Our Choice of Best Party Hostels in Chiang Mai

Mad Monkey Chiang Mai

Mad Monkey Chiang Mai is the ultimate party hostel in the cultural hub of Thailand. Situated between the vibrant Night Bazaar and the iconic Tha Pae Gate, this hostel offers a prime location for exploring the city's main attractions. What sets Mad Monkey apart is its fantastic party atmosphere. Dive into the large saltwater pool and join the energetic pool parties that will keep the fun going all day long. The on-site bar and restaurant provide the perfect setting to mingle with fellow travellers from around the world, while the chill lounge areas offer a relaxed space to unwind.

Beyond the party aspect, Mad Monkey Chiang Mai also boasts excellent facilities. With modern rooms and dorms, an on-site gym, and dedicated yoga spaces, you'll have everything you need for a comfortable stay. The hostel goes the extra mile by organising exciting day trips and adventures, allowing you to explore the natural beauty of northern Thailand and the charm of the Old City. Whether you're seeking adrenaline-pumping activities or simply want to soak up the lively atmosphere, Mad Monkey Chiang Mai is the ideal choice for party-loving travellers.

Guest Reviews Overview

Guests at Mad Monkey Chiang Mai love this party hostel for its incredible atmosphere and lively nightlife. Guests appreciate the hostel's social environment, with events happening every night and daily tours that make it easy to meet fellow travellers. Despite some comments about slightly cramped rooms, guests highlight the comfortable beds and the cleanliness of the facilities. The bar and main area offer great spaces to socialise, and the large saltwater pool is considered a bonus.

Party hostel highlights:

  • Large saltwater pool and energetic pool parties
  • On-site bar and restaurant for socialising
  • Chill lounge areas to unwind
  • Convenient location between Night Bazaar and Tha Pae Gate
  • Exciting day trips and adventures to explore northern Thailand's beauty

Slumber Party Hostel

Slumber Party Hostel in Chiang Mai is a paradise for party-loving backpackers who are ready to unleash their wild side. This hostel is designed to cater to those seeking an epic nightlife experience and exhilarating adventures.

What sets Slumber Party Hostel apart is its legendary pub crawls. Get ready to explore the vibrant nightlife of Chiang Mai and create unforgettable memories with like-minded travellers. But the party doesn't stop there. The hostel also offers thrilling activities like zip-lining, jungle treks, and temple tours to keep the adrenaline pumping.

On top of all the partying and adventure, the hostel boasts a cool on-site bar. It's the perfect place to socialise, meet new people, and enjoy a refreshing drink before hitting the town for more partying.

As the ultimate base for backpackers, Slumber Party Hostel ensures you never have a dull moment. It's the perfect place to meet new friends, engage in wild escapades, and immerse yourself in the madness and excitement that Chiang Mai has to offer.

Guest Reviews Overview

Guests at Slumber Party Hostel in Chiang Mai rave about the friendly and helpful staff who go above and beyond to ensure a memorable stay. The welcoming and accommodating nature of the staff creates a friendly and social atmosphere that guests appreciate. The central location of the hostel is also a highlight, allowing easy access to the vibrant centre of Chiang Mai. Many guests specifically mention the enjoyable bar crawl organised by the hostel, which adds to the party vibe and provides an opportunity to meet fellow travellers. The overall positive experience, combined with the friendly atmosphere and central location, makes Slumber Party Hostel a top choice for those looking for an exciting and sociable party hostel in Chiang Mai.

Party hostel highlights:

  • Epic pub crawls and vibrant nightlife
  • Exciting activities like zip-lining, jungle treks, and temple tours
  • Cool on-site bar for socialising and enjoying drinks
  • Opportunities to meet like-minded travellers
  • Unforgettable experiences and endless adventure

Stamps Backpackers

Stamps Backpackers is the heart of Chiang Mai's party scene, offering more than just a place to stay—it's a vibrant community hub for travellers seeking fun and adventure. With its open invitation to join daily and nightly activities, even to those not staying in the hostel, Stamps stands out as a super social venue. The downstairs bar buzzes with life, serving as the perfect spot for guests to mingle, share stories, or kick-start their night. This hostel embodies the essence of a party hostel, with its commitment to fostering friendship and adventure among travellers from all walks of life.

What truly sets Stamps apart is its dedication to enhancing the social aspect of travel. Every evening, the hostel transforms into a lively gathering place, with group activities designed to create a family-like atmosphere. The communal bar area and the blackboard for connecting guests encourage spontaneous plans and adventures, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to meet new people and make lasting memories. The knowledgeable staff add to the experience by offering personalised tour arrangements and insider tips, making Stamps a crucial part of your travel adventure in Thailand.

Guest Reviews Overview

Guests love Stamps Backpackers for its vibrant social atmosphere, making it a hit for solo and group travellers alike. With its array of daily activities and nightly events, the hostel offers endless opportunities to meet new people and embark on adventures without any pressure to participate. The friendly staff, along with comfortable pod-style beds, enhance the overall experience, providing a mix of privacy and social interaction. Reviews consistently highlight the perfect balance between being social and having personal downtime, with many guests forming lasting friendships during their stay. The hostel's cleanliness, security, and exceptional organisation of tours and activities further cement its reputation as a top choice in Chiang Mai.

Party hostel highlights:

  • Nightly group activities and a social bar area
  • Open to non-guests for activities, fostering a larger community vibe
  • Expert local staff offering personalised tour arrangements

The Islander Chiang Mai

The Islander Chiang Mai is the ultimate destination for party-loving travellers seeking an unforgettable social experience. As a social hostel, they know how to bring people together through exciting nightly events that revolve around drinking and having fun. If you're up for a vibrant and lively atmosphere, this is the place to be.

Located just minutes away from the famous Saturday Night Market and a short walk from the Sunday Night Market, The Islander is perfectly situated to immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Chiang Mai. The hostel itself boasts a modern Thai style and provides ample space in the common areas and rooftop for socialising and meeting fellow travellers.

The Islander's upcoming expansion includes two additional dorms and a hostel bar, promising even more opportunities for memorable party experiences. Moreover, The Islander is a fully licensed Tour Agent, making it convenient to book various tours and experiences. From Elephant Sanctuary Experiences to Thai Cooking Schools, they have you covered. Whether you're exploring Chiang Rai's temples or embarking on adventurous activities like zip-lining or trekking, they can arrange it all.

Guest Reviews Overview

Guests rave about The Islander Chiang Mai for its fantastic party atmosphere and social vibe. The owner, Alex, is repeatedly praised for his kindness, helpfulness, and extensive knowledge of Chiang Mai. Guests appreciate his recommendations and the effort he puts into organising social activities that get everyone involved. The hostel's events make it easy to meet and make friends, contributing to the vibrant social scene. The welcoming environment created by Alex and Kate, along with their assistance in booking tours and organising group outings, adds to the hostel's appeal. The prime location near local markets and attractions is also highly valued. Overall, The Islander Chiang Mai receives high recommendations for its social atmosphere, helpful hosts, cleanliness, comfort, and outstanding hospitality.

Party hostel highlights:

  • Unforgettable nightly events with a focus on socialising, drinking, and having fun
  • Prime location near popular markets and attractions
  • Modern Thai style hostel with spacious common areas and a rooftop
  • Convenient access to a wide range of tours and activities through their licensed Tour Agency

What are the Party Hostels in Chiang Mai like?

  • Best Hostels in Chiang Mai for partying: Bodega Chiang Mai Party Hostel
  • Best hostels in Chiang Mai for solo travellers: choose one that seems more focused on people travelling solo (with link)
  • Party hostel style: Party hostel
  • Hostel craziness level: fairly crazy
  • Parties on-site: Regular Parties Onsite
  • Hostel organised Pub Crawls: Yes

There is only one true party hostel in Chiang Mai, part of one of the biggest party hostels chains in the world: the bodega Chiang Mai party hostel. The other hostels are also very social and organise events and nights outs as well. Bodega is energetic and party-oriented, while the other two offer a more chill vibe. As bars close quite early in Chiang Mai, it’s not rare to have people hanging out at the hostel drinking and playing games.

Best Area To Stay in Chiang Mai for Nightlife

Nimmanhaemin or sometimes just Nimman for shorts is the best area to stay if you want to fully enjoy Chiang Mai’s authentic nightlife. Although if you are looking for a more backpacker kind of party, Old Town would be a better option. Nimmanhaemin, or more specifically the area around Nimman Road is an upbeat and modern area, full of trendy cafés, bars and clubs where students, young locals and ex-pats regularly hangout.

The Old Town, however, has a more international and backpacker vibe. Around Tha Phae Gate you can find most bars and clubs full of backpackers having a good time.

Chiang Mai Party Guide

Chiang Mai is not as wild as other popular South East Asia destinations, but the nightlife here has a unique charm. Bars here are numerous and offer a lot of variety. You can find refined rooftop bars, reggae dive bars, jazz bars, crazy nightclubs and simple bars with just a few chairs outside with some locals enjoying a beer. Rooftop bars give you great views of the city with quality drinks. Costs can add up but the atmosphere can be worth it. Reggae bars are common all through South East Asia and are frequented by locals and tourists looking for a laid back vibe. Beer is the most common drink, as opposed to the buckets, the common choice along the Thai coast. You just need to try both Leo and Chang beers and choose the one you like best (we at partyhostels.org are team Chang!),

A recent trend in Chiang Mai, growing more and more every year, is live music venues and shows. Live performances can be easily found in bars and clubs. We recommend going to a jazz bar for a special experience. Other party options include riverside drinking. People here like to bring their drinks and have fun by the river. Restaurants and food stands are also open late into the night. So if you want a bite to eat after a drink you can get one easily. Again, just be aware that many of the bars in Chiang Mai close down by midnight. If you meet the right people, you might find some secret places that stay open till one am or two. Don’t worry, it is not too difficult, you just need to ask around.

Basic information about nightlife in Chiang Mai:

  • Pubs and clubs closing times:
    • Bars and pubs: Monday to Thursday until midnight – Weekends at midnight
    • Clubs: Monday to Thursday until 02:00 am – Weekends at 02:00 am
  • Average cover charge for clubs: No cover charge
  • Average price of a pint of beer: 1.15€
  • Famous neighbourhoods for partying: Nimman Road, Old Town
  • Famous events or parties: Yee Peng lantern festival – November

Chiang Mai Nightlife Areas

If There are three main areas that concentrate most Chiang Mai’s nightlife: Old Town, Nimman Road and the riverside.

If you are looking for a night out with a local and younger crowd, Nimman Road is located near the local college and is the new hype area in town. If you are looking for more established bars and clubs, with a more backpacker vibe, Old Town (especially around Tha Phae Gate) is where you want to go. If the high-intensity party scene isn't for you, riverside bars are a nice alternative to the other party locations.

Old Town

Old Town has some of the most renowned and historic bars in the area. You'll find the best drinks and the most unique places to party. While many of the bars close down early, there are still some places to dance the night away if you know where to look.

  • Zoe in Yellow is a collection of bars that are located in the area. There is a ton of variety in this venue. You have all kinds of music and a great club to dance in after the outside bar area closes down. People drink heavily here and the drinks come in bulk at a cheap price.
  • Lost Hut literally operates in a hut. This is a fun place to get a few drinks. With it's laid back atmosphere it's a great place to unwind. We recommend going during happy hour.
  • Spicy is one of the few clubs open all night in Chiang Mai. This place isn't the most reputable, it closed a few times, but if you want to party past midnight this is the place to be. A lot of tourists end up here looking for drinks around one in the morning.

Nimman Road

Nimman Road is an up and coming party area in Chiang Mai. New bars and clubs are being built in this area constantly. You'll find great music, good food, and tasty drinks in this area. The age group in this region is on the younger side, as the area is close to the local university.

  • Parrell Universe specializes in craft beer and offer a wide range of beers. They offer all the usual top brand brews, but also offer local microbrews and international brews. This is a trendy bar with a great vibe. Prices are a little higher than most of the establishments in the area, but they are worth the price. You get a great atmosphere with unique beer!
  • Rise Rooftop Bar is beautiful, relaxed and offers the best views in the city. The drinks are delectable but are said to be a little pricy.

Riverside

Not everyone wants to be jammed into a club or a packed bar. Lucky for you, there is plenty to see and do outdoors and by the riverside in Chiang Mai. Here you can see live music, get all the drinks you want, and relax in the night air. Venues and bars located in this area tend to be open later so this is always a plus.

  • Bus Bar offers plenty of fresh air and great views of the river. You can order drinks in the two-story bus and enjoy the open-air environment. Drinks are cheap and the food tastes amazing.
  • Brasserie is another great riverside location. This location is a great location for music. A mix of jazz and old school rock is played in hang out. Drinks are always flowing here and the beer is cheap.

Party Tips For Chaing Mai

As we have mentioned before, Chiang Mai has some pretty strict city ordinances in terms of bar opening hours and alcohol, so be aware. This doesn't apply to every bar and club, but a lot of the major bars will close down at midnight. Riverside bars and some bars in Old Town stay open past midnight, so ask around and see which locations are open later. Also, some areas of the city are alcohol-free zones. This includes the surrounding area near Tapei Gate and the moat area. You could get fined if found consuming alcohol around these areas, so be careful. You could also get fined for littering so don't dump your alcohol containers on the ground. Another thing to know about Chiang Mai is that there are no cover fees. So don't pay anyone at the door. If they ask you for money to enter anywhere, you are probably being ripped off.