Taipei

The heart of gay Taipei is around the historic Red House in the Ximen district, often called Ximending. In the evening, the octagonal theater building from 1908 becomes the center of a whole complex with more than two dozen bars, shops and restaurants. On the squares around it, people sit under rainbow flags during long happy hours and chat on themed terraces. From karaoke to bear and leather bars, the area covers almost every taste. By day Ximending is mainly a young shopping and street food district, and in the evening the mood shifts toward going out.

The open-air Café Dalida, with its drag shows, is a favorite. If you want to dance, the basement club G*Star is the best-known gay club in the city. Thanks to the subtropical climate, many places keep their terraces open late into the night. Weeknights are fairly mellow, while on weekends the bars around the Red House fill up noticeably. The highlight of the year is Taiwan Pride in late October, which, with more than 200,000 participants, is considered the largest Pride parade in Asia. In the days before and after, extra parties and events take place all over the city.

Fall, from October to November, is the most pleasant time to visit. Skies are mostly clear and temperatures stay mild, without the muggy heat of high summer. If you want to see Taiwan Pride, you will be planning for late October anyway. Summer, from June to September, is hot and humid, with the occasional typhoon. By day you can take in the Taipei 101 landmark, the steaming hot springs of Beitou and night markets like Shilin with its street food. The grand Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall with its changing of the guard is also worth seeing, as is a side trip to the nearby mountain village of Jiufen and its teahouses.

Flights from London take about 14 hours, and from New York about 16, landing at Taoyuan Airport, roughly 40 kilometers west of the city. From there, an airport metro line gets you downtown in about 35 to 50 minutes, or you can take a bus or taxi. In the city, the MRT subway is the easiest way to get around: clean, cheap and signposted in two languages throughout. A rechargeable EasyCard covers the MRT, buses and many shops. UK and US citizens can enter without a visa for up to 90 days but need to submit the online Taiwan Arrival Card before arrival; check the current rules before you travel.

Taiwan is one of the most progressive places in Asia for queer travelers. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2019, and joint adoption since 2023. Holding hands and being open are widely accepted in Taipei, especially around Ximending. Because overall crime is low, you can explore the city at night without worry. The usual care against pickpockets at crowded night markets is enough.