MAI The Sky Bar

Come for the height. This is the rooftop bar at the top of the Melia Chiang Mai on Charoen Prathet Road, and the whole point is the open view across the city while the light goes from gold to dark. It's a polished, contemporary space rather than a scruffy one, which makes it a different proposition entirely from the night market stalls a short walk away.

Cocktails are the business here, and the crowd is a mix of hotel guests and locals out for something calmer than a street-level bar. It leans smart and unhurried. Good for couples, fine for a small group, and comfortable enough if you're on your own with a drink and a view. If you want noise and cheap beer, you want somewhere else, and Chiang Mai has plenty of somewhere else.

My advice on timing: get there between 5pm and 7pm. You'll have your pick of where to sit, the sunset does the work for you, and you're not competing with the later crowd for a spot at the edge.