Tourist guide to Istanbul gay nightlife

A Users' Guide for the Gay Tourist

Istanbul is a very, VERY big city, with a population of over 12 million. The gay life in the city is probably the best way to experience Istanbul's highly cosmopolitan atmosphere and diverse cultural fabric that is stretched from East to West.

Thanks to the diligent work of gay rights organisations, a strong gay identity in the Western sense has been developing in Istanbul, but you can also have a taste of the older, traditional gay life of decadence.

Once you start bar-hopping around Taksim you'll see that in some gay venues, trendy youngsters play cool and show off their buff bodies, while in others, burly and hairy Turkish men cruise around for something to stick it into. For some hetero men, a gay arse is the next best thing if they cannot find a woman that night! With these types, you've got nothing to do if you're looking for a long and versatile session -- your only chance is to spread the legs and try and enjoy yourself till he cums.

If you want to socialise, ask questions about the city, and make a few new friends, then gay cafés are the way to go.

Ethno-fetishism goes both ways: Istanbul men are as willing to bed a tourist as any Westener is willing to bed an exotic foreigner. The upside of this phenomenon is that you're likely to get a very warm welcome in the city and a lot of action in your hotel room. The downside is that the 'rich American' myth is still prevalent -- so if you're an 'obvious tourist', you're likely to attract a lot of rent boys, whether you want to or not.

Where to meet?

Online communities are still one of the best ways to meet local men. GayRomeo.com and the GaydarGuys chat room (and announcing your arrival in the 'Travel' section) are your best bets to check out the scene while you're still home. However, you won't find many Turkish users on a site like DudesNude.com, since most Turkish gay men are still very apprehensive that their moms are gonna log on and recognise their dicks. These online communities are also useful in that you can contact some of the many foreigners living in Istanbul and ask for advice about being a gay tourist in this huge city.

Experience an hamam

The quintessential Istanbul experience that is the hamam (the Turkish bath) can be very alluring and fulfilling. Check out the info at the Play segment of our Istanbul Gay Guide.

Do try to get a hold of your adventurous impulses, and stifle that urge to follow the people who call out to you in the street and promise to take you to what they refer to as a 'gay bar' for your convenience. It is very likely that this is a scam where you'll be taken to a 'pavyon' (a 'tavern', so to speak) and be charged astronomical prices for services that you didn't even request.

The way to avoid these scams is to stick with the plans you made beforehand, and not to visit the 'gay' venues that are not listed on Nighttours.com guide. Don't get overwhelmed with caution and let it get the best of you, either, though. These scammers are easy to spot, they rarely take the time to con you by gaining your trust first (they just yell 'gay bar, gay bar' in the street), and these venues are laced with kitchy neon lights that would re-blind a bat -- always a sure-fire way to tell where not to go into!

Remember: Caution is a good thing to have as long as you enjoy the city, the boys and the diversity. Istanbul offers you the East, the West and everything else in between, so be sure to revel in it.

Sauna or Hamam?

The quintessential Istanbul experience that is the hamam (the Turkish bath) can be very alluring and fulfilling. The homosocial environment of a hamam is almost always a very homoerotic one.

Therefore, hamams are very good for cruising. However, the code word here is discretion, because sexual activity in hamams is strictly forbidden --even in the ones that are listed as 'gay' hamams-- and if you're caught in the act, you're likely to get into a lot of trouble.

The truth of the matter is that there is no exclusively gay hamam in Istanbul, even though you can easily cruise men, find quick action or join in on an impromptu group wank. Oh, and, you can also use the hamam for its primary purpose and actually get clean.

Article and pictures by: Emrecan Özen