If you have never been to a gay sauna (or bathhouse – as they are usually called in North America), you might have all sorts of false ideas or preconceptions as to what a gay sauna is, or is not. Let us help you by answering some basic questions about gay saunas.

What is a gay sauna?

A gay sauna is a business for men to meet and have sex with other men.

What is a gay sauna like?

Gay saunas are like any other kind of business. You’ll find the whole gamut from horrible places you’ll never want to visit again to incredible huge complexes where you’ll find completely at ease. Some are beautiful, well kept, offering all that you could wish for and more. Others show their age, are not so big, but are clean and friendly. Finally, some are just past their prime and will probably not stay open for long.

What kind of services will I find in a gay sauna?

Technically speaking, the most basic sauna should offer at least three things: a dry sauna (not to be confused with the steam room), a locker room to get undressed and a shower to get cleaned up before and after using the sauna.
Most saunas though, offer a lot more. In a regular sauna, expect to find, on top of the locker room, shower and finish sauna mentioned above, lockable cabins, darkroom, a steam room, some possibility to have a drink, a TV lounge and an x-rated movie lounge.
In a sauna that has everything, you’ll find, on top of those things listed above: cruising labyrinths, glory hole cabins, sling cabin, a Jacuzzi, a pool, gym, massage room, sun tanning studio, internet access, beauty parlour, sun tanning deck, infrared sauna, and so on. It really depends on what the owner is able to provide.

How big is a gay sauna?

Given the nature of this kind of business, a decent sauna business needs to have at least 200 sqm of space to offer the regular services, but some manage to squeeze into a smaller space. Usually, a regular sauna will be about 400 to 700 sqm. Big saunas usually are above 1,000 sqm.

What kind of men go to a gay sauna?

All sorts really. Some people take great pleasure nowadays on the internet telling horror stories about gay saunas being visited by lecherous old men. Truth is again, that you’ll find all sorts of crowds: young guys only, older crowd, bears, very mixed crowd, and so on. In certain larger cities with lots of saunas, you’ll discover that certain crowds will gather in certain saunas at certain time.

How do I pick the right sauna for me?

One way is to get as much information on the net as you can, but the truth is, a lot less gets written about gay saunas then parties or other topics of interest to gay men. If you are curious and have decided to give gay saunas a try, the best you can do for yourself is to try them all. If you are looking for a certain crowd (young, bears, naked) check out their website, send them an email or call them about special parties or the best time to come. Any sauna staff half decent will answer your questions and let you know when a good time to come is.

When is the best time to come?

If you’ve made up your mind, but are still a little bit shy about your first visit, go when they open or soon after. It might not be very busy, but you won’t be overwhelmed by too many people. If you’d like to visit when more people are there, try to go right after work (4 to 6 pm) or on discounted days. Also, don’t be shy, ask the staff, or talk to some of the guests there. Most people will be happy to help you with info.

And finally, what does really happen at a gay sauna?

Sex. Some people will say that they visit a gay sauna, just to relax, or enjoy the company of other gay or bisexual men – and some really do. But the majority of gay sauna guests are there for one reason and one reason only: have sex with another man.
A typical sauna visit is fairly straightforward: go in, get a key to a locker and a towel, go in the locker room and get undressed, put the towel around your waist, have a shower, use the facilities (steam, sauna, etc…), look around, hook up with someone, go into a cabin for sex, shower, rest, leave or start again.
It’s really not very complicated and once you’re inside, you’ll most likely get the hang of things fairly quickly.

Check out our article on sauna etiquette.

More information about gay saunas and baths...