CHIANG MAI -- area code (66-53)

• Art Gallery Coffee & Drinks
  119 Kampangdin Rd (opposite Mae Ping Hotel), 084-803-4265. A small, gay, intimate coffee/cocktail bar. A delightful venue for a quiet before or after dinner drink. Open till 1am.
• Darling Wine Bar
  49/21 Huay Kaew Rd, 053-227-427, 081-724-6601. A wonderful, upscale, open-air gay bar for friendly get-togethers. Good mix of expats, visitors, and local gays. Friendly and oh-so-charming staff. Catch a tuk-tuk or songtaew baht bus to get here and pay them a little extra to wait and take you home afterwards. Closed Mon.
• The Glass Onion
  Nimmanhemin Rd (opposite Warm Up). A great little gay-friendly, sophisticated place to relax. Sun gay nights, but there are always a good number of gays on other nights.
• La Vie en Rose
  053-895-199. Opposite Hill Side 4 Condo in a parking area off Huay Keow Rd, halfway between Kad Suan Keow Shopping Mall and Amari Rincome Hotel. Nicely decorated interior and a cool outdoor terrace. Friendly music at a level which makes conversation with both Thai and expat locals, and the occasional tourist, quite pleasant. Owner, Krit, runs a well-known Thai restaurant next door. Lots of parking. Open daily from 6pm-midnight.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "I have visited both Nimman Kitchen by Krit and his new bar La Vie en Rose many times. The food, Thai and fusion, is excellent and with nice prices. The bar next door has a great atmosphere and a very friendly staff. In front of both places is a vast parking lot. Highly recommended." -- gerritjan, Mar 18, 2009

• Le Lang Matong (mixed)
  053-302-260, 081-111-893. East side of the Ping River, just south of town. Gay-owned and managed riverside night spot with live music. Young, local crowd.
• Lotus Garden Bar
  Next to Lotus Hotel, near the Mahanagorn Theater, Utopia Map. Open-air bamboo hut bar filled with friendly Thai, expats and visitors.
• Metro Bar and Lounge
  1/21-22 Soi Viangbua, Chotana Rd, Chaeng Peuak (opposite Lotus Hotel), Utopia Map, 053-220-380. Drop in for a pre-dinner cocktail or an after dinner drink. With a cool ambience and efficient aircon, an evening out in Metro Bar and Lounge will be a pleasant experience even in the hottest weather. A fully stocked bar and a selection of wines and cocktails are available as well as a delicious selection of finger food. Open daily, early evening until late.
• MTVee Bar
  Night Bazaar (between D2 Hotel and The Peak), 081-724-8142, email. Gay cruise bar for friends, fun and drinks. Popular with both locals and tourists.
• Pornping Coffee Shop (mixed)
  Pornping Hotel. Live band entertains at this popular hangout for young Thai, including groups of gays and lesbians.
• Radchada Café
  Thong Kwao road, Santitham, Chang Phueak, 089-218-3004, email. Located in the Santitham area of Chiang Mai, near to the entertainment complex at Santitham Plaza. A gay bar with live music. Popular with students. Also has food available. Utopia Member Discount
• Secrets Bar
  Thapae Soi 1, 081-531-5566, 081-603-4336, email. Located just behind D2 Hotel, in the center of Chiang Mai's Night Bazaar. Free pool table for customers, comfortable chairs and tables, friendly staff, full array of mixed drinks, free snacks and Fri specials. Open daily from 3pm-2am.
• Soho Bar and Guesthouse
  20/3 Huay Kaew Rd, 053-404-175, 085-029-8485 (English), 089-855-9400 (English/Thai), email. This fun bar is now back in gay hands and popular once again. The decor has also been updated. Open daily from 6pm-12:30am (gets busy after 9pm). Utopia Member Discount

  Comments from Utopians:

  The Soho Bar was a cosy place and we could stay there for hours." -- Kurt, Nov 27, 2008

• Warm Up
  Nimmanhemin Rd (opposite The Glass Onion). A popular dance bar where young gays tend to hang out in the air-conditioned lounge area to the left of the entrance.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "We visited MTvee bar which wasn't quite our shoe-number and the Circle Pub which had a show like we never saw in our life, very naturalistic!" -- Kurt, Nov 27, 2008

• Lavender Cabaret at PBCM
  Lavender Lanna Hotel, 6 Bunruengrit Rd, 053-211-100, email. One of the biggest and most upscale gay show bars in Thailand. Three high-energy, always-changing shows each night at 9:30, 10:30, and 11:30pm, featuring beautiful transgender and handsome male performers. Full bar with specialty cocktails, wine, champagne, and sake. Outside patio and VIP room. Happy hour daily from 8-9pm. Utopia Member Discount

• Bubbles (mixed)
  B/F Porn Ping Hotel, 46/48 Charoen Prathet Rd. Longest running popular disco in town. Up-to-date music, relaxed atmosphere, and reasonable drink prices. Usually full with a mixed crowd of Thais and foreigners.
• Cha Lerm Krung Saung Sa Lung
  2 Khanklong Chonprathan (off the canal road near the Phucome Hotel). A popular Thai music venue attracts the local in-crowd to its roomy and modern pavilion.
• Mandalay
  Near Tha Phae Gate. A very popular spot for local gays, despite the hefty cover charge for foreigners.
• Spicy (mixed)
  82 Chaiyaphun Rd (alongside the old city moat, opposite Somport Market), 053-234-860, 053-251-813. Formerly known as Nice Illusions. Live music. Small disco popular in the wee hours.