What is a bum gun?
The bum gun is the universal Southeast Asian name for the handheld bidet sprayer mounted next to the toilet. It's slang — but it's the name everyone, from backpackers to hotel staff, will recognize. From Bangkok to Hanoi to Manila, it's standard plumbing.
Also called: Thai bidet, spray hose, bidet hose.
How it works
It's a small metal or plastic spray nozzle on a flexible hose, plumbed into the toilet's water supply with its own shutoff valve. Squeeze the trigger and a focused jet of cold water comes out — aim, rinse, release. Most hotels mount it on the wall to the right of the toilet.
Where it's standard
Standard in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore — in almost every accommodation tier. Less common but still frequent in Japan and South Korea outside the washlet ecosystem, and rare in mainland China hotels.
Hotels with a bum gun
Bidet Baron is a crowdsourced atlas of traveler reports. Search by city to see which hotels travelers have confirmed have a bum gun (or equivalent) in the room.
Frequently asked
What is a bum gun?
A bum gun is the informal name travelers use for the handheld bidet sprayer mounted next to the toilet across Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and most of Southeast Asia. It's a small spray hose with a trigger — you aim, squeeze, rinse.
Is a bum gun the same as a bidet?
Yes, functionally. A bum gun is a handheld bidet — the same category of fixture as a shattaf, bidet shower, or US bidet sprayer. Different name, same hardware.
Which hotels have a bum gun?
In Southeast Asia, almost all of them — from hostels to five-star resorts, a sprayer next to the toilet is standard. Outside the region, you'll mostly find them in Asian-owned hotels, Muslim-friendly hotels, and a small number of design hotels that ship them on purpose.
Do hotels in the US have bum guns?
Rarely. Most US hotels don't have any kind of handheld sprayer. A small but growing set of boutique and Japanese-owned properties ship them — see our NYC guide for confirmed picks.
What's the difference between a bum gun and a washlet?
A washlet is an electronic seat with a built-in warm-water wand, heated seat, and air dry — the Japanese standard. A bum gun is a separate handheld hose. Both rinse the same way; the washlet is fancier (and pricier to install).
Other names around the world
Japan (now exported worldwide)
Japan's electronic bidet seat — heated, with a warm-water rear and front wash, air dry, and (usually) a deodorizer.
Middle East, North Africa, South & Southeast Asia
Handheld water hose mounted by the toilet, used for the ritual washing (istinja) that's standard across Muslim-majority countries.
Finland, Greece, Eastern Europe, Australia
Generic European name for the handheld bidet hose — same hardware as a shattaf or bum gun, different label.
United States & Canada (mostly DIY retrofits)
The North American name for a handheld bidet that clamps onto the toilet supply line — what most US hotels would have, if they had anything.
India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Indian-English for the wall-mounted jet or health faucet found in most Indian bathrooms — paired with a small water pot (lota) in older homes.