Chiang Mai bars, pubs and nightlife
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 ballads, 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. Most bars now stay open to 1am, some as late as 2am when they are obliged to close. There are however a few after hours places to move on to.More details on Chiang Mai bars and nightlife scene.
One really happening new precinct for evening entertainment is JJs Market, an area 2kms North of the Northeast corner of the moat that has plenty of bars, and is generally busy especially on the weekends. Congregated together in this arcade, the bars form one big outdoor party. It’s very trendy Thai and youthful.
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.
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. Many restaurants double as drinking venues and there is a particularly lively scene in the Nimminhemin area west of the Old Town, which is popular with Thai students. Here you’ll find plenty of outdoor beer garden places with live bands and busy atmosphere, it’s certainly a fun experience hanging out with the locals.
- Chiang Mai restaurants
- Guest houses in Chiang Mai
- Gay and Lesbian Chiang Mai
- Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
Update: Jan. 2010
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, 243 239, service@theriversidechiangmai.com, river1@loxinfo.co.th
- 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 live music, busy during big sports events. 24-24/1 Ratvithi Rd., Sriphum, (053) 214554.
- 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). (087) 180 4665, tuskersbar@gmail.com
- Club Martini
- Perhaps Chiang Mai’s trendiest new venue, with its chic interior and clientele, impressive cocktails, cutting edge music and shishas. Great third-storey location overlooking Tawan Mall, and frequent party nights, Corner Chan Klan and Sri Donchai, 86 Sridonchai Rd., Changklan, Chiang Mai, (086) 431 7250, info@sayyestomartini.com.
- 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 Red Lion:
- Conveniently central at the Night Market, this long running favourite serves a good selection of food and drink to weary shoppers and locals alike - indoors or outdoor in British Pub tradition. 123 Loi Kroh Road, Night Market area. (0)53 818847.
- The Saloon:
- American-styled burger and beer place, good food, friendly owner and staff, nice atmosphere and music videos on large screen. central location. Loi Kroh rd, 150m from Night Bazaar. 084 175 3506.
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- Sax Pub:
- popular with visiting German motorcycle crowd, good music, convenient location. 35/2 Moon Muang rd, opposite Tapae Gate (053) 245740-1
- Half Moon Bar:
- a long established and friendly place just off Moon Muang rd (soi 2) among a cluster of bars, serving pub grub, sports on TVs and with pool tables. Tel: (087) 1805143, const1974@yahoo.co.uk
- Rasta Bar:
- popular, laid-back outdoor place among a cluster of underground bars, with live music and cheap drinks. Between Soi 1 and Soi 2, Sriphum Rd., (089) 838 8148, (081) 690 1577, c.blumenthal@hotmail.com
- 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 indie 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. Recently expanded to include a very nice saloon styled ‘bistro’ across the lane, recommended. Soi 1, Chiang Mai, (081) 034 2417, number1bistro@hotmail.com
- The Writers' Club and Wine Bar:
- popular with local writers on Friday nights, friendly owners, great wine selection and good food specials. 141/3 Ratchadamnoen rd, two blocks from AUA.
- 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. (053) 999 999.
- 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. 89/8 Chang Klan Road, (053) 253 888.
- 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. (053) 253 333
- The @ Living Room
- A trendy place with DJ spinning trendy tunes, and a nice atmosphere when busy. This new stylish bar is not far from Thapae Gate in Sophet Gold Place (near Spicy), and the friendly owners Charlie and Nina put in the effort. Somphet Gold Place, 70/20 Chaiyaphum Road, (080) 128 1381, at-livingroompub@hotmail.com
- Power Boys Chiang Mai
- One of the most upscale gay bars in Chiang Mai and apparently the biggest gay show bar in Thailand. Three shows a night plus male revue, all in the Lanna Lavender Hotel, Boonruangrit Rd besides Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, Northwest moat corner, tel: (053) 211 100.
- 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.
- Power Boys is an exciting new scene that opened in late 2009, with a nightly caberet and revue in the multi level bar of the all gay Lanna Lavender hotel (see details under bar section above).
Bohemian central
Chiang Mai’s very own backpacker-cum-little Jamaica is a cluster of bars around a car park just off Ratvithi down from the Irish Pub. Here you’ll find a lively collection of shack or open air bars with several live bands, cheap beer and food. It’s down market but has character and is popular with beatnik locals and backpackers alike. Best bars include Zoe in Yellow (atmospheric), Café del Sol (popular), Babylon Café (Irie), Roots, Rock, Reggae (live music) and Heaven’s Beach (pool tables).
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. Considered a good pick up place by many, but the girls aren’t exactly free. -48 Charoenprathet Rd. below Porn Ping Hotel, 46near Night Market Tel: (053) 270099 Ext. 5222
- 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
- Warm Up:
- attracts a young crowd of university students, especially on Friday nights and is a good place to meet locals. Probably the most happening place in Chiang Mai, always busy on weekends. 40 Nimminhemin road near CMU Convention Centre end of street. (053) 400677
- 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
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Can you bring girls back to your hotel?
Some hotels don't mind you bringing bar girls back to your room as long as you are discreet, while other forbid it or will try to charge you extra. To save you the embarrassment we've enquired with all of them and listed those that are suitable for bachelors, see the list, rates and booking here (opens in a new window)
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