Your guide to bars in Chiang Mai and nightlife

Bars in Chiang Mai and nightlife

The Thai brilliant singers and like to enjoy themsselves

The Thais are brilliant singers and like to enjoy themselves

The Chiang Mai nightlife is much tamer and quieter than Bangkok, but enjoyable all the same. People in this city like to enjoy themselves and are happy to party with the many foreigners visiting their town. In Chiang Mai there are plenty of relaxing bars, a couple of banging discos, one street full of go-go bars, and a smattering of karaoke lounges. Thailand is also very accepting of the gay and lesbian scene.

The city is a great place for a pub crawl because it's easy to walk (or stumble) from bar to bar (crossing the city centre on foot takes about 20 minutes). Many bars in Chiang Mai feature live music and the Thais are fabulous singers, with repertoires that include lovely Thai ballades, MOR, soul, blues and pop favourites. There are also a number of discos which have talented DJs spinning dance floor anthems, cutting edge trance and house, and retro classics. More details on Chiang Mai bars and nightlife scene.

The Chiang Mai nightlife is unfortunately quite restricted after midnight due to a current directive from the Governor to spoil the fun. There have been considerable complaints from all quarters, but only a selected number of places have so far been allowed to remain open until 2am.

Bars are found all over the city, but are mostly congregated on either side of the Moat's eastern flank (in the Tapae Gate area), along the Ping River near Nawarat Bridge or in the vicinity of the Night Bazaar. Some are lively, friendly affairs, others are quiet and more mature. The Night Bazaar keeps Chiang Mai's centre busy after hours, and there is plenty of late shopping and eating. At the Galare Centre adjacent, you can enjoy some quick food while watching a free display of Thai cultural dancing and music. There is also a cluster of bars, coffee houses and restaurants at the intersection of Chang Klan and Loi Kroh road. A little further down Chan Klan road (heading North) there is a small arcade, known for it's 'Peak Climbing wall' where you'll find several informal bars, some with plenty of 'company'.

Karaoke is a national obsession and these lounges can be found all over the city. Many of them attract a male clientele by including a bevy of young hostesses who will sit and sing with you for a small hourly fee. Many of these are found at Chiang Mai Land, a purpose-built street off Changklan rd, south of the city.

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Travellers footage: Sexy nightclub dancers

Like the rest of Thailand, the nightlife in Chiang Mai is well known for its go-go bars. These are located mostly along the western end of Loi Kroh rd, including a walk-in arcade near the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel, and a stretch of Moon Muang rd south of Tapae Gate. Popular with some, these areas are well contained, more discreet than Bangkok and relatively tame. Read more about bar girls in Chiang Mai

There is also plenty of good clean fun to be had. Multiplex cinemas are found in the Kad Suan Kaew mall (also known as Central) and Airport Plaza, both showing movies with English soundtrack. An ice skating rink and bowling alley are also located in Central. There is also a karting track and mini golf, as well as a Thursday night quiz at the Irish Pub, while writers congregate at the Writers' Club and Wine Bar on Friday nights to spin a yarn over some tipple.

Here are a variety of Chiang Mai bars we can suggest:

Note! It's a characteristic in Chiang Mai for bars, restaurants and night clubs to spring up all over the place, but close down just as fast, therefore it's difficult to list too many places or keep up-to-date. Places frequently change name, owner or location. Many open cheaply but don't last.

Riverside Restaurant:: large and lively riverfront place with live band, good food and friendly people. 9-11 Charoenrat rd, across Nawarat Bridge and turn left. (053) 246323
The Brasserie:: serious music venue featuring legendary blues and rock local, Tuk. 37 Charoenrat rd, across Nawarat Bridge and turn left.
The (UN) Irish Pub:: magnet for local ex-pat crowd, serves food, sports on a big TV, hardly Irish but hosts quiz and Spoken Word evenings. 24/1 Ratvithi rd.
Tuskers:: great venue opened in 2007, roomy, stylish and atmospheric place popular with foreigners, serving food and regular events. Chaiyaphum, Soi 1 (down soi across moat from House restaurant).
The Pub:: an ageing but very reputable English-styled pub popular with the older long-standing ex-pat crowd. 189 Huay Kaew rd (West of the Amari Rincome) (053) 211550
O'Malley's Bar:: Irish pub with several good beers on tap and comfy interior, plus pub grub. 149/14-15 Chang Klan Rd., Anusarn Market, near Night Bazaar (053) 271921
The Saloon:: American-styled burger and beer place, good food, friendly owner and staff, nice atmosphere and music videos on large screen. central location. www.chiangmaisaloon.com Loi Kroh rd, 150m from Night Bazaar.
Sax Pub:: popular with visiting German motorcycle crowd, good music, convenient location. 35/2 Moon Muang rd, opposite Tapae Gate (053) 245740-1
Rasta Bar:: popular, laid-back outdoor place among a cluster of underground bars, with live music and cheap drinks. Sri Phum road (inside North side of Moat).
Northgate Jazz Bar:: a tiny bar with nice crowd and atmosphere when bands are playing, cheap drinks, unusual mixed crowd. Sri Phum road, just down from Rasta Bar near Chang Khian Gate
THC Rooftop Bar:: a bohemian place above the Hemp Shop, with good views of Tapae Gate and floor level seating. 19/4-5 Kotchasarn rd (opposite Tapae Gate).
The What Bar:: is one of the few non-girlie bars on Loi Kroh, a popular English themed lounge with great music, Friday beer specials, food and a congenial owner - Steve, one of our favourites. Loi Kroh road next to 7-Eleven.
Number 1 Bar:: lots of pretty waitresses, but not an in-yer face girlie bar. Usually lively, small place down first lane on the right as you walk away from the girlie bars on Loi Kroh road.
Warm Up:: attracts a young crowd of university students, especially on Friday nights and is a good place to meet locals. 40 Nimminhemin road near CMU Convention Centre end of street. (053) 400676, 400677
The Writers' Club and Wine Bar:: popular with local writer on Friday nights, friendly owners, great wine selection and good food specials. 141/3 Ratchadamnoen rd, two blocks from AUA. (053) 226299
The Mix Bar:: is perhaps Chiang Mai’s most sophisticated bar, located in the hip D2 hotel. Uber-chic bar-tenders and atmosphere, regular parties, a place to be ‘seen’. 100 Chan Klan Road, behind Chan Klan Plaza at the Night Bazaar.
WOW Bar:: stands for ‘whisky and wine’ and is an upmarket place inside the impressive new Shangri La Hotel, with a very comfortable interior and terrace, and fantastic range of drinks. Chang Klan road, south of Night Market.
Chedi Terrace:: either sip cocktails on the riverside in a posh environment or travel back in time with a G&T on the teak verandahs of the historic colonial former British Consulate building. 123 Charoen Prathet road.

Discos in Chiang Mai

The following are popular with visitors:

Bubbles:: usually full with a mixed crowd of Thais and foreigners, up-to-date music, ‘easy’ atmosphere, reasonable drink prices. -48 Charoenprathet Rd. below Porn Ping Hotel, 46near Night Market (053) 270099
Spicy:: the place everyone goes when everything else shuts after midnight, usually busy late, live music, complete pick up joint, open late. 82 Chaiyaphun Rd, alongside the Moat, opposite Somport Market. (053) 234860
Mandalay Bar:: is the glitziest venue in town located in a large multi-storey venue down a soi (alley) off the Moat, which gets busy but charges foreigners 300 baht! so it's mostly a local crowd and atmosphere. 5/3 Soi off Moonmuang road (inside east side of moat) near Katam corner. (053) 208395-8
Horizon Club:: a conveniently located basement club near the Night Market for foreigners to get a peek in Thai nightlife (picture: dance floor covered in drinking tables), worth a try for the bands and atmosphere. Below Centara Duangtawan Hotel, Loi Kroh road.

The Chiang Mai bar and night scene

Officially bars should close at 12pm, but many in the tourist areas stay open until 2am. A few others, like spicy, are somehow ‘permitted’ to stay open longer.

At the adjacent Galare Centre, you can enjoy some quick food while watching a free display of Thai cultural dancing and music. A little further down Chan Klan road (heading North) there is a small arcade, known for it's 'Peak Climbing wall' where you'll find several informal bars, mostly girlie and gay venues.

Like the rest of Thailand, the nightlife in Chiang Mai is well known for its go-go bars. These are located mostly along the western end of Loi Kroh rd, including a walk-in arcade near the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel (Chiang Mai Entertainment Centre), and also a stretch of Moon Muang rd south of Tapae Gate. Popular with some, these areas are well contained, more discreet than Bangkok and relatively tame.

For a more refined experience try out one of the bars in the five star hotels that have sprung up all over the city, including the Mix Bar (D2 Hotel), Colonial Terrace (Chedi), WOW Bar (Shangri La) and Horn Bar (Dhara Dhevi, out of town).

There is also plenty of good clean fun to be had. Multiplex cinemas are found in the Kad Suan Kaew mall (also known as Central) and Airport Plaza, both showing movies with English soundtrack. Bully bowl is a bowling alley located inside the Northwest corner of the moat. There is also a karting track and mini golf, as well as a Thursday night quiz at the Irish Pub, while writers congregate at the Writers' Club and Wine Bar on Friday nights to spin a yarn over some tipple.

Gay and Lesbian

Chiang Mai has a very welcoming and relaxed gay scene, which is why many gay foriegners choose to settle here. There are plenty of friendly people and some fun venues.

You can choose from sophisticated places like Soho, Glass Onion and Munros Show Bar, to the more down-to-earth Seven Suns, Garden Bar, Kudos or bars for meeting people such as Coffee Boy Bar, Circle Pub and Adam's Apple, and Doi boy. There are also some private maasage clubs and cluster of ‘pick up’ joints behind the Night Market. Femme Fatale is the only lesbian club in town, which is a small and discreet scene. See our Gay section, for full listings and recommended gay-friendly accomodation.