Hanoi Gay Resources and Travel Tips in Vietnam by Utopia

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Travel & Resources: HANOI

Please help us keep these listings up-to-date. Special thanks to LeHung, imnotmyself, sydguy, caolon, Paul, Russell, Lee, Ulf and lonelyprince!

HANOI -- area code (84-4)

Vietnam’s capital city is lively and full of charm. The diminutive old quarter is a canton of shady, tree-lined lanes with names like "Comb Street" that reflect the goods traditionally sold from its shophouses. In fact, virtually any patch of open street or sidewalk is turned into a place to sell anything or park a motor bike. Pedestrians are often forced to share the road with traffic in an intricate ballet that must be quickly mastered the moment you ease out of your hotel (don't dash!).

Hoan Kiem Lake sits at the hub of the old city, a jade mirror reflecting the French colonial facades and Chinese ornamentation that have both contributed to the city's heritage. The Opera House and classic Metropole Hotel are at one end and the old quarter and markets are at the other. For shopping, you might want to bring a calculator with you: Vietnam's instant millionaire Monopoly money is fun to play with but exhausting to manage.

While there are plenty of gays in Hanoi, most are cornered into marriage and raising a family, and they don't frequent public spots where they might be subject to gossip. This makes for a quiet gay scene at mostly mixed places. The Internet has become the primary method for educated, working gays to meet each other and foreigners. This shadowy life has also made gay tourists a target for scams and hustlers -- Hanoi is full of smiling, fresh faces that flirt for fun and are looking to seize any opportunity to rise up out of poverty. But local gays want you to know that criminal characters are in the minority, and you'll have a lovely time here if you just use your common sense and, again, don't dash into anything. We suggest you make some friendly contacts online before you arrive, rather than succumb to visions in Hanoi's romantic haze.

The metropolitan population of Hanoi is nearing 4 million (that's about 160,000 Utopians).

Hanoi Gay Scene Updates message forum
Men in Hanoi message forum

The expanded and updated 2nd Edition of the Utopia Guide to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar & Vietnam offers a remarkable insider's glimpse at the gay and lesbian scene in 18 cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Yangon/Rangoon, Phnom Penh, and Angkor Wat/Siem Reap. Enjoy savvy comments and recommendations from local Utopians, as well as gay travelers. Click here to order

Warnings from Utopians:

sanchaithai

"I met a young chap called Sang who suggested we go to a karaoke bar. It was just a room on the upper floor of a house and we were the only ones there. We ordered a few beers and started to sing. When I asked for the bill it was US$200 for three drinks! I got up to leave and the waiter blocked the exit with a beer bottle in his hand demanding US$200. I opened my bag and showed them I had no money. The waiter saw my camera and took it and I said I'd go to to the ATM as the camera was worth more than $200. He eventually agreed. I got on the motorbike and Sang took me to ATM. Then I told Sang I was acting and I wanted to go to the police station. We sped off and then I started to recognise that Sang was taking me back to the bar - so I jumped off the bike and ended up with lots of bruises and scrapes and covered in mud from the rain. Eventually I got to a police station and told my tale and showed them the bar bill - suddenly ten policemen all set off to the address. Sang and the bar staff were brought in. I heard the guys being interrogated and slapped. Six hours later my camera was returned to me and the officer in charge - who kept trying to trick me into saying that the fee had been agreed to - told me that it will be another couple of hours before I can leave! They then decided that they needed a copy of my passport - so I had to go to my hotel with three policemen to get passport and get it copied. The police charged me 5 times the normal rate of a taxi to take me to my hotel - so once again I was being shafted, this time by the police! After more delays trying to find a copier open at 6:40am I managed to hop onto a motocycle and get back to my hotel." -- IrishNoel, Jun 19, 2007

"I heard a sad tale from a Dutch student that I'll pass on as a warning for those who take motor bikes. It was raining and the driver insisted that she put her backpack in front under his poncho, which seemed reasonable. As he drove around he removed her laptop and mobile phone, then pretended not to know the address she wanted to go to and dropped her off somehwere else demanding an outrageous fare to distract her. Of course she refused to pay so he sped off in mock anger with her valuables still under his poncho. Sad." -- god, Mar 13, 2007

Hai Dang (Light House)

Click here

Connect Café
Cay Xoai (mixed)
Mao's Red Lounge (mixed)
Sparks (mixed)
VTN

Comments from Utopians:

"About six small massage locations can be found on Quan Thanh St, northwest of the Old Quarter, east of West Lake area. Walk Quang Thanh St, between the cross streets of Yen Ninh and Hang Than. Most of the young men who work these simple one-room shops (no privacy) are poorly trained. They speak no English, and will give a massage with lots of pounding and slapping (Vietnamese style). Afterwards they will always hassle you for more money they than the price they told you when you entered. One exception is Mr. Quyet Vu, a 25-year old, handsome, experienced massage worker at 25 Quan Thanh St. Quyet (pronounced like 'quit') speaks no English but will direct you down an alley and upstairs through a house to his private room (no other clients enter the room and no other friends enter to 'help' Quyet give you a massage). If important to you, instruct Quyet, through sign language, that you do not like the pounding style of massage, but prefer more a more fluid, stroking, rubbing style. He will understand and give you a full-body, professional (non-sexual) massage for US$10." -- DuyLinh, Aug 10, 2007

"Hong Mau Don, 4/F 7 Dinh Tien Hoang St, right near Hoan Kiem Lake. I have had very nice experiences there. Great foot massage, attentive handsome fellows, peace and quiet." -- thomas94610, Jul 18, 2007

Bao Khanh St (just west of Hoan Kiem Lake). The outdoor coffee shops at the bend in the road are very cruisy.
Hang Khong (airline) swimming pool
Ho Tay lake
Hoan Kiem Lake -- beware of rip-off criminals posing as friendly gays.
outside the walls of the French Embassy
Lao Dong swimming pool
Lenin Park -- beware of rip-off criminals posing as friendly gays.
Thien Quang lake, especially cruisy, but beware of rip-off criminals posing as friendly gays.