Taiwan gay club

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The city is home to some of the most famous gay bars, not just in Taiwan, but in Asia as a whole.

The main gay area of Taipei is located in the Wanhua district, specifically in and around what is known as “The Red House District”, or Ximending.

The Red House, often called Ximending Red House, is an icon of the Wanhua district.

These aren’t the only lights though, as of course on both sides of the river you see the sprawling city of Kaohsiung with its skyline of skyscrapers, all of which are also lit up against the night sky.

This view is romantic enough – but couple this with cruising up and down the river in a gondola, complete with romantic music being played (we had Ed Sheeran – Perfect as one of our songs!), and if you are lucky, your gondolier may even sing to you!

Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum

The Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum is a Buddhist cultural, religious and educational museum located in the Dashu District of Kaohsiung.

Upon arrival, you pass through the main entrance area, which is almost small shopping centre like, with various food and drink outlets, including a Starbucks, and a couple of shops and stalls.

Navigate diverse neighborhoods, savor culinary treasures, and dive into a rich tapestry of customs and language. From the airport there are plenty of connection options into the city centre, such as MRT train, buses and taxis. Audrey Tang, currently the 1st Minister of Digital Affairs, transitioned to female in late 2005, changing both her English and Chinese names.

Audrey has been in office in some capacity since October 2016, the first transgender person to serve in the top executive cabinet.

Since 2019, Audrey has identified as “post-gender”, and “non-binary” – and in their own words is happy to accept whatever pronoun people want to use to describe me”.

Where is the gay area of Taiwan?

During my trip to Taiwan, I visited a number of different cities around the island, and as an openly gay man I felt very safe and welcomed everywhere that we visited.

However, the capital city of Taipei – dubbed as ‘San Francisco of the East’ is undoubtedly the hub of Taiwan’s LGBTQ+ culture and scene.

Taipei is celebrated for its thriving and vibrant LGBTQ+ nightlife offerings, and its drag community.

From chic bars and pulsating clubs to serene and inviting saunas, these neighborhoods embrace a full spectrum of tastes and styles.

Having spent decades quietly simmering away as a hotbed of queer culture in Asia, Taipei is now regarded as the capital of LGBTQ+ life in the continent. The Red House district has over 20 gay bars and clubs that are buzzing at the best of times, but will be playing host to various Pride parties and events over the pride weekend.

Kaohsiung Pride

Whilst Taipei Pride (as above) is the primary pride celebration, hence its interchangeable name of Taiwan Pride, it actually isn’t the only Pride celebration that Taiwan has to offer.

Kaohsiung, the third largest city located in South Taiwan, has also hosted their own Pride since 2010.

Whilst on a much smaller scale than Taipei, their 2023 pride event still attracted a crowd of approx.

Inside are booth style tables, and a TV monitor used for karaoke.

It is a cash only bar, with a minimum spend, but they do allow you to bring your own food for consumption – so a lot of locals tend to hit the night markets first, stock up on food and snacks and then hit the bar, which stays open almost every day until 04:30.

Address: 803, Taiwan, Kaohsiung City, Yancheng District, Jianguo 4th Rd, 306號3樓

Rainbow Thursday @ Brickyard

Brickyard is the name of a popular dance club in Kaohsiung, which, although not a gay bar or club, describes itself as “Kaohsiung’s most gay friendly bar since 2009!”

The owners of Brickyard are dedicated to ensuring that all the different types of people that both live in and visit Kaohsiung have not only a fun, but also a safe space to go, to meet up, meet new friends and enjoy the music and dance.

As a result, Brickyard theme nights were born – a bar that each night hosts something different to appeal to everyone, and ensuring that people have at least one night where they feel safe, such as Ladies Night on a Wednesday, Student Night on a Friday, Latin Nights, and Saturdays that mix it up.

And for the LGBTQ+ community, this is Thursday – known as “Rainbow Thursdays”, which is an extremely popular gay night.

The organization this app provides has taken a huge weight off my shoulders.

Gay Taipei

Amidst towering skyscrapers and bustling markets, ancient temples and serene parks offer insight into a deep-rooted culture. I have included below a few hotels from these brands located around the country so you can check them out for yourself.

Gay Bars in Taiwan

I was really quite shocked to discover that Taiwan not only has a gay scene, but has a thriving gay scene!

taiwan gay club

At the time of writing, £1 is worth about NT$40, US$1 is worth about NT$32 and €1 is approximately NT$34. It was in fact, Taiwan’s first public market and one of the most well-preserved historical buildings in the city.

Around The Red House are many shops and restaurants, a lot of them gay-owned, selling gay merchandise or just popular with the LGBTQ+ community because of their location.

And of course, whilst in this district, you have to capture your Insta-worthy shot on Taipei’s rainbow crossing.

– and so my plans to hit up more of Asia had to be put on hold.

That is, until October 2023 rolled around, and I had the chance to finally visit Taiwan – and it certainly blew all of my expectations out of the water.

My Taiwan gay guide will give you all the information that you need to know about this gay-friendly island in East Asia.

Is Taiwan Gay Friendly?

While not quite as popular a travel destination as some of its Asian neighbours, Taiwan has long been considered as one of the most gay-friendly destinations in Asia – rivalling even Thailand.

Although situated in a part of the world where for the most part, views towards LGBTQ+ people are more conservative, and LGBTQ+ rights are challenged, the island of Taiwan is a shining beacon for LGBTQ+ visitors – where LGBTQ+ travellers are not only accepted, but welcomed with open arms!

Since 2003 Taiwan has also held its iconic annual Pride celebration – which I was so fortunate to be a part of last year.

Star

More gay nightclub than gay bar, G. Star is one of the most popular dance clubs in Taipei.

The crowd here tends to be younger, lively and very local – although being one of the more popular and well-known clubs in Taipei, it is often one that visiting tourists check out. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

G.

Cash is widely used in Taiwan, and preferred to credit cards – and of course you will need cash when visiting the local markets.

  • International flights to Taiwan will likely arrive into Taoyuan International Airport, in Taipei.

    • Taipei is easy to do as an LGBTQ+ visitor. Dubbed “Rainbow Six” because of its location at Exit 6 of Ximen MRT station, it is just a couple of minutes’ walk from The Red House.

    Things to do in Tainan

    Anping Tree House

    This was such a cool place – and completely reminded us of Ta Prohm in Angkor Wat, Cambodia – think Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider!

    The Anping Tree House used to be a warehouse, built around the end of the 19th Century.

    For timing, late October is the best single bet if you want energy and community. Seriously, this app does it all!

    This site and app let me do all the planning for our 15 day trip in a little over 6 hours! The parade generally falls on the last Saturday in October.

  • Taipei Pride Village: The Pride Village is usually located in front of the Town Hall, and is the place to be to continue the celebrations once the parade has finished.