Chiang Mai has a surprisingly diverse collection of nightclubs. Despite the laid back nature of Thailand's northern capital, the nightlife scene is not just all about beer bars, hippie backpacker hangouts, and night bazaars; head slightly off the beaten path (ie. outside of the Old City), and there’s a whole lineup of pumping clubs to be found too.
The epicenter of it all is at Nimmanhaemin (‘Niman’ for short), a road which draws in a young, trendy crowd of mostly local students and young professionals (as well as an ever-increasing number of expats and in-the-know tourists). Here we give you the rundown of the best places to party in this list of the Best Nightclubs in Chiang Mai.
- Wat Doi Suthep & Hmong Hill-Tribe Village
- Doi Inthanon National Park Tour
- Ping River Dinner Cruise
- Khantoke Dinner with Traditional Dance Performance
- Old City Half-Day Bike Tour
- Flight of the Gibbon™ Zipline Tour
- 2-Day Whitewater Rafting & Ziplining
- Full-Day Countryside Bike Tour with Lunch
- Aroy Aroy Thai Cooking School & Market Tour
- Full-Day Excursion to Chiang Rai & Golden Triangle
Warm Up Café
40 Nimmanhaemin Rd, Chiang Mai
An absolute institution on the Chiang Mai nightlife scene, Warm Up Café on Nimmanhaemin Road is the city’s biggest, best and longest running club. Ask any Thai which club they recommend, and nine out of ten will tell you it’s here. The place is split up into various sections, including a more laidback outside terrace fronting the venue, which leads into the large room at the back. It’s here where the local bands belt out the Thai pop, with each and every table almost tipping over, stacked high with whiskey bottles, buckets of ice, glasses and boxes of free popcorn. The house DJ usually plays dance hits in between sets and for the final few hours, although for more sustained bass-heavy music its best to head to the small, almost soundproof dance room on the left hand side as you walk in. Read More...
- Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 18:00-02:00
- Tel: +66 (0) 5340 0676
Zoe in Yellow
40/12 Ratvithi Road, Chiang Mai
Long-time backpacker favourite Zoe in Yellow is located conveniently near Tha Pae Gate, sitting next to a dozen or so other bars and clubs in a small T-shaped road off Ratvithi in the Old Town. Most of the Chiang Mai’s cheap guesthouses and tourist attractions are close by, so hitting up Zoe in Yellow after all long day of being all cultural makes perfect sense. Music here is mostly Top 40 dance, drinks are strong and cheap (watch out for those whiskey buckets) and the crowd is 90% young western tourists dressed up in their best singlets and neon shorts that have survived the Full Moon Party. Things here wind down before 02:00, so a good portion of the crowd usually moves on to Spicy, an infamous late-night spot across the moat on Loy Kroh Road. Read More...
- Opening Hours: 17:00-02:00 daily
- Tel: +66 (0)81 951 8288
Infinity Club
40 Nimmanhaemin Soi 6, Chiang Mai
Although no stranger to a Thai four-piece band, Infinity is by far the most modern, European-like club in Chiang Mai. The first thing you notice when stepping inside is the impressive lighting, with green laser beams projected from the ceiling, whilst the quality sound system does justice to the dance beats spun by local and (sometimes) international DJs. Things get really packed on the weekend with glammed up pretties and dudes in skinny jeans, so it’s best to arrive early or book your table in advance (you don’t want to stand around with nowhere to put your drinks). Find Infinity Club tucked away down Soi 6, just off the main Niman Road stretch.
- Opening Hours: 20:00-03:00
- Tel: +66 (0) 5340 0676
Spicy
Chaiyapoom Road (just north of Tha Phae Gate)
Spicy Nightclub is well known as the last place to close in Chiang Mai. Pumping out dance music late into the night it is loved and hated in equal measure, but if you don’t want to the party to stop this is the place to be. Spicy Nightclub in Chiang Mai is located on the outside of the moat, just north of Tha Phae Gate. Arrive before midnight and you will find a dark, empty room with pounding house and trance music, but once everywhere else closes it becomes packed with a mixed clientele including a large amount of ‘freelance’ girls. It’s not a sophisticated place, but it is a lot of fun if you are looking to dance and mingle late into the night. Every tuk-tuk driver in the city will know it so finding it should be easy. There is no cover charge, no dress code and drinks prices are reasonable. They also enforce a strict “no ladyboys allowed” policy.
- Opening Hours: 22:00 – 03:00 (best after 01:00)
Monkey Club
7 Nimmanhaemin, Chiang Mai
Monkey Club follows in the footsteps of Warm Up Cafe, its older brother across the road, promising an all-Thai affair – which means live bands, crammed tables stacked high with whiskey bottles and a young, dressed up crowd who know how to party. The place is not as big as Warm Up, but it does follow the concept of having an indoor, air conditioned room for the music and outdoor, more chilled out alfresco seating area. It’s here where many choose to come for dinner and you can expect all the Thai pub food classics like chicken wings, som tam, laab and grilled pork. Come for food, then migrate inside for a dance after a few drinks. Read More...
- Opening Hours: 16:00-01:00
- Tel: +66(0) 5322 6997-8 Ext.11-12
