Bars are not hard to find in Thailand, in spite of the Five Buddhist Precepts, so you hardly have to do more than walk down your soi to find a thirst-quencher. But this month we put some pressure on our livers for you to find you some cool venues we thought you might enjoy.
The BEER Chiang Mai
With a bewildering variety of beers covering over 400 brands, beer lovers can enjoy not only their favourites but also exploring new brewing territory, whether it is the IPA, stout, weisse, ale and more. For those who seek the traditional, perfectly-balanced, full bodied German beer why not try beer from the oldest brewery in the world, Weihenstephaner? The gigantic 9 litres bottle of St Feuillien Triple, the world famous Belgian beer, is also a popular tipple. Fret not, if you are not that hardcore and don’t know exactly what beer to choose, the staff are all trained to advise you through the selection. Food on the menu ranges from finger-licking snacks to a full meal with soft live music to spice up the night.
CHOC Chiang Mai, 179/13-14 Mahidol Road, T. Haiya
Open 5pm – midnight
Tel. 063 663 6193
Facebook: The BEER Chiangmai
Slee(p) Hostel & Cafe’
Along the busy streets of Santitham is this cozy bar where fine cocktails are available at a reasonable price. The bartender who also doubles as manager, is constantly tinkering behind the bar to come up with exciting new drinks. His aim is to create an ambiance for chilling out and having a fun and casual time with friends so while the drinks aren’t all fancy and Instagram-worthy, they definitely taste good. One of our favourites is the Nang Phaya, a Thai spirit based on a blend of Thai passion fruit and sugar cane — you can’t get more refreshing than this liquid sweet and sour concoction. Non-alcohol drinks are also available during the daytime and equally delightful such as the orange espresso which offers a mid-day energy boost that you are looking for.
34/5 Hussadhisawee Road, Chang Phueak
Open 10am – 11.30pm
Tel. 064 551 9399
Facebook: SleeHostel
Yeepua Tapas and Jam Bar
Yeepua are traditional Thai-Chinese wholesales stores found in just about any market across the country. This uncommon concept bar rewards the thirsty and the hungry because they price their drinks and Thai tapas dishes in a similar way as wholesale stores do, so the more you order the cheaper it gets! If you have more than six orders then you immediately get a wholesale discount. It is a sexy, fun and funky little bar great for groups of friends to gather (and enjoy the bulk markdown). If you have a sweet tooth then you must try the Biscuitini, a mix between vodka and butterscotch topped with a burnt sugar biscuit. The food is fun, daring and distinctive with cross-cultural creativity such as the spicy kani miso sauce pasta which uses a crab miso for the creamy texture instead of cheese, which translates to strong flavours and aromas. Good fun.
CHOC Chiang Mai, 179/44 Mahidol Road, T. Haiya
Open 11am – midnight
Tel. 053 282 053
Facebook: yeepuatapasandjambar