TARA Sauna- GESLOTEN

Is this place still open?

This year I returned to Phuket. So I take the opportunity to revisit the sauna Tara. I like this small sauna province. Indeed, in it there is practically only locals and that's why I go there. In addition, this place really seems to play a role in allowing local gays to meet. However, since a year that I went there nothing new came to enrich this place. Which is a shame. I would say that now the service is not so good: · For Farengs (foreigners), the reception is more difficult because English is not understood. · Not only has everything stayed the same, but it has also deteriorated. · Drinks on Friday and Saturday evenings are now poor, poorly served, not renewed... · As soon as we come in, we want to leave again. · Cleanliness and storage are really not the priority of the manager. · The furniture is dilapidated, dirty uncomfortable and poorly arranged. Even if this place is mainly for gay "meeting", a little cosiness is not unpleasant. It is certainly because of this in large part, the boys who come there, make "their needs" and flee. At Tara, there is : · No comfort, no music, no small place to chat quietly. The only television broadcasts every night the same films. · No theme nights (small lights, underpants, nude, mask ...). Yet just look at the impact in other saunas of Thailand like those in Bangkok. Despite this, Le Tara can be a nice place. I sometimes spend good evenings with the boys. This place has a very good potential for improvement: · The clientele is regular, young and pleasant. · Competition is zero · The need for a place like this is growing stronger with local gay youth. Phuket needs a meeting place like this. Indeed, Patong is overpriced for the local gays. Moreover, Western practices are at the opposite of local ones. For example, all their games of Tara's boys are almost in the dark very dark. And yet, they still need to lock themselves in "dark black" cabins for be sure to be not seen. So, why let this little social gem decay? With a little good will and little means, it would be possible to make this place gradually attractive to spend good evenings between local boys and certainly more Farengs who love them too.

This sauna is not closed, but it’s completely empty. I checked it out at 6pm on a Friday evening and I was the only one in there. I told the guy that TARA has been reported closed on Travel Gay Asia. But he didn’t speak any English. The sauna itself is a bit run-down, but still functionable.

I went there last month, June 2018. I saw there is the sign "ขาย". This means "Sell". I'm sure it has shut down. And I understand the "wrong information" below. I also went to the place this "gay map" shows. There is a burned house. I think he was leaded by this gay map of wrong location.

Apparently, destroyed by a fire as seen on the 10th of march 2018

I have been to Tara Sauna twice. Honestly, I did not get bored. Yes, most visitors are local, but that's also why I came here. In this place, with just a smile and a few words (which sometimes they understand) I really had good times. Far from the guys of Patong, here we give each other pleasure and nothing else. The place is simple and spartan, everything works well and the premises are clean. The reception is really nice and English is perfectly mastered. Yes, it's a bit dark. Especially the labyrinth area, but when you know the difficulty of the nudity in the Thai culture, it fits in quickly. Side improvements, some theme nights (nude, slip, large towel ...) as it exists in Europe would be nice. In any case, I had a good time and I recommend this place.

The sauna is hard to get to. Worse off, only 2 of the 3 levels were open on a Monday night. For some reason, there was no maze nor private cabins. If there were, it probably wasn't open. The steam room had no lighting. To top it off, there were only 5 people there with their sticky rice party. The worst sauna I've been to in my life.

Mostly local guys. Few westerners, but those who were got lots of action. Lots of groping in the dark hallways upstairs. It is very dark, watch your stepping. Quaint, local and friendly. The staff do understand enough English to be able to communicate. Also less than half the price of the only other venue in the province, and the crowd there is mostly westerners..