Considering that it's been only about 14 years since Istanbul's first gay bar opened its doors, today's gay scene is surprisingly diverse. Over the past year, the number of gay clubs has increased in number from just a handful to a dozen. More significantly, several have opened just off bustling Istiklal Caddesi, perhaps reflecting a more relaxed attitude to gays. It has not evolved to the point where venues cater to niche crowds, such as bikers, blacks, the aged, twinks and so on, but that's part of the charm, meaning people of all ages, sexes and persuasions end up partying together. The line dividing bars and clubs is slightly blurred, with the former closing an hour or two earlier and the latter charging admission on the weekends. There is one way to roughly divide venues into two categories: Western and a la Turca.

Western-style bars do not feature chaps and cowboy hats; they are where the moneyed, liberated Turks tend to congregate. While still distinctively Turkish, tourists and ex-pats can easily feel at home at these sorts of venues.

A la Turca bars are generally dingy and can be dangerous for those not clued in to the social dynamics. Keep in mind that many of the clientele may be relatively unenlightened about their sexuality, pulling off the mind-boggling feat of having an extremely straight mind set while simultaneously cruising gay men. Role-play is the rule, so either be prepared to play along or head elsewhere. You'd be well advised to go with a Turkish friend and not take anyone back to your hotel, but it would be a pity not to visit one of these clubs at least once, for anthropological purposes if nothing else.

The more up market clubs charge admission on Wednesdays and weekends, anywhere from $2 to $7 including a drink ticket.

There are not yet any lesbian bars, but women should feel comfortable -- if heavily outnumbered -- at Neo, Bar Bahce, Prive, Love Club, G Club and Bergere.

Routine police sweeps are extremely rare at gay venues. In the event of one, keep in mind that they occur at straight venues as well and be prepared to hand over your passport for inspection and remember that you've done nothing illegal.

Club 99
Mesrutiyet Caddesi 81A,
below Dunya Hotel, Galatasaray.
Open 23.00-04.00 daily.

The dreary decor of this basement nightclub does nothing to dispel the initial feeling of descent into a dungeon. Depending on how much you're prepared to stomach, blaring Turkish pop and the decidedly down-at-heel gathering of bedraggled transgenders, rough rent boys and assorted hoodlums either add to the sense of torture or provide a bracing blast of something long absent from Western gay clubs: fear.

Hans Bar
Tarlabasi Boulevard 248/1, Taksim.
Admission Free. No credit cards.

Working class folk, neighborhood toughs and a sprinkling of transgenders rub shoulders with middle-class gays out slumming. Scratchy Turkish music and dismal décor, but an unusual and relatively safe place to have an early night drink with friends. Very Bear friendly.


Sahra
Sadri Alisik Sokak 42, Beyoglu.
Open daily 21.00-04.00.

A three-storey fun house or chamber of horrors depending on your definition of a good time and ability to avoid tidy sexual categorization, Sahra is definitely classified as an 'a la Turca' venue. The top floor is a take on a 'lounge bar', except that folk music is played and the TV monitors display NTV, a 24-hour Turkish news channel. The ground floor is dark, packed, plays Western pop and boasts walls decorated with circa 1947 snowshoes. The basement is devoted to Euro trash disco music, which often inspires gangs of shantytown boys to clear out a section of the dance floor so they can show off their break dancing skills. The clientele consists mainly of youngish working-class lads seeking to satisfy their twin needs for a warm source of friction and a nearby flat to spend the night (the alternative is hanging out in Taksim Square until morning buses begin running). Transvestites and transsexuals are treated like royalty, not just queens. They run the full gamut, from the fruit vendor apprentice out for his first walk on the wild side dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, but with a tatty wig tossed onto his head, to post-sex change operation beauties. Admittedly, the dim lighting and a few beers do help to smooth out the rough edges. Nominally a gay venue, at least in a Western sense, what's really going on at Sahra is a variation on the classic "boy hunts girl" story. It's just that many of the "girls" are really boys and most of the "boys" are willing co-conspirators in pretending otherwise. On a good night, however, you may find a handful of gays who have ventured into this aggressively heterosexual, nominally gay venue for a bit of sightseeing.