EDGE's Places to Go in 2017: Taipei, Taiwan

This feature is part of EDGE's third annual 7 Gay Wonders of the World. This year's edition is "luxury" so be sure to check out our other decadent picks for the year!

One of the most LGBT-friendly locales in Asia, Taiwan is poised to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage within months, thanks to the progressive agenda of the country's first female head of state. Taipei, the ultra-glamorous and utterly seductive capital of Taiwan, boasts the largest Pride on the continent, which takes over the city the last Saturday in October.

Street Scene
Whether you're heading to Taipei for Pride or not, you're going to want to hit up the Red House and Ximen District, chock-full of restaurants, shops and more than two dozen gay bars. Two of the most popular are Cafe Dalida, famed for its cocktails, and Mudan, with a good restaurant and spiffy Chinese interior design. Both feature rambling terraces ideal for watching the hottest guys in Asia parade by.

Fashion Forward
By day, explore the jaw-dropping array of shopping in Taipei, like Shiatzy Chen, hawking the funky neo-Chinese chic brand from famed fashion maven Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia. Be prepared to wear your plastic out at Trends, the city's first high-end select shop dedicated to menswear.

Curtain Up
Theater fans will want to take a night to explore the offerings at the National Taichung Theater, which debuted in September. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Toyo Ito, it's an ultra-contemporary wonder supported entirely by curved walls.

River Deep, Mountain High
When the time comes to chill out, there's no place cooler than the Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei, which bowed in April. Lavish in the extreme, the Mayfull has mountain and riverside views, a pool and sauna, and five restaurants. Sleekly modern guest rooms offer floor-to-ceiling windows, walk-in dressing rooms and marble bathrooms.