2/F No. 7 Lane 133, Linshen N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2523-3006. Japanese snack-style drinking bar popular with pandas (Asian bears) and their admirers. Open 9pm-5am.

XIMEN -- Red House

Red House, No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map, 2370-7833, email. Foreigner-friendly gay bar located at the Red House courtyard, in the heart of Taipei's hoppingest rainbow neighborhood. This al fresco bar is open during the day until late at night. Good music. Cocktails, coffee and more.

Red House, No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map, 2388-2069, email. This super-friendly bear bar uses the back of their business card to gather and pass personal info along to anyone you might fancy. Spearheading this social lubrication is Singaporean bon vivant, Donny, and his captain, Simon. This is a great place to get info on all things gay and bear in the city. They have a free brochure covering all the Red House businesses and the scoop (if not the skinny) on local goings-on. Mostly Taiwanese, Japanese and mainland Chinese patrons. Utopia Member Discount

No. 51, Lane 10, Chengdu Rd, Utopia Map. This heritage cultural complex houses a dozen or more gay and queer-friendly bars (and possibly one lesbian hang-out on 2/F), so there are rainbows flying everywhere. Check out the ones listed here as well as G-Paradise, Bear House, Siam House, BIGGYM, Mudan, G-2 and more. The setting is al fresco and fun. Lively most nights and packed on weekends. The partying runs into the wee hours.

OTHER AREAS

3/F 63 Tian-jin St, 2511-3548. Opposite Cheng Du.

3/F 68 Tian-jin St, 2536-7377. Opposite Asakusaya.

2/F No. 7, Sec. 2 Jinshan South S Rd (just south of Xinyi Rd, next to a Yoshinoya 24-hour Japanese restaurant), Utopia Map, email. Four fabulous floors -- this gay venue has it all: 1/F vegetarian restaurant and chill-out space, 2/F main bar and two lounge areas, 3/F dance space, and 4/F rooftop garden terrace. Trendy and very popular, this club gets warmed up before midnight and runs until the morning hours. Fri and Sat night minimum NT$300 cover charge. Japanese and English spoken. This is where westerners and those that like them go to hook up.

2/F, Alley 8, Lane 316, Roosevelt Rd (go up the stairs in the alley next to the Niko Mart convenience store), Utopia Map, 2364-1463. A lesbian bar which also attracts some gay customers.

No. 110, Hsinsheng N. Rd, Section 1 (between Chung Hsiao E. and Nanking E. Rd, on the west side of the street, beside the dry cleaners), Utopia Map. Extremeley difficult to see from the street. Small and a bit run down, but the bartenders and management (Big David and Small David) are super fun to chat with (in Chinese only). Crowded very quickly on weekends. Popular with Japanese and Taiwanese who like them, salarymen and 35yo+.

B1, No. 10, Sec. 1, Hangjhou S. Rd, Utopia Map, 2394-2162. Popular gay club for over two decades, with an international crowd. Karaoke also.

B/F 33 Songjian Rd, Utopia Map, 2507-8186. A former partner in Funky has split and opened this similar concept dance club in Jul 2009. Time warp early-90s interior decor (lasers, black curtains) sans any retro irony. Taiwanese pop tunes. Very little English spoken by the staff. Careful on the steep entry stairway, especially if you've been drinking.

B1 No. 8, Sec 1, Keelung Rd, Utopia Map, 2762-9246. Regular gay nights and events for the hardcore party goer. Can get very packed.

5/F No. 201, Jhongsiao E. Rd, Sec 4, Utopia Map, 095-590-4600. Situated in central Taipei close to the MRT. Similar to the old "2F". A stylish, big club with occasional gay nights and a mixed crowd on other nights. Admission prices vary but there is a good calendar of events on their website.

B/F 67 Lane 133, Linsen N. Rd, Jhongshan Dist, Utopia Map, 2543-1101. Karaoke lounge bar.

2/F unit 7, No. 21 Lane 105, Jhonshan N. Rd, Sec 1 (next to Astor Hotel), Utopia Map, 2567-9039. Japanese drinking and karaoke bar.

B1F, No.8, Lane 39, Sec 2, Jhongshan N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2581-7068, 2542-9970 email. Just next to the Grand Formosa Regent Hotel. Gay karaoke lounge bar with Chinese, Japanese and English songs. Popular with bears. Closed Sun. Utopia Member Discount

B/1 3 Lane 416 Linsen N. Rd, Utopia Map, 2561-0592. Walk along a very small lane at the opposite side of Cosmed at the intersection of Linsen N. Rd and Jinjhou St. Look out for the entrance sign “membership”. A popular karaoke place drawing a very local crowd.