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January 28, 2026
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Chiang Mai is famous for its hospitality. It is the “Land of Smiles.” But like any major travel destination, it has a flip side. There is a version of Chiang Mai designed specifically to extract money from tourists while delivering a watered-down, mediocre experience.
We have all been there. You follow a “Top 10” list online. You arrive at a bar. The menu is in five languages. The prices are double what they should be. The music is a bad cover of “Hotel California.” And the only Thai people in the venue are the ones serving the drinks.
At Haze Buds, we believe that if you are going to spend your hard-earned money (and perhaps enjoy a premium cannabis experience beforehand), you deserve authenticity. You deserve places with soul, craft, and local energy.
We aren’t here to name and shame specific businesses. That’s bad karma. But we are here to warn you about the “types” of places to avoid—and more importantly, guide you to the hidden gems where the locals actually drink.
Here are the 3 Tourist Traps to avoid, and the alternatives that will save your night.
The Trap: You want a romantic dinner by the Ping River. You walk into a massive, sprawling restaurant with neon signs. The menu is 50 pages long and serves everything from Pizza to Sushi to Green Curry.
The Reality: The food is bland (made for “tourist palates”). The beer is overpriced. The live band is loud enough to prevent conversation but not good enough to enjoy. And the mosquitoes… they are the only things feasting well tonight.
The Vibe: Chaotic and impersonal.
Location: Old City (Phra Pok Klao Road) The Vibe: Retro Thai Cool, Moody, Sophisticated.
If you want a drink that tells a story, skip the river and head to the Old City. Nophaburi Bar is a love letter to Thai culture. Instead of serving generic imports, they focus on Thai Spirits. We are talking about craft rums from Isan, gins distilled with local botanicals, and traditional herbal liquors (Ya Dong) reimagined into world-class cocktails.
Why Locals Love It: The atmosphere is impeccable. It feels like stepping into a Wong Kar-wai movie set in 1970s Bangkok. The lighting is low and amber-hued. The music is a curated selection of Thai funk and old-school Molam. It is cool without trying too hard.
The Haze Buds Pairing:
Strain: Lemon Cherry BX2 (Hybrid)
Why: This hybrid strain offers a perfect balance of euphoria and relaxation. The complex terpene profile (lemon, cherry, gas) pairs beautifully with Nophaburi’s herbal cocktails. It enhances the sensory experience of the drinks without making you too sleepy to enjoy the retro beats.
The Trap: You see a sign for a “Sky Bar.” You think: Great view! You take an elevator up to a hotel roof.
The Reality: You are paying a 300 Baht “elevator tax” on every drink. The cocktail tastes like cough syrup and ice. The “view” is mostly just other hotel roofs. The crowd is entirely tourists taking selfies with the flash on. It feels sterile.
Location: One Nimman (Nimmanhaemin Road) The Vibe: Speakeasy, Hip, Electric.
Forget the roof; go for the soul. Lonely Hearts is one of the coolest spots in the Nimman district right now. It doesn’t need a view to impress you. It relies on impeccable design, great DJs, and a crowd that actually lives here.
Located in the One Nimman complex, it has a “hidden” feel. The interior is dark, sleek, and intimate. It’s the kind of place where you might end up talking to a local fashion designer, a digital nomad, or a university student.
Why Locals Love It: The music. They don’t play top 40 trash. They play House, Techno, and Indie that makes you want to move. The drinks are reasonably priced for the quality, and the crowd is there to connect, not just to post on Instagram.
The Haze Buds Pairing:
Why: You are in Nimman. The energy is high. You need a Sativa that matches that tempo. Orange Creampop is energetic, social, and happy. The citrus notes wake up your brain, making the music sound deeper and the conversation flow easier. It prevents the “social anxiety” that can sometimes hit in crowded bars.
The Trap: We won’t name the specific square, but if you hear screaming, see people drinking mystery liquor out of plastic sandcastles buckets, and smell nothing but sweat and regret… you are there.
The Reality: It’s fun if you are 19 and on your Gap Year. For everyone else, it is a sensory nightmare. The music is deafening. The drinks are dangerous. The vibe is aggressive.
Location: Chang Phueak Gate (North Gate of the Old City) The Vibe: Community, Raw Talent, Freedom.
This is a Chiang Mai institution. It isn’t fancy. It’s a small, open-air shophouse where the musicians often spill out onto the sidewalk. But the magic is real. Every night, some of the best musicians in Northern Thailand (and visiting artists from around the world) get together to jam. It might be Jazz. It might be Funk. It might be experimental.
Why Locals Love It: It is a community. You sit on a plastic stool or stand on the street holding a cold beer. You are shoulder-to-shoulder with expats, locals, and travelers who genuinely love music. There is no pretense. Nobody cares what you are wearing. They only care about the saxophone solo happening right now.
The Haze Buds Pairing:
Strain: Tora Bora (Indica) or Blue Zushi (Hybrid)
Why: Jazz is about listening. You want to slow down. Tora Bora (Indica) will help you sink into the rhythm. It relaxes your body, allowing you to stand or sit comfortably for hours. It “tunes out” the traffic noise and “tunes in” the music. You aren’t there to dance frantically; you are there to feel the vibration.
How do you spot a tourist trap before you walk in? Here is our simple checklist:
The “Hawker” Test: Is there someone standing on the street holding a laminated menu trying to drag you inside? Avoid. Good places don’t need to beg.
The “Happy Hour” Test: Is Happy Hour all day long? Avoid. It usually means the alcohol is cheap and nasty.
The “Cannabis” Test: Does the bar sell “pre-rolled joints” in a jar on the bar counter next to the peanuts? Avoid. Buy your cannabis from a dispensary (like us) where it is stored correctly. Buy your drinks from a bar that focuses on drinks. Specialists are always better than generalists.
Trust your gut. If a place feels soulless, leave. Chiang Mai is too full of magic to waste a single night in a trap.
“Don’t get ripped off. See where locals actually drink.”
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