Settling Down In Isaan, Any Advice Guys?

[PATSTAN]

Hello guys living in Isaan,

 

I'll be moving to Isaan, looking for a nice place with mountains and lake/water views, reasonable roads for riding, good excess to other cities, bigger

shopping centres and supermarkets Lotus, Makro, Big C, Homepro  etc. A few bigger hotels and education centres with Universities and collegies.

Some night life and good food markets, some eating places would be nice, not very dirty . 

I had a few in mind like Sakon Nakhon  ? Kalasin?  Nakhon Rakhasima? Any suggestions guys?

 

I appresiate any advice and suggestions

Many thanks in advance

 

[melvinmelvin]

Isaan, mountains and water? Try out Loei.

 

[plachon]

If you are satisfied with hills, not mountains, then Phu Phan hills bordering Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin are green and pleasant with some scattered reservoirs, and you can be in either city in 30 mins to an hour, depending on location. The roads are good for bike riding, though the hairpin bends on the main road over the hill range can be a bit hairy, especially if you meet a ten wheeler truck or bus coming in the other direction on your side of the road as they overtake a slower vehicle, which used to be a regular occurrence. It all adds to the thrill of the ride or drive though, and ninety-nine times out of a hundred you make it down unscathed. 

 

Reasonable food markets & restaurants, but not much nightlife in either city to speak of, compared to Udon, Khon Kaen or Ubon. Udon is drivable in about 2 hours from Phu Phan area.

[PATSTAN]

8 hours ago, plachon said:

If you are satisfied with hills, not mountains, then Phu Phan hills bordering Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin are green and pleasant with some scattered reservoirs, and you can be in either city in 30 mins to an hour, depending on location. The roads are good for bike riding, though the hairpin bends on the main road over the hill range can be a bit hairy, especially if you meet a ten wheeler truck or bus coming in the other direction on your side of the road as they overtake a slower vehicle, which used to be a regular occurrence. It all adds to the thrill of the ride or drive though, and ninety-nine times out of a hundred you make it down unscathed. 

 

Reasonable food markets & restaurants, but not much nightlife in either city to speak of, compared to Udon, Khon Kaen or Ubon. Udon is drivable in about 2 hours from Phu Phan area.

8 hours ago, plachon said:

If you are satisfied with hills, not mountains, then Phu Phan hills bordering Sakon Nakhon and Kalasin are green and pleasant with some scattered reservoirs, and you can be in either city in 30 mins to an hour, depending on location. The roads are good for bike riding, though the hairpin bends on the main road over the hill range can be a bit hairy, especially if you meet a ten wheeler truck or bus coming in the other direction on your side of the road as they overtake a slower vehicle, which used to be a regular occurrence. It all adds to the thrill of the ride or drive though, and ninety-nine times out of a hundred you make it down unscathed. 

 

Reasonable food markets & restaurants, but not much nightlife in either city to speak of, compared to Udon, Khon Kaen or Ubon. Udon is drivable in about 2 hours from Phu Phan area.

Thanks a lot guys, every opinion counts, always food for thoughts..

[Katipo]

Loei stands out by far as the most beautiful province in Isaan if you want mountain scenery etc. Visually, it's got more in common with the North of Thailand than Isaan.

[Barney R]

Loei is very nice now getting more modern with major supermarkets ect. Not far from major lakes dams , Pak Chom and Chiang Khan on the Mekong . Is still a little “undiscovered “ but seems many Bangkokians are starting to buy up land in this area . Further west u have Pitssnalok and Uttradit also nice 

[1FinickyOne]

Not Isaan but Chiang Rai sounds like it fits all of your objectives and more... if you are considering moving to a place w/no attachments to bring you there, this would make as good or better a choice than anywhere in Isaan, in my humble opinion... certainly worth checking out if you are not familiar... 

[Rori ban khun fang]

Isaan?? Why move Isaan? Maybe travel around more and have a look at some different provinces. But what about phetchanulok (has all the things you request and easy acces to bangkok by plane, bus andvtrain or petchabun around route no 12. Maybe try chiang mai or...... Oh i stay north of uttaradit and not really far from mountains and lake sirikit. But it all depends on yourself. Just when have the good feeling go for it. Just be aware or learn Thai and a little Laotian when settle down. Else be lonely and bored before you know. When never lived in Thailand before my advise is to start with renting. 

[Chongalulu]

Apart from Kao yai national park(which is half way to Bangkok anyway) and perhaps once a year visit @400 baht per farang Nakhonratchasima has nothing going for it especially the horrible city.

[KhunBENQ]

25 minutes ago, Rori ban khun fang said:

But what about phetchanulok

Phitsanulok?

 

 

[Brunolem]

I agree with the comments about Loei, which is very nice indeed.

 

Now, as far as modern life is concerned, with its shopping centers, cinemas, good hospitals and universities, I would recommend Ubon Ratchatani which, for some unknown reason, is far wealthier than other Isaan provinces...just a look at the number of daily flights to and from its airport gives an indication, when most Isaan provinces only need a bus station.

 

But then again, there are no mountains and forests in this area...

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, KhunBENQ said:

Phitsanulok?

 

 

 

It is an interesting combination of Phitsanoluk and Petchabun - - maybe referring to that run on P-lok rte 12 east of the city or a bit closer to P-bun would be the not quite Switzerland of Thailand, Khao nor [is it?] 

 

I gave him 2 points for creativity... 

[allane]

I think the poster above means Khao Kor "the Switzerland of Thailand". Beautiful scenery.

[Mansell]

I found CHIANG Rai a sort of semi-industrialized place. Phetchabun is a real nothing of a place. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Nakhon Sawan isn't in Issan, it is much further west. I spent three weeks in Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) and enjoyed the place....none of the crazy traffic of Chiang Mai. I am moving there in three weeks to live, and leaving my precious beach place in Phuket....I have friends lining up for my place. I thought Korat was pretty civilized etc.....only time will tell. It will change when the Bullet Train arrives, whether for good or bad. Who knows? But an hour and a quarter to BKK is impressive. And save all your negative anti Thai comments for your bar cronies people. If you are not tied down, try moving around the the different places in Issan and spend a few weeks in each place. Of course better if you have friends in each place. Try walking around and getting a feel for each place, and see what they have to offer online. Good luck.

[1FinickyOne]

44 minutes ago, allane said:

I think the poster above means Khao Kor "the Switzerland of Thailand". Beautiful scenery.

 

Yes, thank you Khao Kor - nice rolling hills and such, but does not soar like Switz... pleasant area but not much to do nearby.. 

[1FinickyOne]

You might also look into Khon Kaen - - but the above advice is good, hop around a bit, take your time and see what works for you. 

 

Don't get yourself too tied down and one of the things that I have found that makes baan nork very livable is having good internet connections... 

[TSF]

+1 for KK. I used to live there. Not sure about mountains but it's a nice city, has lots to offer.

[bergen]

11 hours ago, Brunolem said:

I agree with the comments about Loei, which is very nice indeed.

 

Now, as far as modern life is concerned, with its shopping centers, cinemas, good hospitals and universities, I would recommend Ubon Ratchatani which, for some unknown reason, is far wealthier than other Isaan provinces...just a look at the number of daily flights to and from its airport gives an indication, when most Isaan provinces only need a bus station.

 

But then again, there are no mountains and forests in this area...

 

 The borderline which Ubon shares with Laos and Cambodia has lots of mountains, national parks, forests, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, dams etc. The mountains are not as high and plentiful as in Loei, or in the north, but there are lots of hills to climb and explore. 

[djayz]

If you're a "city guy", who enjoys life in a modern/western city, then you're going to have a really hard time living in Isan (and most other regions in Thailand). 

 

Aside from shopping malls, the odd cinema, markets, coffee shops, loads of temples and maybe, if you're lucky, a nice bar or two, there really isn't much else going on in the average city in Thailand. 

 

Really nice restaurants, good selection of wine, well stocked librarys, museums, art galleries, further education for adults, leisurely walks through well kept lush green parks, etc. just isn't here. 

 

You need to have a few hobbies that will keep you both mentally and physically active, a small but good network of close friends to help you if you're sick or meet for coffee/a drink. 

 

Whether you adapt to life in a remote part of a developing country really depends on how much of your western life you can give up. As others have suggested, travel around a little and get a "feel" for a few different places. 

 

I've lived in Nakhon Ratchisma (more affectionately known as "Korat") for approx. 4 yrs. now and I love it. I live way out in the country though (hate cities). It's a 3.5 hr. bus ride to BKK, there's also a train connection but this is being upgraded to a high-speed train in the foreseable future which, supposedly, will cut travel time between BKK and Korat to 1.5 hours. The amenities here are very limited, but it has a BKK Hospital amd a few other decent to good hospitals, a developing city center, a few shopping malls to chose from (if hanging around the mall all day rocks your boat). It's a far cry from London, Berlin, Paris, New Youk, etc. but it's safe, people generally leave you alone, there's a huge damn outside the city (BKK bound) and a relatively nice park in the city. 

 

It's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's home to me. 

 

Just my 2 cents worth ?

 

Good luck. 

 

Currently, there is another thread here which is very similar to yours. You might want to read through it. Food for thought. 

 

Edited October 3, 2017 by djayz

[Rdrokit]

There are mountains in Issan, not quite as high as northern Thailand but still fun B roads to ride on a motorcycle. Khoa Yai National Park is a fun ride and the closest city is Pakchong. The park is just south of the city and north of the city are great B roads which wind through mountains. Also, Pakchong is only a 3 hour drive to Bangkok where Loei, which is beautiful, is a good 7 hour drive to Bangkok. Good luck in whatever you decide.

[PATSTAN]

9 hours ago, djayz said:

If you're a "city guy", who enjoys life in a modern/western city, then you're going to have a really hard time living in Isan (and most other regions in Thailand). 

 

Aside from shopping malls, the odd cinema, markets, coffee shops, loads of temples and maybe, if you're lucky, a nice bar or two, there really isn't much else going on in the average city in Thailand. 

 

Really nice restaurants, good selection of wine, well stocked librarys, museums, art galleries, further education for adults, leisurely walks through well kept lush green parks, etc. just isn't here. 

 

You need to have a few hobbies that will keep you both mentally and physically active, a small but good network of close friends to help you if you're sick or meet for coffee/a drink. 

 

Whether you adapt to life in a remote part of a developing country really depends on how much of your western life you can give up. As others have suggested, travel around a little and get a "feel" for a few different places. 

 

I've lived in Nakhon Ratchisma (more affectionately known as "Korat") for approx. 4 yrs. now and I love it. I live way out in the country though (hate cities). It's a 3.5 hr. bus ride to BKK, there's also a train connection but this is being upgraded to a high-speed train in the foreseable future which, supposedly, will cut travel time between BKK and Korat to 1.5 hours. The amenities here are very limited, but it has a BKK Hospital amd a few other decent to good hospitals, a developing city center, a few shopping malls to chose from (if hanging around the mall all day rocks your boat). It's a far cry from London, Berlin, Paris, New Youk, etc. but it's safe, people generally leave you alone, there's a huge damn outside the city (BKK bound) and a relatively nice park in the city. 

 

It's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's home to me. 

 

Just my 2 cents worth ?

 

Good luck. 

 

Currently, there is another thread here which is very similar to yours. You might want to read through it. Food for thought. 

 

Thanks a lot Mate, I thought myself about Korat after studying and thinking what other guys said, I read about this UK guy, his situation a bit different  from mine, I  am much older and spent 8 years in Thailand living in major cities except Isaan. Are you still in Korat?

[GarryP]

23 hours ago, Brunolem said:

I agree with the comments about Loei, which is very nice indeed.

 

Now, as far as modern life is concerned, with its shopping centers, cinemas, good hospitals and universities, I would recommend Ubon Ratchatani which, for some unknown reason, is far wealthier than other Isaan provinces...just a look at the number of daily flights to and from its airport gives an indication, when most Isaan provinces only need a bus station.

 

But then again, there are no mountains and forests in this area...

Many years ago I stayed in a temple on a steep hill in Ubol, overlooking mountains in Laos. It was a forested area.  

[djayz]

7 hours ago, PATSTAN said:

Thanks a lot Mate, I thought myself about Korat after studying and thinking what other guys said, I read about this UK guy, his situation a bit different  from mine, I  am much older and spent 8 years in Thailand living in major cities except Isaan. Are you still in Korat?

I am and I amn't... I pendle back and forth between BKK and Korat weekly...

My heart's in Korat, but my bank account gets stocked up in Bangkok. 

[Toscano]

Before you think to settle Isaan you should come here and travel around .  I cannot think of anywhere that can boast all your many requirements .  Isaan is largely a big plain , with mountains near Korat and also near Sakhon Nakon , Korat would be the most likely for entertainment and night life and is not too far from Bangkok .  I think you should be looking at Changmai , in which there are real mountains and I believe a sizeable river .  I say again , you need to tour around Thailand to find a location that you like , before finding a home and thinking to settle .

[djayz]

1 minute ago, Toscano said:

Before you think to settle Isaan you should come here and travel around .  I cannot think of anywhere that can boast all your many requirements .  Isaan is largely a big plain , with mountains near Korat and also near Sakhon Nakon , Korat would be the most likely for entertainment and night life and is not too far from Bangkok .  I think you should be looking at Changmai , in which there are real mountains and I believe a sizeable river .  I say again , you need to tour around Thailand to find a location that you like , before finding a home and thinking to settle .

I'm honestly not trying to be smart, but surely you mean "hills", not mountains?

[jenny2017]

OP, you're asking for too many things. Isaan people are indeed great and way more enjoyable than people in the south.

 

    You should consider the size of Isaan, which is around 33 % of Thailand's area. Why don't you spend some time to travel the Isaan to make sure which places you like?

 

   I've lived in Ubon Ratchathani and fell in love with the city and the people. But I've got foreign and Thai friends there.

 

   If you can afford it, please see many places, there are a lot from Nong Kai to Nakhon Phanom.

 

   And we're all different, my dog likes bones, but I don't. Good luck finding the right spot. 

[EcigAmateur]

Living in Esarn but far from Laos or Cambodia border is totally stupid in my opinion.

 

The only interest of living  baanork is that it can be close to another country. You do not know yet why it is good, but you might discover why sooner or later.

 

 

[jenny2017]

2 hours ago, EcigAmateur said:

Living in Esarn but far from Laos or Cambodia border is totally stupid in my opinion.

 

The only interest of living  baanork is that it can be close to another country. You do not know yet why it is good, but you might discover why sooner or later.

 

 

  ...said a guy who'd lost his house, car, motorbike(s), money, etc.. to a much cleverer Isaan woman. 

 

   

 

  

[EcigAmateur]

16 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

  ...said a guy who'd lost his house, car, motorbike(s), money, etc.. to a much cleverer Isaan woman. 

 

   

 

  

 

Not at all, but a guy who knows the future better than you it seems...