Latest Chiang Mai report?

[a447]

I've now decided to go back to LOS, rather than risk a less interesting time in Hong Kong. So.......
has anyone been there recently? What is the latest on gay venues?
I am thinking about staying at the Novatel Hotel or the Lotus. The seem very close to each other, right in the gay area. Has anyone stayed at these places? Are they any good?
Thanks.

[llz]

On this same board and only some threads below this one, there was a complete topic about Chiang Mai including an outstanding update by our resident correspondent in Chiang Mai cnxshan, and some links.
Chiang Mai (http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/chiang-mai-t17907.html)

Nothing more to say

[a447]

Thanks for those replies.
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking when I posted this thread. I had just gotten off cnxshan's post . In fact I decided on Chiang Mai AFTER reading his post. Go figure. I think I was so excited about heading back to LOS after having just returned that I had a rush of blood to the ...er....head.
I have emailed the Lotus Hotel twice in the past 2 days but have not received a reply. I wonder if that means they are full.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I have emailed the Lotus Hotel twice in the past 2 days but have not received a reply. I wonder if that means they are full.

Oh my goodness.

No reply? Make that claim about a Pattaya gay business owner and get ready for lese majeste pinkish charges or a collective hissy fit.

Thanks for those replies.
I have emailed the Lotus Hotel twice in the past 2 days but have not received a reply. I wonder if that means they are full.
Nope, last I heard they were completely empty! Make sure you ask for a discount! Am suprised you got no reply, Mohamed who runs the place is usually on the ball.

Sorry, but someone who doesn't answer a potential paying customer twice doesn't seem to me to be "on the ball". Esp if they are hurting for business.
If I was treated that way I'd say fcuk em' and go to PJ's Place.

I don't think of myself as a hard-a$$ but I'm not one to "count to three". In my book I shouldn't even have to go to "two".

Another option for a hotel, might be the Lanna Lavender Hotel. With a name like that, it has to be gay. I have never stayed there, but their website looks interesting. http://www.lavenderlannahotel.com

All the people spending money developing new gay venues in CM is perplexing. Not sure where they think the customers are going to come from, there are certainly NO gay tourists left?

The latest new bar, Yum Boi Boi is completely dead, and charging Night Bazzar tourist prices, when all the other bars around are charging local prices and have plenty of cute students for customers, absurd.

Reminds me of the 1989 movie, "Fields of Dreams," where they said, "if you build it, they will come." I hope that is the case in Chiang Mai. I would like to see lively gay scene in this wonderful city.

[a447]

So are you guys telling me it is not worth travelling up to Chiang Mai??

So are you guys telling me it is not worth travelling up to Chiang Mai??

Just for sex? Absolutely not.

Hopefully, though, your travel destinations are not picked entirely on the basis of your libido?

[a447]

BB, I'll take your post as gospel and will give CM a miss. Usually my travels do not involve my libido - except when I go to Thailand. The guys are too cute to ignore.

How about those of us who want the skinny twink type or femme boys who bottom & do oral?

[fedssocr]

This Lanna Lavender place sounds interesting.

According to their website
"Free nightly shuttle service to Chiang MaiтАЩs major gay bars: Metro, Garden Bar, Circle, Free Guy, New My Way."

How about those of us who want the skinny twink type or femme boys who bottom & do oral?

I think the answer is: stay in Pattaya.

As it happens I'm in my early forties & just about look under 50.

My idea of a good night out involves going somewhere like Classic Boys BKK, Euro boys, Funny Boys or Toy boys.

So does Chiang Mai have nothing similar to these bars?

I think the answer is No.

While I have not been to the now-reported-to-have-reopened Adam's Apple, the other three host-bars-with-nude-shows tend to feature straight-looking boys, either of the lean-street-vendor look or hunkier. By the way, any reports about Adma's Apple?

[Smiles]

This website << http://www.radchada.com/GayChiangmai.html >> ( linked above also by cnx4shan ) is a pretty good resource, and seems quite current ... the website has an 'Update April 2009' message down at the bottom, and that's unusual for Chiang Mai gay stuff on the www.

Chiang Mai seems to be a Bad Luck Zone for gay venues: check out this 'Now Closed' list copied from the Radchada website:


Closed Down:

The following venues often get mentioned on out of date websites and have gone completely or are currently closed:

* Coffee Boy (Closed 2009)
* Chameleon (Now Jungle Juice bar)
* Cupid Bar (Closed August 2008)
* Chez Nous (Closed August 2008)
* Escape (closed June 2008)
* Club9
* Munro's Showbar
* Kudos Bar (Closed Sept 2007)
* Adams Apple (Closed July 2006 - Under renovation expected to reopen mid 2009)
* Lanna Corner
* Fan Club
* Hot Boy
* DD Club (now something else?)
* 2 Style
* Bar 66 (Closed August 2006)
* Simon Cabaret (Closed end of July 2007)
* M2M Bar
* Jackpot Bar (Now "See You")
* Chicago Bar (Now Dragon King)
* Friends Bar (At Night Bazzar - now straight girlie bar, not to be confused with Friendship bar which is still open and very gay ;))
* Bars in the small alley next to the Chiang in Hotel and adjacent to the Peak - these disapeared when they converted the Chiang Inn into D2 Hotel.

[llz]

If a "now closed" list was made for Pattaya or Bangkok it would be probably much longer ...
BTW on the other Chiang Mai thread I gave this link which is not a gay one but has a good gay guide too in the "Entertainment and Nightlife" part :
http://www.chiangmaichimes.com/index.htm

[Alaan]

I have just returned from a 3wk+ trip to Thailand which included a 3 night visit to Chiang Mai 2 weeks ago. My last visit there was 2 years previously when i was single, now i have a Thai BF for about a year who had never visited Chiang Mai so this last visit was as a couple.

We stayed at PJs place where i had previously stayed 2-3 times 2 years ago. I was very pleased to find that the standards set at this guesthouse when i first visited 3 years ago are still every bit as high now as then. The rooms just as immaculate with crisp white linen and everything in perfect condition. It is a guesthouse with 4 fully self-contained rooms with own front door...and when the check-in is completed you have your own key to come and go as you please. The only thing that had changed was that the lush garden which surrounds the guesthouse was even more mature and a lovely oasis in the city to relax in. We drove to Chiang Mia from the Khon Kaen area and there was room to leave the car as we hopped around CM on the tuk-tuks.

To z909............the Classic boy style bars are my cup of tea too....and even though, both 2 years ago and more recently, nothing in CM to really compares to Soi Twilight and Pattaya both in range of types of boys or quantity it is still a very enjoyable city to visit and the type of boys you like are in CM in abundance only not in the 'in your face' 'i am available' pattaya style.

When i visited 2 years ago looking to hook up with boys....i certainly found boys to my taste and happy to bottom if required.....only you have to be a little more patient and have an easy attitude. On my previous visit on the first night i met a lovely cute waiter at one of the Night Market area bars who was very good fun taking me to one of the pattaya-style late night karaoke bars...Reflex was the name. My companion also proved to be every bit as flexible as any pattaya gayboy.

The next night i visited a few more bars arriving at Free Guys which had quite a few boys to my taste.....very cute with longish style hair and probably describing themselves as Man/Poochai rather than gay/femme but the guy who stayed with me for my other two nighs from there......again proved that initial looks can be deceptive and was happy to be as flexible as any gay femme boy...it is just a case of having an easy attitude and discussing the possibilities without stern demands at first.

So to z909 i would recommend a trip to Chiang Mai if you have an easy going personality and not too bothered if some of the liasans aren't as specific as you want or as per the Pattaya style boy-menu....but you will find some very nice polite guys with very positive attitudes in Chiang Mai.

Further to the above.........to those already with a boy in tow or a BF...Chiang Mai is also very nice for a couple to visit as we did on this last occasion for 3 nights. During the day we did the sight-seeing stuff and there is plenty to see and do.

At night we just did the rounds of some of the gay venues...we visited Soho Bar which was only 2 minute walk from PJs Place at the start of the night for a cocktail or two and not specifically a pick-up joint, there were 2 or 3 thai guys sitting around as well as 3-4 farang cutomers on the nights we visited and was a very pleasant place to sit and chat. Circle Pub had a reasonably decent show, usually if i go to a gogo bar i leave as soon as a show starts, but sitting with my Faen i quite enjoyed it and there were a few cute waiters available.

The Night Market gay bars were steady enough with customers and the more gay femme types of boys seemed to be here at all 4-5 bars. New My Way bar probably reflected the gay bar set up in Chiang Mai. It had a show, nothing special, about 15 cute/handsome/manly fully dressed staff available for off who did a parade on stage and around the bar for selection. The clientelle was a mix of mostly Thai/Asian with one or two farang, gay couples and females in pairs or small groups. Certainly had i been alone i would have been happy to invite a couple or more of the boys for a drink here.

We did visit the Warm Up cafe as mentioned by cnx4shan.....we enjoyed it very much as it had a choice of two live bands and DJ set at different areas of the venue which is quite large. It is definitley for the Uni types and Indie types with Emo style along with sharp casual fashion...some unusual arty clothing too...but as a couple we felt comfortable and although not a gay venue there were many obviously gay groups of boys and many Toms who were friendly and easily engaged in conversation.........with one group of 4 inviting us to join them and share the Whiskey set up. But as cnx4shan touched on.. a lone farang, over 50 looking around for hook ups i think would be ignored...it just isn't that type of venue... i saw only one other farang who sat up at one of the small cocktail type bars..and although trying to catch eye contact...spoke with no one other than the bar staff who took his order.

I wouldn't let Smiles list of closures put you off ..... that is a fact of life in every area of Thailand.......bars coming and going...you just have to try and find out as much current info here as you do for Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket etc.. If you stay in a gay-orientated establishment such as PJs the owners are very helpful with the up to date scene. If you are only staying for say...3 nights and you want to have a partner each night how many bars/shopping malls/discos do you really need to visit?

I'm afraid the post has turned out somewhat longer than intended....but these are just my own recent observations of Chiang Mai.