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[pattayadingo]

Soon I am heading off up to Khon Kaen and Udon Thani for a few nights stay and then on to Vientiane ( for my 90 day visa run ).

I have never stay at either Khon Kaen or Udon Thani before so I am wondering what sort of night life is there? Are there pubs with live bands playing?
If so where are they and are there some cheap(ish) but clean hotels nearby? In, say, the 600 Baht a night range. I'll need a place to park the car as well.

Is there anywhere worth paying a visit in the daytime? Parks, waterfalls, caves, lakes?

Thanks for any helpful information to guide me along the way

[bob4you]

Udon Thani has both and reasonable cheap units in center of town with parking.

[thrilled]

To find out more on udon go to udonmap

[jacnl2000]

Just an idea: maybe a visit to Dinosaur Park – Khon Kaen is quite nice. They made me feel quite small. Very very different from the rather small less real but just as lovely Dino Park at Kata for kids.

[citizen33]

I'm not a regular, but I did a couple of circuits around the Khon Kaen bars a couple of months ago. As has been the case for many a year, the main Western-oriented bars are in the area around the Kosa and Pullman (formerly the Sofitel) hotels.  Most are sleepy little bars with a few serving girls and a band of regulars.  'My Bar' is one of the newer establishments that is more in the style of a hostess bar, albeit with rather disinterested staff, although on a previous visit I did spend an hour or two talking to an agreeable lady there.  Another newish bar around the corner in the direction of the Rad Club is the Blue Bar, which has some pretty hostesses and drinks at reasonable prices. The Kosa Beer garden with its "saao BG" - saao Beer Chang etcetera - is worth a visit and sometimes has good live music.  Sevens Corner is another reasonable bar a bit away from the main group on Soi Yimsiri.  There isn't a great deal of excitement or glamour there but the bar staff are friendly.  Khon Kaen is a big city and has some late night clubs with more upmarket wares.   There are also a couple of downmarket red light areas, one on the north side of Srichan Road and one behind the Pullman, but they are probably dangerous territory for farang.  There are also fish bowls nearby.  Again you can visit the relevant local forum (Google on city name plus com), but this doesn't seem to get updated much these days.  As far as I know there isn't any modern day successor to the now defunct Nate Night Plaza - where there was a dreadful a-go-go bar  years ago - and the High Tech Night Garden.  But perhaps others know better.

Ideally you would stay in the Kosa but it is over your budget.  The Khon Kaen Orchid near Central on Highway 2, but just about walkable, is good and around 700-800 baht.  Or there is a newish hotel much nearer on Srichan Road, whose name I have forgotten (something Mansion?), which was clean but basic when I stayed there a couple of years ago.

Edited by citizen33, 2012-05-21 01:45:07.

[ubonjoe]

While you are in Koen Kaen you could get you Lao visa at the consulate there. That would save you time on the way into Laos and save a little on the visa cost.
Laos Consulate General , Thailand
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road
Khonkaen
Thailand
Phone:
+66-43-223473
+66-43-223698
+66-43-223-698
+66-43-220-794
+66-43-221-961
Fax:
+66-43-223-849

[pattayadingo]

citizen33, on 2012-05-21 01:36:46, said:

I'm not a regular, but I did a couple of circuits around the Khon Kaen bars a couple of months ago. As has been the case for many a year, the main Western-oriented bars are in the area around the Kosa and Pullman (formerly the Sofitel) hotels.  Most are sleepy little bars with a few serving girls and a band of regulars.  'My Bar' is one of the newer establishments that is more in the style of a hostess bar, albeit with rather disinterested staff, although on a previous visit I did spend an hour or two talking to an agreeable lady there.  Another newish bar around the corner in the direction of the Rad Club is the Blue Bar, which has some pretty hostesses and drinks at reasonable prices. The Kosa Beer garden with its "saao BG" - saao Beer Chang etcetera - is worth a visit and sometimes has good live music.  Sevens Corner is another reasonable bar a bit away from the main group on Soi Yimsiri.  There isn't a great deal of excitement or glamour there but the bar staff are friendly.  Khon Kaen is a big city and has some late night clubs with more upmarket wares.   There are also a couple of downmarket red light areas, one on the north side of Srichan Road and one behind the Pullman, but they are probably dangerous territory for farang.  There are also fish bowls nearby.  Again you can visit the relevant local forum (Google on city name plus com), but this doesn't seem to get updated much these days.  As far as I know there isn't any modern day successor to the now defunct Nate Night Plaza - where there was a dreadful a-go-go bar  years ago - and the High Tech Night Garden.  But perhaps others know better.

Ideally you would stay in the Kosa but it is over your budget.  The Khon Kaen Orchid near Central on Highway 2, but just about walkable, is good and around 700-800 baht.  Or there is a newish hotel much nearer on Srichan Road, whose name I have forgotten (something Mansion?), which was clean but basic when I stayed there a couple of years ago.

Brilliant reply and thanks very much for the time, effort and detail you have put in

[pattayadingo]

ubonjoe, on 2012-05-21 11:32:41, said:

While you are in Koen Kaen you could get you Lao visa at the consulate there. That would save you time on the way into Laos and save a little on the visa cost.
Laos Consulate General , Thailand
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road
Khonkaen
Thailand
Phone:
+66-43-223473
+66-43-223698
+66-43-223-698
+66-43-220-794
+66-43-221-961
Fax:
+66-43-223-849

Thanks a lot too for that information. It will make life easier

[pattayadingo]

To the other posters, thank you too for replying. It all helps me out ready for taking a needed break away from Pattaya

[Lite Beer]

Never visited it but The Pullman Hotel has a microbrewery.

Quote

Kronen Brauhaus is the first microbrewery in a Thai hotel, and is located in The Underground entertainment complex. Lovers of good food and beer will enjoy watching it being produced, not to mention tasting the final result.

[Travel2003]

citizen33, on 2012-05-21 01:36:46, said:

I'm not a regular, but I did a couple of circuits around the Khon Kaen bars a couple of months ago. As has been the case for many a year, the main Western-oriented bars are in the area around the Kosa and Pullman (formerly the Sofitel) hotels.  Most are sleepy little bars with a few serving girls and a band of regulars.  'My Bar' is one of the newer establishments that is more in the style of a hostess bar, albeit with rather disinterested staff, although on a previous visit I did spend an hour or two talking to an agreeable lady there.  Another newish bar around the corner in the direction of the Rad Club is the Blue Bar, which has some pretty hostesses and drinks at reasonable prices. The Kosa Beer garden with its "saao BG" - saao Beer Chang etcetera - is worth a visit and sometimes has good live music.  Sevens Corner is another reasonable bar a bit away from the main group on Soi Yimsiri.  There isn't a great deal of excitement or glamour there but the bar staff are friendly.  Khon Kaen is a big city and has some late night clubs with more upmarket wares.   There are also a couple of downmarket red light areas, one on the north side of Srichan Road and one behind the Pullman, but they are probably dangerous territory for farang.  There are also fish bowls nearby.  Again you can visit the relevant local forum (Google on city name plus com), but this doesn't seem to get updated much these days.  As far as I know there isn't any modern day successor to the now defunct Nate Night Plaza - where there was a dreadful a-go-go bar  years ago - and the High Tech Night Garden.  But perhaps others know better.

Ideally you would stay in the Kosa but it is over your budget.  The Khon Kaen Orchid near Central on Highway 2, but just about walkable, is good and around 700-800 baht.  Or there is a newish hotel much nearer on Srichan Road, whose name I have forgotten (something Mansion?), which was clean but basic when I stayed there a couple of years ago.

Very good reply.

The night life for Thais (and Foreigners that enjoy that) is very rich, with plenty variations.
The night life directed towards foreigners is almost non existing.

A lot of the Thai establishments are very nice for foreigners to visit as well.

[nev]

Lite Beer, on 2012-05-21 13:56:03, said:

Never visited it but The Pullman Hotel has a microbrewery.

Quote

Kronen Brauhaus is the first microbrewery in a Thai hotel, and is located in The Underground entertainment complex. Lovers of good food and beer will enjoy watching it being produced, not to mention tasting the final result.

Yes i drink there a few times and been in with mred of here, between 6 and 9 pm you can buy one get one free, for a half liter 150 baht, and has a great resident band.

[nev]

ubonjoe, on 2012-05-21 11:32:41, said:

While you are in Koen Kaen you could get you Lao visa at the consulate there. That would save you time on the way into Laos and save a little on the visa cost.
Laos Consulate General , Thailand
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road
Khonkaen
Thailand
Phone:
+66-43-223473
+66-43-223698
+66-43-223-698
+66-43-220-794
+66-43-221-961
Fax:
+66-43-223-849

Does not always save you time, i have done this before but you do not get the stamp like you do at the window at immigration in lao, so have to que up to get your stamp.

[lovelaos]

I would recommend a hotel in Udon called @home I stayed there last week for 450Baht a night (agoda). Very good value. The Irish Clock is a good bar for food and they have a live band some nights. The rooms there are also good.

[lovelaos]

nev, on 2012-05-24 15:45:18, said:

ubonjoe, on 2012-05-21 11:32:41, said:

While you are in Koen Kaen you could get you Lao visa at the consulate there. That would save you time on the way into Laos and save a little on the visa cost.
Laos Consulate General , Thailand
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road
Khonkaen
Thailand
Phone:
+66-43-223473
+66-43-223698
+66-43-223-698
+66-43-220-794
+66-43-221-961
Fax:
+66-43-223-849

Does not always save you time, i have done this before but you do not get the stamp like you do at the window at immigration in lao, so have to que up to get your stamp.

The advantage of doing this is you can then catch the International bus from Udon to Vientiane. Much cheaper and a lot less hassle.

[nev]

lovelaos, on 2012-05-25 15:35:06, said:

nev, on 2012-05-24 15:45:18, said:

ubonjoe, on 2012-05-21 11:32:41, said:

While you are in Koen Kaen you could get you Lao visa at the consulate there. That would save you time on the way into Laos and save a little on the visa cost.
Laos Consulate General , Thailand
19/1-3 Phothisarn Road
Khonkaen
Thailand
Phone:
+66-43-223473
+66-43-223698
+66-43-223-698
+66-43-220-794
+66-43-221-961
Fax:
+66-43-223-849

Does not always save you time, i have done this before but you do not get the stamp like you do at the window at immigration in lao, so have to que up to get your stamp.

The advantage of doing this is you can then catch the International bus from Udon to Vientiane. Much cheaper and a lot less hassle.

Yes i have done that but when i am just going across and back again i get the train from khon kaen even cheaper around 35 baht and i enjoy the journey, then share a tuk tuk to immigration.

[pattayadingo]

lovelaos, on 2012-05-25 15:32:37, said:

I would recommend a hotel in Udon called @home I stayed there last week for 450Baht a night (agoda). Very good value. The Irish Clock is a good bar for food and they have a live band some nights. The rooms there are also good.

Thanks for that and your other post.

[seasia]

Last year in Udon  I stayed at Lotus Condotel, a little away from the centre/ Robinsons(but only about a 10 minute walk.)

A little bit old but nice staff, 24 hr. reception/security plus convenience store on site.

Wifi( worked well) TV, fridge air-con.
399 baht a night.( Tel. 042 344081)

I had a stroll around the night market, pleasant enough with some nice food available and then stopped off at a bar complex called Nutty Park I think, about 20 bars approx., seemed OK there

I also looked at a room at Silver Reef, think it was 750 baht a night, nice room , very near the bus station so maybe noisy at night.

[diggledunc]

Some good posts which i hope I can add to. Been to Udon many times, agree @home good but the car park is rubbish and no lift. Just spent two weeks inn Khon Kaen very unfortunately and i think citizen33 sums it up very well. A tuktuk took me round to the red light part north of Sri Chan Road and around the bus station area. Agree they look a little shall we say potentially troublesome places. Travel2003 I think is spot on. Even some of the decent looking restaurants have not got an English menu.
Udon is so easy I think for foreigners KK is way behind.

[pattayadingo]

diggledunc, on Today, 16:47 , said:

Some good posts which i hope I can add to. Been to Udon many times, agree @home good but the car park is rubbish and no lift. Just spent two weeks inn Khon Kaen very unfortunately and i think citizen33 sums it up very well. A tuktuk took me round to the red light part north of Sri Chan Road and around the bus station area. Agree they look a little shall we say potentially troublesome places. Travel2003 I think is spot on. Even some of the decent looking restaurants have not got an English menu.
Udon is so easy I think for foreigners KK is way behind.

seasia, on Today, 16:26 , said:

Last year in Udon  I stayed at Lotus Condotel, a little away from the centre/ Robinsons(but only about a 10 minute walk.)

A little bit old but nice staff, 24 hr. reception/security plus convenience store on site.

Wifi( worked well) TV, fridge air-con.
399 baht a night.( Tel. 042 344081)

I had a stroll around the night market, pleasant enough with some nice food available and then stopped off at a bar complex called Nutty Park I think, about 20 bars approx., seemed OK there

I also looked at a room at Silver Reef, think it was 750 baht a night, nice room , very near the bus station so maybe noisy at night.

Thanks

It is good to have some information at your fingertips before you go and all these bits of information are helpful, especially when you have never been somewhere before.
In some large towns / small cities it can take weeks and months to gather information and when, like me, you are going to be hopping about from town to town it does help to get this info from people who have been there and done that - even if it is down to some item as small as the car park and the lift info.