Sisaket, Roi ET, Kalasin. Are they small charming towns?

[Alex Teo]

Are they small charming towns like Nakhon Phanom, Nong Khai, Lampang or Phrae, to give an indication of the type of Thai towns I love?

 

Thai towns I find rather unattractive include Uttaradit and Kamphaeng Phet, dusty and largely unwalkable with almost no pavement for pedestrians.

 

Thanks in advance. Will be arriving in Surin on Nov 15 2018 for the elephant round-up.

[Alex Teo]

Also am I correct about the dates of the Surin elephant festival 2018? Is it schedule for the third weekend of Nov, from 16-18 Nov?

 

Thanks again.

[khwaibah]

Its to early for a confirmed date. Best guess is November 17. Contact TAT Surin for details.

 

SURIN ELEPHANT ROUND-UP AND ELEPHANT SHOW

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 Surin

Category : Fairs & Festivals

CONTACT DETAILS

NAME

TAT Surin Office TAT Surin Office 

ADDRESS

Surin Province Office Tel. +66 4451 2039

TELEPHONE

+66 4451 4447-8

[isaanbanhou]

 

I can t say I would call Sisaket charming.  Simple and unpretentious would be more apt.  Life certainly is slower and there are few tourists, so there is only one price not two, except of course at national parks.

 

What Sisaket and Surin have to offer is a "real" experience not a tourist show.  A good example would be the Lamduan Festival in Sisaket or  The Bang Fai festivals held in many Sisaket towns.  Try going to Tawandang night club in Surin.

A 10 piece band and continuous change of singers in costume and  a 1000 people with maybe 10 farang.  You will have an amazing show, great service and it will cost you lot less than a night at Hooters or the Drunken Leprechaun in BKK.

 

I think you will also be impressed with the friendliness of the local people,  as farang are fewer and further between people are genuinely friendly and interested in you.  There is a good forum out of Surin  ( Surinfarang ) that is up to date with what is happening in both provinces and where the best food and entertainment is available.

 

What never fails to amaze me is the Khmer ruins, outposts of  the Angkor kingdom that dot the area or the 3000 year old cave paintings in neighbouring Ubon .  I attach a couple of video links, as you will see these attractions are an expression of Isaan pride not take the tourist's money and move on events.

 

 

 

 

[DILLIGAD]

I’ve been to all3 places (live in one of them for 6 years) and I’d say, I prefer the ambiance of Roi Et more than the others. All have their own points of interest.


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[Martyjustice]

I’ll agree with Dilligad. Of the cities listed Roi Er probably the nicest. Even though just passing through it looks clean and nice. I don’t think it measures up to NKP. The river walk was so clean, not a vendor in sight, it didn’t seem like Thailand.


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[Alex Teo]

Thanks for all the input, guys. Keep it coming.

[jgm005]

Been to all three but spent a lot more time in Roi-et. Like a few others I liked Roi-et over the other two.  A 4th to throw out. Mahasarakham.

[Maejo Man]

1 hour ago, jgm005 said:

Been to all three but spent a lot more time in Roi-et. Like a few others I liked Roi-et over the other two.  A 4th to throw out. Mahasarakham.

Also to be considered is Yangtaladt A very pleasant as yet untouched part of Thailand. I have yet to see another foreign face there.

[Sirbergan]

7 minutes ago, Maejo Man said:

Also to be considered is Yangtaladt A very pleasant as yet untouched part of Thailand. I have yet to see another foreign face there.

I've lived 10 kilometers from Yang Talat for 3 years and in Roi Et for 4 years, must say I prefer Roi Et by far - though that might have something to do with the wife's family being located in Yang Talat. Our son died in Roi Et, so we relocated to Khon Kaen (away from the bad memories) which I think is even nicer than Roi Et. A lot more foreigners here in Khon Kaen, though.

 

As for walkable, I find most places in Isaan unwalkable due to the soi dogs, already been attacked twice (once by 3 dogs at once, fortunately the owner came running with a stick just in time or it would've ended badly).

[Andyfez]

IMHO I agree out of the three you list, Roi-et is the nicest. But nothing special...

I prefer Mukdahan.

[Colabamumbai]

Nothing in Roi-et or Kalasin unless you want to teach English. lived in both and taught for 7 years.

[Brunolem]

I am heading right now to Sisaket city (weekly shopping), which is not a small and charming city...but is a "typical" Thai city.

 

Generally speaking, I find that the provinces themselves are more interesting to visit than the cities which bear their names.

 

There is a lot to see in Sisaket province, not so much in Sisaket city.

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by Brunolem

[jenny2017]

The three places are a little bit different, even the spoken languages. Sisaket grew from a town to a city with Big-C, Tesco, and Makro. It's Sisaket's school city and you'll see that at there's a hell lot of traffic in the morning and evening. People from Sisaket seem to be the worst drivers of Thailand.

 

          You can find a few restaurants with farang food, Frank's Living in the Past ( a German guy who runs the longest existing farang restaurant), an American restaurant in the center, or Cuckoo's Nest, a British guy's restaurant called "Leo", different food, beers, wine, etc.", and another friendly Brit with a nice restaurant called Hong Kong Garden and a newish and stylish pub run by a Thai called Barco with farang food and lice music in the evening.

 

Unfortunately, is it really difficult to find decent Thai food. It's good to have somebody who knows the place.....

 

   You will not see the best drivers, exceptions might be the foreigners and there're currently a lot of them. Sisaket is only 100 km away from Cambodia and Laos and it has its flair. There's a nice park with a zoo, pretty good to relax, but you'll need a vehicle to get around. 

 

  Most people in Sisaket province are farmers, depending on where you are you can find the usually Lao speaking people, but on the way to Surin also some Cambodians, they even have their schools and own dialect. Sisaket people are usually nice, of course will you find others who tell you the opposite......

 

   Please see: https://wikitravel.org/en/Sisaket

 

    https://www.tourismthailand.org/About-Thailand/Destination/Si-Sa-Ket 

 

  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g1405573-Sisaket_Sisaket_Province.html

 

   

 

   

 

      

 

     

Edited February 5, 2018 by jenny2017

[fishbone]

5 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

The three places are a little bit different, even the spoken languages. Sisaket grew from a town to a city with Big-C, Tesco, and Makro. It's Sisaket's school city and you'll see that at there's a hell lot of traffic in the morning and evening. People from Sisaket seem to be the worst drivers of Thailand.

 

          You can find a few restaurants with farang food, Frank's Living in the Past ( a German guy who runs the longest existing farang restaurant), an American restaurant in the center, or Cuckoo's Nest, an Australian guy's restaurant called "Leo", different food, beers, wine, etc.", and a friendly Brit with a nice restaurant called Hong Kong Garden and a newish and stylish pub run by a Thai called Barco with farang food and lice music in the evening.

 

Unfortunately, is it really difficult to find decent Thai food. It's good to have somebody who knows the place.....

 

   You will not see the best drivers, exceptions might be the foreigners and there're currently a lot of them. Sisaket is only 100 km away from Cambodia and Laos and it has its flair. There's a nice park with a zoo, pretty good to relax, but you'll need a vehicle to get around. 

 

  Most people in Sisaket province are farmers, depending on where you are you can find the usually Lao speaking people, but on the way to Surin also some Cambodians, they even have their schools and own dialect. Sisaket people are usually nice, of course will you find others who tell you the opposite......

 

   Please see: https://wikitravel.org/en/Sisaket

 

    https://www.tourismthailand.org/About-Thailand/Destination/Si-Sa-Ket 

 

  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g1405573-Sisaket_Sisaket_Province.html

 

   

 

   

 

      

 

     

Leo's i english owned by Luke and his wife.

 

[jenny2017]

8 minutes ago, fishbone said:

Leo's i english owned by Luke and his wife.

 

I beg your pardon. Thanks a lot !!

[DILLIGAD]

I beg your pardon. Thanks a lot !!

Jenny2017 have you still got your fear of water! 555!

 

Sisaket has also got quite a nice little Aquarium (30b entrance fee) in the center of a large lake.

 

 

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[jenny2017]

12 hours ago, DILLIGAD said:

Jenny2017 have you still got your fear of water! 555!

 

Sisaket has also got quite a nice little Aquarium (30b entrance fee) in the center of a large lake.

 

 

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Not anymore since I've bought my new bikini........

 

      It might be fair to mention the treehouse, basically opposite the aquarium with a pool,  reasonable rooms and some food. In summer the best place for me to be. 

[Rc2702]

The park in kalasin next to the bus station is pleasant enough if it's just a short trip and walkable amenities you require.

 

There is also a pub named tawang daeng very close which is a great live music venue.

 

Also a great Vietnamese restaurant 30 metres from the pub on same side. Shabby decor but really lovely food and inexpensive.

 

You could even book a hotel within the park. Low ball cost aproximately 400 baht (AP Garden) or higher cost and very close to park (rimpao hotel) 1000 baht. 

 

There's a restaurant called frozen which serves western and thai but if you like thai I'd suggest the restaurant on the opposite side from frozen which is usually busy as the food is very very good.

 

For a day trip you can go to lam pao dam which is very idyllic. 30 minute drive from centre. 

 

For a venture out to a restaurant in town with live music I'd recommend Tum Home.

 

I prefer roi et on the whole but those places mentioned in kalsin would likely render positive vibes. Beyond them, not so sure. Enjoy your trip.

 

 

[Alex Teo]

Thanks for all the info, guys. Seems should try Roi Et at least.