The festive holidays are here, and in just a few days we will all be merrily clinking glasses over Christmas dinner and seeing in the New Year at our favourite bar. With all this free time, why not check out a few bars a bit further out of town? Call an Uber and head out for a great night, safe in the knowledge that you can drink as much as you want and have a warm ride home at the end of the night.
The Yellow Pug
The Yellow Pug is popular with Chiang Mai’s craft lovers thanks to its extensive collection of bottled craft beers from across the world. Then there are the four or five local and international crafts on tap too! We recommend visiting on a Saturday, when there is a live band and often some form of promotion on a tap or bottle. As it’s a little out of town and on a roadside with little parking, it’s best to Uber instead – the beers can be stronger than you think! Drinks start at just 150 baht and they also serve up a number of side dishes to perfectly accompany that fruity IPA.
Open 6pm – 11.30pm
44/08 Somphot-Chiang Mai 700 Years Road (second ring road), Chiang Mai
Facebook: The Yellow Pug
089 559 8080
Drinksmith
Drinksmith is one of Chiang Mai’s most ‘Bangkok’ bars. Packed from bar to ceiling with gins, whiskeys, rums and everything in between, it is the city’s most exciting cocktail bar to date. Not only are the drinks sublime, but the mixologists often sit and chat with you, deducing what type of person you are before concocting up a cocktail just for you. Downstairs is a social bar, while upstairs you can sit back in deep leather sofas with some friends and enjoy a drink and a side of snacks, savoury dishes and the sort. This bar isn’t really out of town – well, it isn’t at all – but it’s near the airport…and we like it!
Open 9am – 12am
Choc Chiang Mai, Mahidol Road
Facebook: drinksmithcnx
064 648 6020
Kamrai in the Garden
Our most favourite off licence re-opened back in August after they were replaced by a McDonald’s in their old location on Nimmanhaemin Road. Although there is much less people-watching going on now that they are away from Nimman’s hustle and bustle, the drinks are just as good and just as cheap. Basically Kamrai sells a vast range of beers, ciders, wines and a few spirits at 7-Elelven prices. Now their garden themed summer house building still has the old remnants of classic Kamrai (self-serve ice and eccentric owners) they are also new and improved, with nice seating and a large, fancier collection of wines.
Open 9am – 11pm (Closes midnight on Fridays and Saturdays)
200/23 Photharam Road, Chang Phuak
Facebook: Kamrainimman
089 954 9614
Sudsanan
This Chiang Mai classic has been around for almost two decades, celebrating their 18th anniversary this December. With an old fashioned country vibe, their style is wooden, vintage and reeks of a time gone by but still beloved. They have live music every night, with regular musicians playing Thai rock and music classics. The menu is packed with some of the best northern food in the city – although it can be pretty spicy. From their old location on Huay Kaew Road, they have now moved to the Canal Road, just past the police box heading south towards Mae Hia.
Open 5pm – 11pm
122/103 Moo 6, Canal Road
Facebook: @sudsananchiangmai
052 000 145
Papa Rock
Calling rock lovers from anywhere and everywhere! Papa Rock is the place to go to enjoy great local rock by some of the city’s most popular bands. This rickety old bar is home to the old rockers of Chiang Mai and although there are more rock bars in town now than ever before, they are holding strong as one of THE places to go for rock in the city. Out near the Yellow Pug, why not make a night of it and visit both in one night before you jump in an Uber and go for coffee with that single led zeppelin fan you met at the bar.
Open 6pm – Midnight
Somphot-Chiang Mai 700 Years Road (second ring road)
Facebook: PAPA ROCK Chiang MAI
086 729 2039
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