4 Best Nightlife in The Old City, Chiang Mai

This is the city's most popular bar for jazz music. Doors open at 7 pm and seats on the first floor and mezzanine fill up soon afterwards with a mix of expats, locals, and tourists eager to hear covers of jazz, folk rock, and pop. Tuesdays are jam-session nights, but the place, on the northern edge of the Old City, is packed every night of the week. The bar is super casual---shorts and flip-flops are welcome---and there's no cover, with drinks moderately priced (stick to beer and cider; the cocktails and wine aren't worth the price).

Beer lovers come to this Chiang Mai restaurant-bar for its selection of local and imported craft beers, dozens bottled and 18 on tap. 

The city's most popular gay bar runs a drag show every night from 10 pm, though seats fill up far earlier with a wide mix of travelers and local LGBTQ community members. The costumes are stunning, the dancers' stamina impressive, and the routines a hoot, leaving the audience laughing up a storm (it's mostly Western music, so you don't need to speak Thai to enjoy yourself). There's no cover charge, drinks are reasonably priced (expect to pay B180 for a local beer), and everyone is welcome.

The Weave Artisan Society, in a renovated ice factory, includes an art gallery, a craft shop, a café, an open-kitchen restaurant with a massive wood-fired oven, and the Yellow Pug, a bar known for its selection of craft beers. The choices are constantly rotating but you can expect selections from the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. You can also take your beer over to the restaurant to enjoy with a wood-fired pizza.