I was first introduced to bathhouses via a Taiwanese friend in Beijing, but going to a Budapest bathhouse in winter got me hooked. The experience of sweating until I could stand the heat no longer then jumping into a plunge pool the temperature of the Danube river nearly blew my mind. For about 10 minutes I was totally incapable of thinking let alone walking or talking.

Since then I’ve been addicted to this hot/cold rush and have been looking for my ideal bathhouse to experience here in Beijing. I’m still looking but on the way I’ve discovered some fun facilities: infra-red rooms; sand rooms; cold rooms (imagine an indoor fridge); salt mist sprays; water jet massages; but weirdest of all are live fish pools where the fish nibble you eating up dead skin cells (which tickles like hell if you ask me)!

Top Tips##

• Chinese bathhouses are strictly segregated male/female in bathing areas, where no-one is expected to wear anything. Chinese rarely feel prudish about nudity when the other sex isn't present, so join the crowd, strip off, and you won't get many stares. Only foreigners wear towels, which is usually when they attract attention.

• Wash before you bathe: it's hygenic.

• Don't worry about being pestered by members of the same sex - I've never come across this. Just because it can happen abroad doesn't make it common here.

• Buffet food is normally included the entrance price, but hours are often at Chinese times e.g. lunch from 11:30-12:30.

• You can usually stay overnight in a big 'rest hall', the cost of which is usually included in the entrance price. Ask wear the 'laoban' is from as this usually reflects the establishment (level of service, quality of equipment etc)