Taipei Updates: Hans Mens Sauna Has Moved

[PeterRS]

Since Aniki died 2 years ago, most of the discussion on saunas in Taipei has revolved around the relatively new Soi 13in. It certainly remains THE sauna for meeting mostly young Taiwanese and other Asians, especially at the week-ends when it always seems packed with way over 100 cute guys.

But another sauna is undergoing something of a rebirth! For at least 2 decades, Hans Mens Sauna near the Red House gay complex of bars and cafes has continued to attract mostly older Taiwanese with occasional university students after classes and on a Saturday. The last time I went pre-covid it was pretty run down and sleazy, its one main attractive feature being a hot pool where you could sit and watch guys taking their showers, those having emerged from the very dark steam room often sporting sizeable erections.

Four months ago it moved two blocks further up XiNing South Road into totally new premises. It now occupies the entire 8th floor of Wan Nian Building. It has obviously been designed from scratch and is spotlessly clean. It obviously hopes for a large number of patrons as I counted more than 300 lockers. I went twice, the more active being late on Saturday afternoon. Since it is so spread out, I could not accurately estimate the number of patrons but I reckon at least 70. Most seemed to make a beeline for the two steam rooms, at least to start their visits, and these were pretty active. The facilities also include a sauna, TV room with reclining loungers for relaxing and watching one of the regular TV movies, a corner with a long couch showing porn, a karaoke lounge, a decent number of private rooms (but not nearly enough if it ever gets packed) and about 4 totally dark spaces with mattresses. It also has an open-air balcony which I did not venture on to.

I rarely if ever have met anyone I knew at a Taipei sauna. This time I was attracted to a young guy who came in and seemed to smile at me. After he had changed into his towel, he came up to me and said, "Obviously, you do not remember me!" I hate it when someone says that, but fortunately he went on, "It was at the hot spring about 4 years ago when I was 18. I only spoke a little English then but we chatted a little." Then the icing on the cake, "Really nice to see you here!"

Needless to say, after he had showered and we had met up in a steam room, we chatted a bit and then proceeded to a dark room where we had a really great time. Afterwards we exchanged Line IDs and will keep in touch.

The one thing the new Hans lacks is ambience, but then few attending will be looking for that. The walls are mostly industrial concrete and the floors linoleum. But overall I thought the clientele had moved down an age bracket or two. Clearly some guys were in their 20s but I reckoned most were between late 20s and mid-50s - except for me, that is!!

To get to the sauna, probably the best way is to go through the Red House from near the subway exit to Sol Bar at the very end on XiNing South Rd.

Exiting Sol, turn right, cross over the traffic intersection and walk up about 80 meters to the next intersection which is from the pedestrian area. Across the street you will see a large building in green. This is the Wan Nian Building.

Find the entrance on XiNing South Road and walk through the small stores (a bit like Terminal 21 in Bangkok although these are mostly watch shops). There is no sign in English for the 8th floor, only one with two Chinese characters on a blue background.

The lifts will be on your left. Entrance is now NT$400 (US$13), NT$50 more than at the old premises. I noticed there is a hotel on the 6th floor. No idea what it is like but I imagine pretty inexpensive.

On a more general note, as far as the apps are concerned, I gave up on Blued a couple of years ago and was a bit surprised that some of my Taiwan friends had also ditched the app. Grindr was arguably the most active for young guys seeking older westerners, but Hornet and Jack'd were not far behind.

I did venture out one evening to the gayish Hot Spring, Huang Tzu. Not as many guys as normally the case, but then it was very hot in Taipei last week and a hot spring is better suited to cooler if not colder weather. Still, there must have been 60 - 70 guys there with some as usual being agressively handsome.

[12is12]

Thank u Peter for taking the trouble to detail how to get to the new location. Hope to b there soon. 

[hojacat]

On 5/30/2023 at 12:15 AM, PeterRS said:

Since Aniki died 2 years ago, most of the discussion on saunas in Taipei has revolved around the relatively new Soi 13in. It certainly remains THE sauna for meeting mostly young Taiwanese and other Asians, especially at the week-ends when it always seems packed with way over 100 cute guys.

But another sauna is undergoing something of a rebirth! For at least 2 decades, Hans Mens Sauna near the Red House gay complex of bars and cafes has continued to attract mostly older Taiwanese with occasional university students after classes and on a Saturday. The last time I went pre-covid it was pretty run down and sleazy, its one main attractive feature being a hot pool where you could sit and watch guys taking their showers, those having emerged from the very dark steam room often sporting sizeable erections.

Four months ago it moved two blocks further up XiNing South Road into totally new premises. It now occupies the entire 8th floor of Wan Nian Building. It has obviously been designed from scratch and is spotlessly clean. It obviously hopes for a large number of patrons as I counted more than 300 lockers. I went twice, the more active being late on Saturday afternoon. Since it is so spread out, I could not accurately estimate the number of patrons but I reckon at least 70. Most seemed to make a beeline for the two steam rooms, at least to start their visits, and these were pretty active. The facilities also include a sauna, TV room with reclining loungers for relaxing and watching one of the regular TV movies, a corner with a long couch showing porn, a karaoke lounge, a decent number of private rooms (but not nearly enough if it ever gets packed) and about 4 totally dark spaces with mattresses. It also has an open-air balcony which I did not venture on to.

I rarely if ever have met anyone I knew at a Taipei sauna. This time I was attracted to a young guy who came in and seemed to smile at me. After he had changed into his towel, he came up to me and said, "Obviously, you do not remember me!" I hate it when someone says that, but fortunately he went on, "It was at the hot spring about 4 years ago when I was 18. I only spoke a little English then but we chatted a little." Then the icing on the cake, "Really nice to see you here!"

Needless to say, after he had showered and we had met up in a steam room, we chatted a bit and then proceeded to a dark room where we had a really great time. Afterwards we exchanged Line IDs and will keep in touch.

The one thing the new Hans lacks is ambience, but then few attending will be looking for that. The walls are mostly industrial concrete and the floors linoleum. But overall I thought the clientele had moved down an age bracket or two. Clearly some guys were in their 20s but I reckoned most were between late 20s and mid-50s - except for me, that is!!

To get to the sauna, probably the best way is to go through the Red House from near the subway exit to Sol Bar at the very end on XiNing South Rd.

Exiting Sol, turn right, cross over the traffic intersection and walk up about 80 meters to the next intersection which is from the pedestrian area. Across the street you will see a large building in green. This is the Wan Nian Building.

Find the entrance on XiNing South Road and walk through the small stores (a bit like Terminal 21 in Bangkok although these are mostly watch shops). There is no sign in English for the 8th floor, only one with two Chinese characters on a blue background.

The lifts will be on your left. Entrance is now NT$400 (US$13), NT$50 more than at the old premises. I noticed there is a hotel on the 6th floor. No idea what it is like but I imagine pretty inexpensive.

On a more general note, as far as the apps are concerned, I gave up on Blued a couple of years ago and was a bit surprised that some of my Taiwan friends had also ditched the app. Grindr was arguably the most active for young guys seeking older westerners, but Hornet and Jack'd were not far behind.

I did venture out one evening to the gayish Hot Spring, Huang Tzu. Not as many guys as normally the case, but then it was very hot in Taipei last week and a hot spring is better suited to cooler if not colder weather. Still, there must have been 60 - 70 guys there with some as usual being agressively handsome.

Glad to hear you had one of the few twinks at the Hans Men sauna Peter. Soi13 is great but maybe competition is needed for it to lower the price, though on a second though it's better when all the twinks have only one place to go to, unlike Hong Kong. Much easier fishing them. I'm surprised you don't really go to Soi13 during your trips to Soi13? Correct me if I'm wrong but I have the impression you know some Mandarin which usually helps a lot approaching the guys you like, even with a big age difference.

I also noted that there wasn't much activity on Blued when I was in Taipei in January. There were so many guys on Grindr and to a lesser number in Hornet. Didn't try Jack'd.

[PeterRS]

Both Soi13in and Hans are in the centre. I am sure, like Bangkok, there will be other saunas in other parts of the city with a goodly number of twinks. You are correct on two counts. I have not yet been to Soi13in. That's partly a result of lack of time and partly a concern I had when it opened that I would be too far above the average age. I understood the owner of that sauna had previously run Rainbow sauna (very close to where Hans now is located) which I did visit on a couple of occasions. Some of the guys there definitely had an attitude against older foreigners which made it feel somewhat uncomfortable. Next time I'll look forward to a visit.

As for my Mandarin skill, it is very basic. Not really enough to hold a conversation.

[TotallyOz]

Much appreciated!

[abidismaili]

Hi. I am going there later this week. Which massage shops have twink masseurs?

[Lucky]

The last thing I want is to go to a sauna where I am considered too old!

[abidismaili]

3 hours ago, Lucky said:

The last thing I want is to go to a sauna where I am considered too old!

This is in reply to my message? Twink masseurs consider us too old?

[Lucky]

42 minutes ago, abidismaili said:

This is in reply to my message? Twink masseurs consider us too old?

It is not.

[PeterRS]

On 6/11/2023 at 12:05 PM, abidismaili said:

Hi. I am going there later this week. Which massage shops have twink masseurs?

In my dozens of visits to Taipei I have never been to a massage shop. I have heard of lots of individual masseurs who come to your hotel. Most are available for appointment on Line.

I have heard of these shops below. Not many twinks it would seem, but then most going for massages are after a proper massage with guys with a bit of weight on them. It also seems (although not sure) that afters consist almost exclusively of HJs if you have a massage on the premises. If you have a massage in the hotel, anything goes according to the masseur's agreement. I also believe professional massages are a bit more expensive than in Thailand with NT$2,500 (US$82) being the minimum plus tip.

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