Nadam Spa Ho Chi Minh City

I've been to several gay saunas over the years of my travelling, but this is definitely taking the cake for not the best possible reason.

Located north of the city, 25 minutes by car, it is situated in a small alleyway surrounded by residential. My Grab ride took me to another area (possibly the old location) which is about 5 minutes walk away and I was very confused as there was a crowded restaurant right there and it would have been awkward if that is where the sauna is located as everyone would be able to see you walking into this supposedly more discreet hookup spot.

When entering the sauna, I was given a set of keys with a bottle of water. Right next to the counter were 2 levels of locker space, it was fairly crowded as I assume it was due to a public holiday here in Vietnam. There were guys working there who gave me 2 sets of towels and a pair of slippers to change into. Each locker has a separate locker with a separate lock which is why you are given 2 sets of keys, the inner locker is to place your valuables so that in the event that your locker got broken into you will have less chance of getting your valuables stolen, but of course that is assuming your key is not being stolen by another person, so make sure they are kept tightly with you at all times, the band is fairly tight but flexible so you can pull it further up of your arm to prevent anyone from pulling it off, especially in a dark area you wouldn’t be able to find the person who may have pulled it off you.

After changing, I wondered around to see what is being offered. Right above the locker area is a spa bath zone that fits about a dozen people or so, with Japanese style shower situated inside to clean before/after the spa. The room was dark and steamy, and without a dedicated space to put the slippers and towels, they get taken by other people easily who may not care or realise where they have placed their own.

*Image courtesy of Nadam Spa* Extracted from Nadam Spa official website

On the ground floor of the locker area is also a spot for people to hang out for a drink or have a foot spa. Music was playing and it could also be used as a mini dance floor area if they organise any special event. Walking further into the next section of the building houses the 3 mini saunas (can fit about 6 people each) and cold jacuzzi on the right and a lounge area on the left. Up the stairs will bring you to the darkroom area, the 1st floor has individual rooms where you can find someone to play with, although the rooms are more of an open walled up section so anyone could walk in and out of there, there seems to be a few private rooms but I am unsure how many there are as it is difficult to work out in a dark space. It is a bit of a maze and plenty of guys standing around or walking looking for someone they could play with, and you will get touched by many of the guys there so enter at your own risks. Another level up is also a dark room but it’s more of a big open room with low fence separating it into 6 sections (if I counted correctly as it is very dark and the only light source is from the AC unit), this is also an area where you can expect people to touch you and have some action happening, but based on my visit nothing wild will go down here except for the usual sucking and kissing.

*Image courtesy of Nadam Spa* Extracted from Nadam Spa official website

Back on the ground floor, part of the lounge area is situated outdoor with ponds surrounding it, a separate set of stairs lead up to another dark balcony however I wasn’t sure where it leads to, possible it’s another entry into the 1st floor darkroom area. Behind the outdoor lounge house the gym and I believe a restaurant. Do note that most of the areas are unlit, or are dimly lit, the only well lit areas are the locker, bar and lounging area.

There have been several occasions where some guys touched me and decided to want to play with me, they will hold on to you as it is a dark room so if they are interested they will try not to lose you but I wasn’t too keen on it so in a dark space it was easy for me to lose them by trying to get their hands off me and walking in circles, so they will be disorientated especially when it’s crowded. While in the spa area some guy was also interested and followed me out of the spa and into the locker area as it was more bright and in a smaller area, I just told him I was leaving and he wanted to get my phone number which I don’t even remember so I gave him my social media instead.

It is important that going to these spots you don’t feel pressured into doing anything, and if you are not interested you have the right to say no and they are not allowed to pursue you into doing anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. The same goes the other way and you should respect anyone’s wishes to not have fun with you regardless of how much you may be into them.

After finishing changing, I gave the key back to the staff at the entrance where I believe you also pay for any food and beverages you have consumed while you’re on the premise. As I did not consume anything extra, the cost of entering the spa comes to VN₫190000 (NZD$13), I am not sure if the price is hiked for public holiday but it may not surprise me if this is the case. After leaving the premise, I walked on this narrow alleyway past all the residential with families eating dinner or watching TV while the music blasting from the spa can be heard, and given how remote and the way the road is designed, getting a rideshare was difficult, after 45 minutes of hailing, I finally managed to get myself a ride back.

TIPS FOR VISITORS

• Try to go with someone who has a ride or if you are able to use the Grab bike service, that will be much easier than getting a grab car.

• No car will be able to enter the area, so you will have to stop by the shops and walk for about 3 minutes, use Google Maps as the rideshare location may not be accurate. If you have a bike or are using Grab bike, you will be able to get all the way to the entrance, or park at the dedicated parking spot for the premise.

• It is about a 25 minutes journey from the central area, so if you are unfamiliar with the city, I do not recommend going there alone. As it is a residential area, it is fairly quiet and dark, so leave any valuables in your hotel if possible.

CONCLUSION

The location is definitely a big turn off for me, as it would have been much more accessible for tourists if it is situated on the inner or border of the central area. It seems like the guys here are shyer when it comes to having action on any of the spa or sauna areas, but you can expect some action in the darkroom, but if you want to have the full action that seems to primarily be more preferred to be done in a private room. Staff are able to communicate in basic English and there are a very small number of foreigners that can be spotted frequenting this venue, possibly expats.

There aren’t many gay saunas in HCMC and it seems like this one is the only one that is more popular of the 2 or 3 venues spread around the city.