Neil Aronson (Updated Sept 2024) If you are planning a trip to Chiang Mai you probably are asking what is there to do at night? What are some of the more popular nightlife activities to do? Is there anything to do? Oh yes, more than most cities. And a very wide variety. Everything from bowling to strip clubs to night markets. However, since Covid, strip clubs have been severely limited. Sorry.
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In this article we will look at some of the more popular nightlife activities you can enjoy when visiting Chiang Mai Thailand. There is not shortage, so we will focus one some of more popular nightlife activities.
There are popular nightlife activities from the tame to the wild, and everything in between. So here are some of your options.
Travel Resources
Agoda is the best place to book cheap affordable hotels in Thailand, especially near national parks. They also book flights as well.
Expedia is my favorite place to book flights, hotels, cars, and more. Their group includes Hotels.com and Vrbo for vacation rentals.
Viator is the top choice for activities. Book everything from a waterfall tour to scuba diving, jungle trekking to cooking classes. Do the Chiang Mai Golf Challenge from Viator.
12Go is the top transportation source for Asia. From busses to trains to regional flights.
Contents:
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar
The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar is the place to shop, eat, drink and simply people watch for popular nightlife activities. Countless stalls pack along the sidewalks and spill out into the street, selling almost everything you can think of.
For Tourists, this is one of the favorite nightlife activities. However it has become less popular for locals, according to my wife’s local family. But still fun place to go.
There is good street food. Even Anthony Bourdain went there in one of his CNN show episodes. So that is one reason to go.
Just like the items on sale, the nightlife here is well-varied. Start your way from the intersection of Chang Klan and Loy Kroh roads. Here, you’ll find a handful of sidewalk bars and western-style pubs that are perfect for stopping and having a mid-shopping drink.
Shopping just down the road in Chinatown at the Warorot Market is a place to find everything from local food to a pair of pants. If you need a piece of luggage go here.
Sunday Walking Street
Chiang Mai’s walking streets are one of the great shopping and nightlife highlights of the city. And for sure one of the most popular nightlife activities for both locals and tourists. The most prominent thoroughfares in Chiang Mai proudly named ‘walking streets’ are Ratchadamneon Road’s Tha Phae Sunday Walking Street. Also the Wua Lai Walking Street held on Saturdays on Wua Lao Road.
The streets close to traffic at noon on these days. All kinds of vendors and crafts fill the entire stretch. Street food, beverages and cultural entertainment are all part of the experience. The Sunday Walking Street has the best street food.
Many of the crafts are made by local artists and Hilltribe communities. If you want to support the local community, this is a good way to do it.
My favorite is the Sunday walking street, located by the Tha Phae gate, in the heart of the old city. This picture is taken from a great rooftop bar. On top of the Tha Phae Grill.
Dinner Cruise On The River
Here is one of the fun favorite nightlife activities to do with your date. The Ping River runs through Chiang Mai, not far from the the old city. You could walk there, or take a tuk-tuk from the walled city center.
Tour companies and some local restaurants run dinner cruises, for very reasonable rates. Here are a couple options.
Try all sorts of delicious Thai foods on this dinner cruise that takes you along the Ping River in Chiang Mai. You can relax as you float by temples and houses on the riverbanks, while your dinner is served. Feel free to purchase alcoholic drinks onboard, as you sit back and relax in the romantic atmosphere. This option includes hotel pickup and drop off, as well as dinner. Book on Viator.
The Riverside Chiang Mai is a popular restaurant on the river. They have their own pier and boats. You can take a cruise for 200 baht, and have dinner on board. The cost is the cruise fee. Dinner, drinks, etc are menu prices. The Good View, just next door also has their own.
Take A Tuk Tuk Ride
I my opinion, one of the most fun things to do at night. Especially after a few beers! And especially on the weekends, when the streets are more crowded. Like a real life amusement ride.
Khantoke Dinner
Dinner and a cultural show at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Center. Not to be confused with the new cultural center in the walled city center.
Discover the beauty and charm of northern Thailand through a unique dining experience unlike any other. Indulge in the flavors and traditions of northern Thailand at the Old Chiangmai Cultural Center. Savor a delicious meal while being treated to traditional music and dance performances that showcase the rich heritage of the region.
Take A Night Tour
For popular nightlife activities there are of course tours you can do after dark. Eating out at one of the many great restaurants is an obvious thing to do. But you can also learn from locals if you are new to the city.
Night Food Tour
Street food is probably the best food in Chiang Mai. My local wife could eat it every meal. It’s fresh, local, and inexpensive. If you want to go on your own, just ask some locals where the good spots are. The night markets are always good, and the night bazaar is open everyday. If you want a local guided tour, you can book one on Viator.
Night Temple Tour
One way to see some temple out of the daytime sun is at night. Some of them light up nicely. You can book a night tour by Tuk-Tuk on Viator. Take in quiet temples that light up when the sun goes down and stroll around Chiang Mai’s famous bustling night market and satisfy your tasting buds. Enjoy photo stops at Chiang Mai’s most intriguing spots.
You can also walk to some of them yourself at night. It is nice, there are a lot less people and not as hot.
Chiang Mai Night Safari
Chiang Mai Night Safari is a Nature Theme Park with an emphasis on natural science. Wildlife in Asia and Around the world. Visitors can study wildlife behavior closely, at night. The worlds third nocturnal zoo.
Due to the name, it’s also one of the popular nightlife activities. Opened in 2006, The zoo is located west of Royal Park Rajapruek, just outside the city center. Chiang Mai Night Safari is a government property under the Zoological Park Organization.
Get up close and personal with zebras, giraffes, red kangaroos and other African animals on a tram ride after dusk has fallen. The fully enclosed tram ride with dim yellow lights is fully safe for you and allows the animals to venture right up to the vehicle. It is an absolutely thrilling experience to witness predators like the lion, spotted hyena and white tiger in their natural environment.
There is a hotel on property, however their website states it is currently closed. Book admission tickets on Viator.
Play Golf – At Night!
Yes that’s right. This daytime activity is also one of the popular nightlife activities. And best of all the blazing sun is not pounding on your head.
Near town you can play at Stardome Golf Club, which can be seen for miles when lit up at night. This Chiang Mai golf course is perfectly suited to nighttime golf and features plenty of water hazards, which combine with the sand to produce the biggest challenge on the course.
Summit Green Valley Golf is one of the better courses in the area. It is located about 20 minutes north of the city center in the Mae Rim Valley area. Check their website for cheap offers and book on Expedia.
Rooftop Bars – Enjoy The Sunset
One of my favorite nightlife activities is having a few on one of the rooftop bars around the city. Because they are on the roof, you can get great views of the city, Doi Suthep, and the sunset over the mountains surrounding the valley.
One of our favorites is on the roof of the Tha Phae Grill, right by the Tha Phae gate on Rachadamnoen Rd. They just recently remodeled in November of 2023. There are several floors to the bar, but of course the roof top is the place to be. Because if this I think it might be the best place to watch the sunset. But get there early, as there is not much space.
Also in the old city, Drink Rooftop Bar is another one just down the street from Improvise on Rachadamnoen Rd. Located on the second floor of the U-Hotel. Other good options in the old city are THC Bar near the moat and Loi Kroh Rd.
Between the Tha Phae Gate and THC Bar is The Moat House. With fantastic views, good energy and a great place to listen to live music. Mostly westerners hanging out here. Go upstairs to the patio to get good city views.
One of the more fancier rooftop bars would have to be Mai The Sky Bar at the Melia Hotel. I prefer the cheap local bars. But if you want to impress a first date at sunset, this would be a good spot. Located by the Ping river and close to the night bazaar. A very nice place to book for your hotel as well.
Some of you more touristy upscale rooftop bars are located over in the westernized Nimmanhaemin area of the city. Top of that list might be Rise Bar and Italics Restaurant. Located in the Akyra Manor Chiang Mai. It is a Tapas Bar and Restaurant that has many events, including pool parties.
For more options and a good article, check out the Best Rooftop Bars from Chiang Mai City Life magazine.
Live Music Options
Maybe the most popular nightlife activities in Chiang Mai is live music. There are many options from dive bars to upscale jazz and wine bars. Most bars and nightclubs have live music at some point of the week. Here are some favorites all you can walk or Tuk Tuk to if staying in the old city.
Jazz/ Blues/ Chill
North Gate Jazz Club. As the name suggests, it’s located by the north gate of the wall city on Sri Poom Rd. It is an intimate venue that plays host to a rotating line-up of the best local jazz musicians.
Moment’s Notice Jazz Club. Chic, friendly, and bursting with charm, Moment’s Notice is an excellent choice for jazz lovers to enjoy performances by very skilled players. The venue is close to the Ping River.
Boy Blues Bar. Like the first two I mentioned, this is another intimate local club. This bar is at the Night Bazaar, making it a great place to eat some local street food and then go relax and listen to some tunes.
Rock/ Pop/ Party
My Bar is my type of vibe. Dive bar with friendly staff. Different type of live music, mostly rock/pop cover bands. Located in the southern section of the walled city.
The Riverside Bar and Restaurant. One of my favorite popular nightlife activities is to go the bars just across the other side of the Ping River. Located, on Charoenrat Rd where you have several fun options. This is a large place with several indoor and outdoor options. Great food and atmosphere. Busy weekend spot for locals. Live music later at night by some great local bands, mostly playing pop/rock covers.
The Good View. On the Ping River just like The Riverside Bar, and fairly similar. It’s a large place with lots of seating options, great food, and also a great atmosphere. Live music from local bands playing all types of music. Highly recommend and one of the popular nightlife activities for locals.
Walk To Local Pubs
I’m guessing for tourists and locals, the most popular nightlife activities has to be bar hopping after dark. Or before dark. Because there are so many, walking around the city exploring all the bars and clubs is easy. In Chiang Mai it seems on every block there is at least one 7-11, massage place, local restaurant, and a bar.
It would take a month to go over every bar, so when your there you will just need to explore whatever area your in. We have recommended some already, but there are hundreds and every website will suggest their own.
Really there are 3 areas with different zibes.
Old City: This is wear most of the smaller chill out local places are. If you are staying in or around the walled city, you can walk to all of them. Zoe in Yellow mentioned below, would be one of the only real club type places in that area.
Riverside Area: As mentioned above, some of the bigger and very popular bars and restaurants, with live music. Along the Ping River, most places are much more expensive than in the walled city.
Nimmanhaemin (Nimman) Road: This area is one of the popular nightlife activities areas for students and casual late-night dining. Close to Chiang Mai University, therefor you will find a lot of students at the bars in this area. Also a very popular area for expats to live in, so you will find lots of westerners here. As a result, if you want to avoid that scene stay away from here.
Zoe In Yellow
If your looking for the louder drunken club scene, then Zoe In Yellow might be a place for you. Popular nightlife activities for the younger crowd. It’s a little like a strip mall with bars playing DJ, Hip Hop, Techno and live music. Because of this, if your looking for an authentic local place, this is not it. Looking for a party scene, similar to Mexico, then you might like it.
Located in the center of the old city on Ratvithi Rd. And it’s a little ironic that it is a couple blocks from some of the more famous temples.
Cabaret Show
Personally I have not yet been. But they are popular, and a fun option. There are several options. Themes range from the glamorous to the hilarious, but the shows are always entertaining. Among the top venues are Chiang Mai Cabaret on Changklan Road, Miracle Cabaret Chiang Mai on Changhuak Road, and Siam Dragon Show Chiangmai on Huay Kaew Road.
View all three options and book on Viator.
Go Go Bars
Finally, we can’t leave out this option Thailand is famous or infamous for. For those who don’t know, these would be your strip clubs, Thailand style. Look it up if you don’t know what I mean. Like all other nightlife options, there are plenty of places for choose from. A lot of this action is going to be around Loi Kroh Road over towards the Night Bazaar.
Update: Most have been closed since Covid! And from what I have been told, only a few will or have re-opened.
If your new and don’t know where to go, ask some locals. You can ask your Tuk Tuk driver, but they will take you some place they are getting paid to take you.
I hope we have given you some good choices for some of the more popular nightlife activities to do in Chiang Mai. There are so many things to do, this is really just a taste. So I always tell people when traveling to Thailand, you should have some ideas in mind. However when you get there, you always end up going in different directions.
And remember to get Travel Insurance.
For more daytime activities and everything Chiang Mai, read our Guide To Chiang Mai for 2024.
