you will realize how hard the boys there are. Anyway, for me it is too much hassle without much pleasant result so I don't really go to Turkey for this sort of things. Turkey itself is a nice country and people are usually friendly (except the taxi drivers but taxi drivers are bad everywhere). For Aquarius, most guys also cannot deliver in cabin, but to me, that is the best option you have if you decide to explore. Don't expect the quality of service you get in Barcelona or Brazil. I also got lucky with a lebanese boy twice and I found him on grindr. I paid but he was very easy to deal with and a good experience in bed, but that was long time ago. 

Regarding hammams, in the past I was able to explore these places but I hear there are very difficult these days because of Erdogan crackdown. I don't have a first hand experience, so maybe someone else can provide more updated info. 

Regarding massages, I always wondered why there are no massage places in turkey. They have hammams, and massage is popular everywhere in the world but I couldn't find any massage place in Istanbul. You don't see them on street either...If you happen to find good ones, do let us know. 

[young11]

Just an update from my recent trip there. My earlier sentiment is still the same: turkey is not the best place to hire. I visited aquarius sauna twice. The manager is just grumpy as usual, the boys try to charge 100euro in sauna although they are not that attractive. The price should be around 600tl (200 goes to the sauna) but again their attitude and inability to create a good experience make it not worthwhile. 

Also, with vpn grindr works fine, you can find many profiles there ranging from 50 to 200usd, where most would quote 100. It's fine as long as their pictures are accurate but that is not the case in turkey, which makes the meeting really awkward. I hired one from grindr but apparently he sent fake body and nude pictures (but the face was real, which is odd...) I couldn't get the connection, I think he was just a total bottom who said top because of the money and had a sloppy flat ass (although the picture was a big bubble butt) so our sex went nowhere. Still paid 100 to avoid any issues and uncomfortable confrontation but I am not excited about going there for hiring for sure. Anyway, the food was good and cheap so I wasn't too bad overall. 

I think turkey is a market for those who don't have access to European market. A lot of gulf men who cannot do things back home come here and spread their oil money and hire like no tomorrow, so that might be the reason why the market is so difficult. 

[caeron]

 

I didn't have much luck there a few years ago either. Not much to my tastes at Aquarius, and I got no responses from those I wanted online.  I too noticed that the prices seemed not to fit the market.

[speedoo1]

A 100 EUR/USD for a sex in Turkey? 🙄 No thanks. That is a lot given the weak currency; in Lira it would be a small fortune.

 

[Mavica]

56 minutes ago, speedoo1 said:

A 100 EUR/USD for a sex in Turkey? 🙄 No thanks. That is a lot given the weak currency; in Lira it would be a small fortune.

In Turkey, I only know Istanbul.  I love that city, the culture ... the food ... and there are so many handsome men.  Unfortunately, where I've stayed does not allow guests.  I've been there during Ramadan when many guys stick close to family, particularly during evenings when they break the fast.

If a primary purpose of a trip abroad is to have sex, Istanbul/Turkey would not be my choice.  Not if I'm traveling from the USA.  But, when I am there again and have accommodation where I can invite someone back ... paying 100 Euro to a guy who interests me would not upset me.  I'd do it - because my appetite isn't as voracious as many others who post here!. 

I loved riding the trams and street cars ... and brushing up against so many handsome men whose smiles almost melted me in their presence.  I've also spent some time in the Kurdish quarter of Istanbul ... and find the young men handsome.  Very.

[young11]

15 hours ago, Mavica said:

paying 100 Euro to a guy who interests me would not upset me.  I'd do it - because my appetite isn't as voracious as many others who post here!. 

haha by reporting my adventures here, maybe I am considered as voracious. then I should stop contributing. Anyway, 100eu or usd for a guy is a very good deal in my opinion but finding that person is difficult in turkey as you can see from my post, whereas in most european market, it is quite easy, no hussle, mostly accurate pictures, and easy to visit or invite etc...

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, young11 said:

haha by reporting my adventures here, maybe I am considered as voracious. then I should stop contributing

the person you’re responding to has a pattern of contrarian posts because he’s looking for a reaction. sometimes subtle & sometimes overt
he doesn’t actually post any trip reports or travel anywhere. he was a member here some time ago, known for constant negativity.  Different name/same person. Just place on ignore.  
I only see him when someone quotes him in a post, or he dislikes my posts, which is the next thing he will do now. 

It’s a game & he desperately wants attention - you know what that means.

[Mavica]

4 hours ago, young11 said:

haha by reporting my adventures here, maybe I am considered as voracious. then I should stop contributing. Anyway, 100eu or usd for a guy is a very good deal in my opinion but finding that person is difficult in turkey as you can see from my post, whereas in most european market, it is quite easy, no hussle, mostly accurate pictures, and easy to visit or invite etc...

My "voracious"  comment wasn't specifically directed toward you, personally.  It was meant to reference the individuals on the various GG forums who refer to the many sexual encounters they have when they travel.  One poster talks about sucking-off 60 guys in 60 days.  Good for him.  That's someone with a "voracious" sexual appetite and maybe spends more money collectively than I will, as I define the term ... and there many who post here who fall into my defined category.  😆

On a two or three week trip (which is the length of a typical trip I take, because I'm still working in the USA (and have other tethering responsibilities) which has notoriously short vacation periods in comparison to many other countries), I'm completely satisfied if I have a couple of guys a week to have sex with.  

I've previously posted that I haven't tricked in Istanbul.  I'll be back there again in the future, for certain, and I'll work hard to acquire accommodation where I can host someone, or I'll find another venue for that purposes of sex.  I've traveled most/much of the Silk Road, and my interest in Istanbul/Turkey, Central Asia and China is related historical events and locations.  Istanbul, Bukara, Tashkent, Samarkand, Urumqi, Turfan, Lanzhou, Xi'an and Beijing:  I've visited each.

Maybe my experiences will turn-out to be the same as yours in Istanbul; maybe not.  It's not unusual for one person to experience the environment differently than the next person traveling afterwards, or beforehand.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Slvkguy said:

he dislikes my posts, which is the next thing he will do now. 

bingo - that’s exactly what @Mavica did & he just proved my point. Pathetic 

[davet]

Turkish guys can be very hot and very sweet. Language is an issue outside the tourist areas. (And overbearing rug merchants are an issue IN the tourist areas.) Aquarius is okay if you aren't expecting a Brazil-level establishment and if you like Middle-Eastern, light skinned, somewhat hirsute guys. They readily accepted ~50-60EUR from me (this was last year, before the Turkish economy cratered even further). Many years ago, two probably underaged guys approached me on the street in a random, non-touristy area, making their purpose very obvious, and I moved away as fast as possible. Beware.

But Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

[Tomtravel]

Hornet has more guys then grindr. I have met many guys in the airbnb in Istanbul center (affordable local hotels are not visitor friendly). Small terrace and view of the Bosporus strait. One really hot and fit guy liked older guys with bold head (I am), well I was happy to fulfill his fantasy. One guy was probably a thieve - he was nervous and strange, next day I realised my cc is gone, not sure when and how he managed. I saw in the banking app purchase attempts in the same evening.

[belkinDC]

On 11/23/2022 at 1:04 PM, Tomtravel said:

Hornet has more guys then grindr. I have met many guys in the airbnb in Istanbul center (affordable local hotels are not visitor friendly). Small terrace and view of the Bosporus strait. One really hot and fit guy liked older guys with bold head (I am), well I was happy to fulfill his fantasy. One guy was probably a thieve - he was nervous and strange, next day I realised my cc is gone, not sure when and how he managed. I saw in the banking app purchase attempts in the same evening.

what area do you prefer to book Airbnbs in Istanbul? A few months ago I stayed for 3 nights at an Airbnb that was just north of Tarlabasi Blvd, a few blocks west of Aquarius, and it was quite a bad area. Although the price was certainly right at about $33/night total with a large terrace. It was just a 5 minute walk to Istikal and I didn't end up having any problems, but it demonstrated to me how rapidly things can shift block by block in that city...

[Tomtravel]

I stayed in Beyoglu, Ülker sokak street, was quiet and ok area, close to Marmara Taksim Hotel. It was in 2021 when pandemic was still going on but Turkey was few countries which allowed tested visitors. When leaving, test was again required and i remember a test center in Taksim square where covid test was made withouth touching my nose. The swab stopped 3 mm before the nose😄

[gayinpattaya]

7 hours ago, Tomtravel said:

I stayed in Beyoglu, Ülker sokak street, was quiet and ok area, close to Marmara Taksim Hotel. It was in 2021 when pandemic was still going on but Turkey was few countries which allowed tested visitors. When leaving, test was again required and i remember a test center in Taksim square where covid test was made withouth touching my nose. The swab stopped 3 mm before the nose😄

I went to the same place. Just off Taksim square. It was a joke, but cheap. Just past the Hyatt on the second floor? lol 

[Tomtravel]

I was on the 4th or 5th floor (last), used elevator and then stair. Bedroom, kitchen and balkony. In fact two balkonies. Small flat.

[Tomtravel]

Ohh..the testing site, yes it was second floor past Hyatt.

[gayinpattaya]

59 minutes ago, Tomtravel said:

Ohh..the testing site, yes it was second floor past Hyatt.

Yeah that place was a joke. The swab didn't even touch the inside of my nose. Amazing to speak to a person here who went to the same place! 

[davet]

There was a lot of rule-breaking in Istanbul. As long as the signs and posters were up with the rules, no one cared if anyone followed them. Closed or takeout-only restaurants would seat you at hidden tables in the back. First I heard of the no-touch test swab.

[chrisgoodienew]

Aquarius was good before Covid, what changed?

[scott456]

Most Turkish guys are very hairy.

[xpaulo]

I was there in December, 2021. I like the guys at Aquarius actually, but as others have pointed out there are no comfortable rooms to have sex in. ( I noticed in Colombia the saunas had a full size room and bed you could ask for and after the first time, I always did). Airbnb is the best choice in terms of having a visitor and some/lots of the guys at Aquarius would be up for that. Very few of the guys on Hunqz or Rentmen returned my messages or if they did it was just a hostile response wanting to know how I got their number. I did meet up with one, but it took a lot of messages and was totally worth it, he was wonderful. On previous visits, the sex was good with escorts, but lots of pressure for more money. One came, put his dick back in my mouth and came again in about five minutes. And then demanded a lot more money. He was rough and aggressive so I just paid. Never came close in any of the hammams. At one in a hotel there was only the masseur and some young male friends of his, they were probably drinking and were pretty goofy... prompting some pretty lurid fantasies on my part, but nothing. I've only tried to get for-pay guys. You might have better luck with regular guys in the gay venues such as they are. There are hot men there though, if you are happy just admiring. I've always stayed near the Aquarius and never saw what appeared to be a bad neighbourhood, there are old neighbourhoods that might look sketchy, but seemed to have younger, more affluent residents. I've seen stray dogs, but none were aggressive. I wouldn't try to pet one, though.

[gay_world_traveller]

I went to Turkey - Istanbul - with my late husband about 8 years ago. 

I really really wanted to like it but we didn't have a good time. It just wasn't relaxing. Walking around, one felt one had to be on one's guard the whole time. My husband was pickpocketed on the crowded tram; his travel wallet with one credit card, his licence and a small amount of cash was taken. The credit card had £10,000 run up on it within 20 minutes - all from the same merchant. Clearly, it was organised crime; they had their own merchant terminal. It took us an hour to two to realise the card was stolen, so we phoned the bank and they cancelled the card and reversed the transactions (they hadn't been paid yet, only approved).

I am afraid the experience has soured Turkey for me. On the other hand, my neighbour here in England is Turkish and she has invited me to her summer home in Bodrum. I might give it another try: Turkish men are sexy.  

[PeterRS]

On 9/20/2022 at 8:26 AM, Mavica said:

If a primary purpose of a trip abroad is to have sex, Istanbul/Turkey would not be my choice.

I realise the OP was made last year and the member will have already have made his visit. But after two visits to Istanbul I agree with @Mavica that if the main reason is sex, the city would certainly not be my choice. Rather than wasting time exploring for the sort of massage spas you can get in Thailand and escorts you can find in many other countries, take @davet's advice - 

On 10/28/2022 at 2:17 AM, davet said:

Istanbul is fantastic in so, so many other ways.

I found it one of the most stunning cities I have ever visited and would gladly return. I stayed in a small hotel with rooms around a small courtyard - very close to the Blue Mosque. The early calls from the muezzin did not concern me as I always travel with wax ear plugs which completely block the sound. Great smallish room, great breakfast, great location.