MAI The Sky Bar
MAI The Sky Bar sits on top of the Meliá Chiang Mai hotel on Charoen Prathet Road, one block south of the Night Bazaar at the eastern end of the Loi Kroh corridor. The venue claims the city's highest rooftop position with 360-degree views over the Ping River, the Old City, and Doi Suthep mountain to the west. The space is split between an indoor lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor terrace with seating around the perimeter. The bar runs a polished cocktail program with signature drinks built around Thai ingredients (galangal, kaffir lime, palm sugar) priced 350-450 THB. Sunset is the main draw, with the terrace filling from 5:30 PM onward on clear evenings. Smart-casual dress is enforced at the door: no shorts, no sandals, no beachwear.
Where to stay near MAI The Sky Bar
Hotels and rentals within walking distance.
What to Expect
A polished rooftop split between indoor lounge and outdoor terrace, with 360-degree views, a serious cocktail program, and a dressed-up sunset crowd. The terrace fills first; the indoor lounge runs cooler and quieter.
Polished, panoramic, hotel-rooftop feel. The kind of place that justifies the price for the view alone.
Low-volume electronic lounge, deep house at sunset, jazz on weekdays
Smart-casual enforced. Long trousers, closed shoes, collared shirts for men. No shorts, beachwear, or sandals at the door.
Sunset drinks, special occasions, couples on a polished night out, business visitors.
Cards preferred, cash accepted
Price Range
Cocktails 350-450 THB, beer 220-280 THB, sharing plates 280-450 THB
Cocktails ~$10-12.50/€9-11.50, beer ~$6-8/€5.50-7, sharing plates ~$8-12.50/€7-11.50
Hours
17:30 to midnight daily
Insider Tip
Arrive by 5:30 PM for the best sunset terrace seating; the prime west-facing tables go first. Reservations are essential on Friday and Saturday. Dress smart-casual or be turned away at the elevator.
Full Review
Access to MAI The Sky Bar runs through the Meliá Chiang Mai lobby and a dedicated elevator to the rooftop. The lobby greeting and dress check happen at the elevator; visitors who fail the dress code are politely redirected without confrontation. The rooftop opens into an indoor lounge with floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides and an outdoor terrace wrapping the building's perimeter.
The cocktail program is the strongest in the Loi Kroh-area circuit. The bar team works with a Thai-ingredient focus, building signature drinks around galangal, kaffir lime, lemongrass, palm sugar, and house-infused spirits. The execution is consistent and the presentation is polished, but pricing is significantly higher than anywhere else on Loi Kroh. The sharing-plates menu runs Thai-inspired bar food with similarly elevated pricing.
Compared to other Chiang Mai rooftops (THC at Tha Phae Loft, Sky Lounge at Maya), MAI is the highest in the city, the most polished in service, and the most dress-coded. THC is more bohemian and cheaper; Sky Lounge at Maya is more clubby and runs an EDM program later in the night. MAI is the most committed to the cocktail-bar format and the panoramic-view-with-dinner experience.
Sunset on a clear day from the west-facing terrace is the single best reason to come. The Ping River runs below, the Old City spreads to the west, and Doi Suthep mountain rises beyond. Cloud cover during burning season (March-May) and rainy season afternoons can obscure the view; check forecasts before planning the visit.
The Neighborhood
MAI The Sky Bar sits on top of the Meliá Chiang Mai on Charoen Prathet Road, one block south of the Night Bazaar. Boy Blues Bar is two minutes north at the Kalare complex; the Loi Kroh bar strip is five minutes west.
Getting There
From Tha Phae Gate, walk 15 minutes east along Tha Phae and south on Chang Klan or Charoen Prathet. From the Night Bazaar, two minutes south. From Nimman, 20 minutes by Bolt at around 140 THB.
Address
48 Charoen Prathet Road, Chang Khlan, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
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Browse Thailand eSIM plansOther Venues in Loi Kroh Road
The Spicy
Late-night licensed nightclub just north of Tha Phae on Chaiyaphum Road. Runs until around 5 AM and absorbs the late crowd from Loi Kroh, Zoe, and Nimman. Mixed Thai and tourist crowd, hip-hop and EDM.
Boy Blues Bar
Long-running live-blues bar on the mezzanine of the Kalare Night Bazaar complex at the east end of Loi Kroh. Smooth blues, soul, and rock most nights, opposite a small dancing-stage food court.
Bus Bar
Outdoor beer bar built around two repurposed buses overlooking the Ping River near Nawarat Bridge, at the east end of the Loi Kroh corridor. Live acoustic music, cheap beer, and a mixed traveler crowd.
6ixcret Show
Drag cabaret bar on the 2nd floor at the rear of the Night Bazaar building, just off Loi Kroh. Free admission with a two-drink minimum. Shows run Wednesday through Sunday from 9:30 PM.
Ram Cabaret
Long-running ladyboy cabaret venue in the Loi Kroh corridor with nightly drag shows starting around 10 PM. Tourist-focused, with seated table service and a two-drink minimum on busy nights.
John's Place
Open-fronted sports-and-beer bar on Loi Kroh with large-screen TVs showing live Premier League, MotoGP, and rugby. Cheap bottled beer, pool tables, and a steady older-expat clientele.