Taipei Info/Tips?

[floridarob]

One of my best massages and full sex was in Taipei.... been a few years, doubt I'll remember the name of the place....

[gd85]

13 hours ago, Fetcher said:

I am going to Taipei 1st week of May.  Can you recommend the spas you went to for massage?   Any of them provide more than HJ?

 

 

I have one more today, will make it 5 different spas and masseurs. Will then reply with my top recommended spa(s) for those I tried. Yes, some provide more than HJ but it is dependent on the masseur and very much a YMMV situation like it is in most spa environments. You might be able to get more info on the likelihood from the person helping you schedule, but you usually have to be a little indirect in how you ask. 

[Fetcher]

13 hours ago, gd85 said:

I have one more today, will make it 5 different spas and masseurs. Will then reply with my top recommended spa(s) for those I tried. Yes, some provide more than HJ but it is dependent on the masseur and very much a YMMV situation like it is in most spa environments. You might be able to get more info on the likelihood from the person helping you schedule, but you usually have to be a little indirect in how you ask. 

Great.  Looking forward to your review lol

[hojacat]

On 4/21/2025 at 7:43 PM, PeterRS said:

Although @Tomtravel's post is almost 6 months old, it's perhaps useful to repeat that this hot spring is certainly the most popular with gay guys. I always go on my 3 or 4 annual visits. On my last in February, the steam in the steam room was permanently on, thereby making it very hot and quite difficult to indulge in any touching or more. This is not a sex venue but some of the guys there will happily chat in English and it can be a good way of arranging later hook-ups even if you do not speak Mandarin. Remember too that as this is a public hot spring, you may very occasionally see some guys bringing their little children. Then discretion is important.

Note that it is rarely called Emperor Spa. It's Chinese name is Huang Tzu as on this card -

If you have never been before, i do not recommend being adventurous the first time and trying to find your own way. I always take the subway to Shipai station. Once downstairs exit in the direction the train is taking. As soon as you pass the ticket barrier, on your right will be a taxi rank. Show the taxi this card and the driver will know exactly where to take you. He will stop at a small car park. You then just walk down the little hill past several other hot springs. Huang Tzu is the last on your left before you reach a little bridge across a stream.

The taxi fare is now around NT$180 (US$5.50). The rank can sometimes be empty, but usually one will appear within a few minutes. If you take one of the buses up the hill, depending on the time of day you might not find others getting off at your exit (bus fare is NT$30). So you could find yourself getting off way too early in which case you still have to climb a steep hill, or too late. The bus stop is outside the built-up area and pretty dark. I'd show the driver the card and expect he'll tell you when to get off. (I'm sure @Tomtravel is correct in pointing out the stop is Xingyi Rd. 4, but I have never done it!) There are several buses that go up past the springs, but the only one I have taken is #508 for returning.

Entrance fee was still NT$250 last February. Remember that you will need 2-NT$20 coins for the locker. Also remember to take a half litre or so of water with you as there is none for sale there and keep it out of your locker - and a small towel. Almost no one uses the towel in the hot spring area which is basically only naked bodies. It's for drying yourself off before you leave.

All the hot springs are in quite a deep valley off the main road. My biggest problem is always getting back up to that road in order to get the bus back down to the MRT station. At reception there is a telephone link to a cab company, but they do not speak any English. Finding a cruising cab is usually impossible. A couple of times, guys have kindly given me a lift on their motorcycles. Other times, I just bite the bullet and walk up. OK in the cooler November - April months; a real trial in summer! 

Can't wait for my next trip in 4 weeks.

Just take an Uber, at least on your way back. it's never more than 300NTD. According to my friend who goes there often, the best time to go is actually Thursday night, even more than on a weekend. I also would recommend another place called Shan Yue Hot Spring which is 2 minutes walk from XinBeitou station. I think it's popular with gays on Friday and Saturday nights. I went on a Friday night with a Taiwanese friend. Would suggest going around 8-8:30pm. Most of the action actually happens after 10 when the place doesn't accept new customers but the one already present can stay. It's more like an hotel with a man-made sauna but the crowd is really hot, like 90 percent all twinks and jocks between 20-35. I was the only westerner. Didn't play because we left around 9:30 but got the line of one guy which I met later at my hotel and also a guy I hit up later on Grindr told me that he had seen me there. It's not exclusively gay, but they are at least 3/4 of the customers in there.

[PeterRS]

17 minutes ago, hojacat said:

Just take an Uber, at least on your way back. it's never more than 300NTD. According to my friend who goes there often, the best time to go is actually Thursday night, even more than on a weekend. I also would recommend another place called Shan Yue Hot Spring which is 2 minutes walk from XinBeitou station. I think it's popular with gays on Friday and Saturday nights. I went on a Friday night with a Taiwanese friend. Would suggest going around 8-8:30pm. Most of the action actually happens after 10 when the place doesn't accept new customers but the one already present can stay. It's more like an hotel with a man-made sauna but the crowd is really hot, like 90 percent all twinks and jocks between 20-35. I was the only westerner. 

I hardly ever take taxis in Taipei and so do not have the Uber app. As one who is challenged when it comes to apps in foreign languages, is there an English version? Do I download it in Thailand or wait till I get to Taiwan?

Thank for the info on the Shan Yue Hot Spring. I'll certainly try it. At Huang Tzu I have found week-ends are definitely better - usually after 5:00pm. I have been also on Wednesdays and Thursdays but never as good. I am not after action - merely seeing lovely bodies and occasionally chatting! 

[Asian Antique]

11 hours ago, PeterRS said:

I hardly ever take taxis in Taipei and so do not have the Uber app. As one who is challenged when it comes to apps in foreign languages, is there an English version? Do I download it in Thailand or wait till I get to Taiwan?

Thank for the info on the Shan Yue Hot Spring. I'll certainly try it. At Huang Tzu I have found week-ends are definitely better - usually after 5:00pm. I have been also on Wednesdays and Thursdays but never as good. I am not after action - merely seeing lovely bodies and occasionally chatting! 

Thanks for the info about Shan Yue. Do you have an address or directions?

[vaughn]

1 hour ago, Asian Antique said:

Thanks for the info about Shan Yue. Do you have an address or directions?

I've just been googling, I haven't been there but i believe this is it (@hojacat can confirm?)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YdVBHYLLxBuzeZYf8

http://www.shan-yue.com/EN/home/Default.asp

[PeterRS]

15 hours ago, hojacat said:

I went on a Friday night with a Taiwanese friend. Would suggest going around 8-8:30pm.

Can you remember how much the entrance fee was? Friends have taken me to hot springs in some very posh hotels in that area. The hot springs were beautiful but I was so glad they paid and not me because they were very expensive. Sounds like Shan Yue will be cheaper but it will be useful to know before going.

2 hours ago, vaughn said:

I've just been googling, I haven't been there but i believe this is it (@hojacat can confirm?)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YdVBHYLLxBuzeZYf8

http://www.shan-yue.com/EN/home/Default.asp

Easy to locate on the google maps. Thanks

[hojacat]

On 4/26/2025 at 9:56 PM, PeterRS said:

Can you remember how much the entrance fee was? Friends have taken me to hot springs in some very posh hotels in that area. The hot springs were beautiful but I was so glad they paid and not me because they were very expensive. Sounds like Shan Yue will be cheaper but it will be useful to know before going.

Easy to locate on the google maps. Thanks

The address is: No. 17, Quanyuan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, exit 1 of Xinbeitou MRT. I think the entrance fee was just 250, if I remember correctly.

On 4/26/2025 at 6:33 AM, PeterRS said:

I hardly ever take taxis in Taipei and so do not have the Uber app. As one who is challenged when it comes to apps in foreign languages, is there an English version? Do I download it in Thailand or wait till I get to Taiwan?

Of course it's an American company. You can download either in Thailand or Taiwan. it will use the same language as set up in your Google Play or iOS app store.

 

On 4/26/2025 at 6:33 AM, PeterRS said:

I have been also on Wednesdays and Thursdays but never as good.

That's what just my friend has told me. I've only been to emperor twice. I usually go to hot springs when I'm in Taiwan in January and/or March, other times is kinda too hot for me to go to a hot spring.

I'm usually a more "straight-to-the-point" type of a guy, so going to a place where I have to wonder if one is gay or not, if it's an appropriate time to touch him or not, ends up being annoying and even a bit boring. I know though that for a lot of people that's what all the thrill is about.

I much prefer going to an explicit gay sauna, which I only judge it by the size, age and quality of the crowd that attracts. it's true that same gay saunas have also good facilities, but that's more of an afterthought. Going to the right day and time on soi13 provides a high number of hot twink bodies which you can see, hear and feel right away.

If I'm going to a hot spring or spa to relax that the cleanliness and comfort of the facilities is the number one criteria and based on that there is much better both in Beitou and Taipei in general than Emperor, so I usually go to other ones.

[PeterRS]

Thanks for the information.