The Best Of Chiang Mai’s Nightlife

[Theyreallrubbish]

We have covered the best bars/pubs in CM, the best restaurants and of course, the best hamburgers. What about the best nightlife spots, karaoke joints, gogo bars, etc.? More of the "Hi, how are you darling?" spots here.

It would be great to get some up to date recommendations on places that are now popular.

I think it's a pretty dire situation in the area you describe. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty happening places in the university area, Huay Kaew / Nimanhemin, but that's not what you're after, and also not what most Western tourists would be after.

I find it hard for myself to say if the tourist nightlife scene is really dying, or that I'm getting jaded with it, or that it is getting jaded with me. I do know that every time I go to just about any Thai town you care to mention, like Khon Kaen, Udon, Surin and of course the more established spots like Phuket & Samui, that I'm having a TOTAL blast. Fun bars, lots of people to talk to.

But Chiang Mai it seems... dead. Or comatose at the very least.

Are there just too many bars, so that each individual one isn't getting any kind of crowd in (or even staff in) ?

In conclusion let me state I have no interest in prostitution. But I do like the tourist bars of the Loi Kroa type. The expensive expat bars I understand even less.. like Brit/Irish pubs or Tuskers.. what's the point going there? (except for food, possibly). Note that I have little inclination to watch expats.. I like the hustle & bustle of the tourist bars. But they're... dying.

I have to agree. Very rarely see more than one or two customers in each bar and usually only 2-3 girls working as well. So there's no vibe and unless you wander a lot not much chance to meet people to talk with.

Also, so many of the girls are fat! Its not that much fun sitting in an empty bar having a fat girl trying to get you to buy her a tiny cup of orange juice.

I agree with your analysis as well that there are just way too many bars which means the customers and staff are stretched so thin between them that none of them are much fun.

The Thai places where the university kids go are the only places with any life, but I'd quite like to hang out in the quieter tourist style bars and be able to meet more than one other farang in an evening

[sylviex]

Seems someone needs to start a bar staffed by older farangs .

Just need to get around the work permit problem ...

[princealbert]

The Number 1 bar fits the bill, plenty of ladies to pass a little time with and if nothing there to please your eye there is always plenty of friends new or ones we haven't met yet to chat with and they have started doing bar meals aswell. Always a good time to be had.

[jimiherf]

Yeah, I can see the time not so far when the Number 1

propose customers to wash their car while haing a few cold ones ...

Home away from home, isn't it ?

[SamSipEt]

The Number 1 bar fits the bill, plenty of ladies to pass a little time with and if nothing there to please your eye there is always plenty of friends new or ones we haven't met yet to chat with and they have started doing bar meals aswell. Always a good time to be had.

No 1 is okay and if things go as this thread suggests then maybe it should renamed as "The Only 1"

Perhaps TV members should have a schedule Mondays drink at ?? Tuesday drink at ?? that way there will always be at least 2 other people to talk with. Doesn't get round the lady problem unless you bring your own and have a lucky dip to see who gets who.....oops getting carried away

[princealbert]

No 1 is okay and if things go as this thread suggests then maybe it should renamed as "The Only 1"

Perhaps TV members should have a schedule Mondays drink at ?? Tuesday drink at ?? that way there will always be at least 2 other people to talk with. Doesn't get round the lady problem unless you bring your own and have a lucky dip to see who gets who.....oops getting carried away

Friday for me is always a mix of No 1 Half Moon Johns Places and occasional stroll around Boxing arena and Peak pool bar complex. Depends which set of friends i meet up with, sometimes i am led a little astray and find Spotlight

In fact think it might be time to shower n shave and make an early start.

Edited March 21, 2008 by princealbert

[Jefferson]

Where is half-moon?

Also, so many of the girls are fat! Its not that much fun sitting in an empty bar having a fat girl trying to get you to buy her a tiny cup of orange juice.

Oh, staff looks don't matter to me. As I said before, I'm there to drink and chat, and as long as they're friendly & interesting company I really don't mind what they look like. To be honest, none of them would win any beauty contests anywhere, so I don't feel inclined to nit-pick about weight or age. (As I'm not exemplary myself in those categories, though I AM friendly & interesting.

[princealbert]

Where is half-moon?

Moonmuang soi 2 . turn first left after mad dog after (wrong way down 1 way) on the left 100 or so metres Good food too.

[Super Hans]

I'm amazed at the lack of nightlife here - I thought there'd at least be some. It's thoroughly depressing to hear the constant screech of "welllllllcommmmme!" from a single girl sat in an empty bar.

I wouldn't mind going to the university area - anyone care to offer directions from, say, Tha Pae gate?

[elektrified]

I went out on Tuesday night and thought it would be very busy with the school holiday and so forth. Wow was it ever dead out there! I was with a friend on motor bikes and we must have stopped at 4 or 5 different bars along Moon Muang, Kotchasarn Road, etc. and there was maybe 3 customers in every bar. We even went to a disco we were so desperate, but they were closing at 23:30 because there was not a single customer in there.

The area around Nimmanhaemin is definately more lively but there are so many students smoking and the music is so loud in most places that it is not possible to have a conversation.

[BlackArtemis]

The nightlife is only dead if you can't speak Thai or don't fit in the Thai places. Tons of small pubs other than warm up and monkey around CMU and payap. Many of these places have great bands!

[mcgriffith]

The nightlife is only dead if you can't speak Thai or don't fit in the Thai places. Tons of small pubs other than warm up and monkey around CMU and payap. Many of these places have great bands!

So true, BA.

Just don't post any place names here....I don't think you really want these folks to potentially show up at your venues:

[Gravelrash]

I think most people come to Chiangmai for reasons other than nightlife. In fact, lack of the "Pattaya Scene" is why many families settle here.

That aside, the karaokes and cafes undoubtably have the better looking girls, and yes speaking Thai in these places is a definite plus. Also the soapies have some nice looking attendants, fair price, no ripoffs, but again they often don't speak English. If you can banter with them in Thai and have some fun you are assured a better time.

For nightlife in Chiangmai it really does help to speak some Thai, it opens many more doors and they are ok with farangs. The tourist areas are really quite sad.

[elektrified]

The nightlife is only dead if you can't speak Thai or don't fit in the Thai places. Tons of small pubs other than warm up and monkey around CMU and payap. Many of these places have great bands!

My friend is Thai, we "fit in" but it was still dead in the area near the moat. Yes, I agree, there are great bands in the CMU and Nimmanhaemin area. "Fine, Thanks" is good. Tawan Dang and Monkey Club are way too crowded with students and there is too much smoking for my taste. But there are some good bands to be found on the sois around the area of Bake and Bite, Tawan Dang, etc.

[anonymouse]

lots of bars and not enough people, most of these places aren't making any money but are being sponsored by a farang who is back in his own country, plowing his hard earned money into some crap hole in the wall bar. Like the mythical hydra who when you chop one of it's heads off it grows two more, it seems like to everyone bar closing down another two open up.

[Ulysses G.]

lots of bars and not enough people, most of these places aren't making any money but are being sponsored by a farang who is back in his own country, plowing his hard earned money into some crap hole in the wall bar. Like the mythical hydra who when you chop one of it's heads off it grows two more, it seems like to everyone bar closing down another two open up.

This quote should be on the cover of "Doing Business in Chiang Mai".

It is the most sensible observation of the local business situation that I have ever seen!

[cnxmike]

"But Chiang Mai it seems... dead. Or comatose at the very least. "

Normally I don't go out often at night time. but since my wife spent the weekend with her family in Bangkok and I felt bored at home alone. I ventured friday and saturday night into the nightlife of Chiang Mai. Now I must admit the quote above is absolutly true.

I checked out the the Peak area, almost no customers. I checked out the beer bars next to this Thai boxing place in a soi attached to Loy Kroh again very few customers. Then I looked at the girlie bars along Loy Kroh, again very few if at all any customers.

Also Moon Muang, Soi 2 was dead.

The only places which had a lot of customers were the bars directly at the night baazar, like Hofbrauhaus and Red Lion and John's Place at Moon Muang. Also Spotlight was doing quite fine.

Since I don't like karaoke and too old for discos I went home earlier as I had intented.

[Chiangmai Foxy]

"But Chiang Mai it seems... dead. Or comatose at the very least. "

Normally I don't go out often at night time. but since my wife spent the weekend with her family in Bangkok and I felt bored at home alone. I ventured friday and saturday night into the nightlife of Chiang Mai. Now I must admit the quote above is absolutly true.

I checked out the the Peak area, almost no customers. I checked out the beer bars next to this Thai boxing place in a soi attached to Loy Kroh again very few customers. Then I looked at the girlie bars along Loy Kroh, again very few if at all any customers.

Also Moon Muang, Soi 2 was dead.

The only places which had a lot of customers were the bars directly at the night baazar, like Hofbrauhaus and Red Lion and John's Place at Moon Muang. Also Spotlight was doing quite fine.

Since I don't like karaoke and too old for discos I went home earlier as I had intented.

that is quiet!

i spent a month in c mai dec/jan and must say it was the quietest xmas in c mai for a good few years.

i always find the same places doing the best business - number1 bar,spotlight,hot shots,red lion(at night),sp*cy,lucky bar(after3am).as for the peak,always quiet except the peak pool bar now and again.just too many bars in the 'falang areas'.

obviously if you want mainly thais and busy,then places like - monkey club,warm up,hot shots,bangrak,fashion house,v club etc are the places.

im back at songkran,my first one 4 years ago was so so busy and fun,particulary around the moat(kotchasarn and moonmuang)

then last year it was real quiet,not sure what to expect this year.maybe bad press coupled with pollution,or people just tying other places or even earlier closing.

as long as c mai never ends up like,or attracts hoards or pattaya,benidorm,blackpool scumbag chavs,then c mai will never lose its appeal,no matter how many people are staying away.

roll on songkran - so cold in leeds!!!!

[Paagai]

If I am looking for an evening out with the boys, we usually head for Spotlight, however, from what I have heard, Foxy Lady seems to be a more happening spot.

AKA "Poxy Lady" after a Thai friend mis-read the sign and asked what a "Poxy lady" was...... and then got angry when everyone colapsed in hysterics at the question.

Personally, apart from ocasional trips to meet other members of the Farang species in their getto bars, I'd avoid most of the places mentioned in this thread. The real Chaing Mai is outside the tourist strips in the hundreds of local bars in wooden shacks, packed with Thais having fun, or even just drinking at some noodle joint in the street.