Udon Thani Walkable?

[Juri1]

I'm wondering if it's feasible to stay in Udon Thani for two months without a car or motorbike? Are the city streets walkable, or heavy traffic all over? 

 

Would you recommend I look for condos in any particular area? I'm generally interested in eating, walking, and going to bars. 

[grobec]

Depending on your budget....
Look for anything close to UD Town or Central Plaza.
The walk between the two has everything you are looking for.


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[grobec]

Lumpini Condo or The Base are two good condos and Airbnb has rental listings.


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[owl sees all]

Have a butchers at the new development in the Chinese quarter. Nice properties; bigger than average. Opposite the koi carp pond.

[DoctorG]

I stayed for 2 months a few years ago without transport. I love to walk everywhere and to take the baht bus for longer trips. I had no issues. Go for it.

[mackayae]

Yes. I recommend Lumpini Condo near UD Town.

[SunsetT]

7 hours ago, grobec said:

Depending on your budget....
Look for anything close to UD Town or Central Plaza.
The walk between the two has everything you are looking for.


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And if u cross the railway line behind UD town u can even enjoy a bit of nature with a very pleasant stroll around Nong Bua lake. I like to do this most days when Im in Udon.

[AsiaHand]

yes as most of the bars are with in short walks of each other.

[malco]

udon has everything one does not need a bike or car.

[Esso49]

14 minutes ago, malco said:

udon has everything one does not need a bike or car.

And the advantage is that 70% of the pretties in Pattaya are from Udon so don't waste money going to Pattaya,  buy direct, not from a retailer.  Joking aside enjoy your time which in my opinion is the real Thailand,  with genuine people .  No anti foreigner sentiment up here like Bangkok.

[Shiver]

We have both a car and a bike, and I personally use neither.  My first 4 years I had no transport as times were tough back then and I just couldn't afford one.  I don't think I suffered for lack of transport.  Plus, there is Grab Taxi which is very reasonable (cheaper than TukTuk if more than 1-2Km I would estimate).

 

If you want to be absolutely central then you'll likely spend a bit more than say 10 mins walk away from Central.  That's about what my walk is to Central and I pay 4K a month.  You can spend as much as you like also of course.

It also depends what you want for recreation (girly bars or local hangouts at shops or restaurants) which make a big difference depending if cost is a large factor or perhaps not a factor at all.

 

 

[AmericanMike]

I have a motorbike there and hardly use it.  Mostly when getting groceries.  Very easy to rent a bike if you decide.  What everyone has already said covers most everything but I wanted to add the following.  Get a room for a few days as you carefully walk around and look for the best room for you and in the best location for you.  I wouldn't recommend some of the places others here are recommending if you will be walking everywhere, but also really depends upon what things you will be doing as everyone is different.  

 

Just get a room for a few days and go out to explore and spend time checking on every apartment building you see that's in the area you like.  There are some really nice yet extreme cheap rooms available in the very heart of the entertainment area, but you should look around to find the best one for you.

[ALFREDO]

12 hours ago, Juri1 said:

I'm generally  interested in eating, walking, and going to bars.

 

I live since many years, 67 km away and am therefore often there, my nearest bigger town, but -  I would not choose Udon Thani for that ?  "interested in eating, walking, and going to bars."

[jackdd]

If you stay at Lumpini condo you have everything you need in walking range (UD town, Central Plaza, bars...)

If you want to go a bit more outside for whatever reason you can usually take a song teaw, so it's ok without transport

[Esso49]

3 hours ago, AmericanMike said:

I have a motorbike there and hardly use it.  Mostly when getting groceries.  Very easy to rent a bike if you decide.  What everyone has already said covers most everything but I wanted to add the following.  Get a room for a few days as you carefully walk around and look for the best room for you and in the best location for you.  I wouldn't recommend some of the places others here are recommending if you will be walking everywhere, but also really depends upon what things you will be doing as everyone is different.  

 

Just get a room for a few days and go out to explore and spend time checking on every apartment building you see that's in the area you like.  There are some really nice yet extreme cheap rooms available in the very heart of the entertainment area, but you should look around to find the best one for you.

Agree with the above and I would suggest the OP stays at Top Mansion for a few days anyway,  Will enable him to be in the heart of things and also able to pick up a room to rent quite easily.

[Juri1]

5 hours ago, ALFREDO said:

 

I live since many years, 67 km away and am therefore often there, my nearest bigger town, but -  I would not choose Udon Thani for that ?  "interested in eating, walking, and going to bars."

Hehe, well, I guess walking isn't my main priority. As long as I can move around a bit. Bars and food should be fine, right? Do you recommend further outside? 

[Juri1]

Thanks for all the replies! Will be of great help to me

[Nice Boyd]

Lumpini Condo is close to UD Town , it’s all you need

[Nice Boyd]

13 hours ago, Esso49 said:

Agree with the above and I would suggest the OP stays at Top Mansion for a few days anyway,  Will enable him to be in the heart of things and also able to pick up a room to rent quite easily.

I hate Top Mansion , too

many door slammers and Niteclub right behind it , I stay across the street at Nana Place , owned by the same family, 490 a night , you can stay monthly , also , Great Location , you can stumble to your room, make sure you go to Brickhouse Restaurant on Soi Sampan same as Day -Night Entertainment Zone

[Shiver]

14 hours ago, Esso49 said:

Agree with the above and I would suggest the OP stays at Top Mansion for a few days anyway,  Will enable him to be in the heart of things and also able to pick up a room to rent quite easily.

Yeah, Top Mansion is the default starting point for many.  Rooms are average, prices average, close to most things, and ticks box as the best at nothing much, but it's a good calibration tool.

A friend from Chiang Mai stays there when he's solo, but when with his wife he stays at UD House, which is in walking distance, but a bit far for some people unless you see walking as a feature rather than a hassle.  Very nice rooms, excellent price - reasoning being just a little bit off the beaten path.

Does anyone know the name of that place opposite Keks 'mom&pop' shop?  (same side as Top Mansion/@Home/Panarai etc but nearer to the bus station end of the road).  I think it only has half a dozen rooms, and I've never seen inside, but many people have told me that's a good place if you can get an available room, and that people hang onto them for the duration if they can get in.

[rickudon]

Have stayed at Top Mansion and agree with all the criticisms. About 4 small hotels have opened in the last year or two between Central and the night market, so plenty of other options locally. Before i married used to stay at Ruysuk on Adunyadet road about 500 metres north of Central. Anything above 500 baht a night is posh! Walking not a problem if cool season, and traffic outside of rush hours is reasonable.

 

Would agree visit Nong Bua park and the chinese temple there, and the thai-chinese friendship centre a few yards away. I found them on my first day in Udon and it gave me a positive outlook from the start.

 

Personally never had much issue with overcharging in Udon, natives may not be as friendly as they were 10 years ago, but not hostile.

 

There are currently only 2 condo blocks in Udon.

[jackdd]

14 minutes ago, rickudon said:

There are currently only 2 condo blocks in Udon.

There are at least 4: Lumpini, Base, Aspire, Kalpapruek

[Nice Boyd]

I hate Top Mansion , too
many door slammers and Niteclub right behind it , I stay across the street at Nana Place , owned by the same family, 490 a night , you can stay monthly , also , Great Location , you can stumble to your room, make sure you go to Brickhouse Restaurant on Soi Sampan same as Day -Night Entertainment Zone

Beds are Great at TM and Nana Place


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[Kadilo]

Most places are walkable if you stay Central. The main Park Non Prajak (sp) is about a 20 minute walk or 80 baht in a Tuk tuk if you’re feeling lazy. Big street market round here Friday and Saturday. 

Personally would t stay at Top Mansion unless you want to be next door to the beer bars and restaurants in the main Soi. 

I walk for hours around Udon. Love the place. 

[ThailandTom1]

There are at least 4: Lumpini, Base, Aspire, Kalpapruek

Sky land condo, right in the centre of Udon, only few hundred meters from Central.


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[ALFREDO]

On 9/13/2018 at 11:45 PM, Juri1 said:

Hehe, well, I guess walking isn't my main priority. As long as I can move around a bit. Bars and food should be fine, right? Do you recommend further outside? 

I would not come to Udon city for Night Life I mean. ?

To small.

I - same most come here because my Gf is from that province. ??

[Juri1]

16 hours ago, ALFREDO said:

I would not come to Udon city for Night Life I mean. ?

To small.

I - same most come here because my Gf is from that province. ??

Oh haha. That's good then. I'm mainly looking for a place to settle into a comfortable routine, work a little, relax a little, and see if everyday expat life could be for me. 

[Kadilo]

3 minutes ago, Juri1 said:

Oh haha. That's good then. I'm mainly looking for a place to settle into a comfortable routine, work a little, relax a little, and see if everyday expat life could be for me. 

It’s a decent place for what you’re looking for. There are bars if you want them, plenty of restaurants, shopping malls,  western stores and most of all friendly people. 

[Juri1]

8 hours ago, Kadilo said:

It’s a decent place for what you’re looking for. There are bars if you want them, plenty of restaurants, shopping malls,  western stores and most of all friendly people. 

Sounds good! 

[shaggy851]

If more than 5 -10 mins away from the bar soi, central shopping mall etc or if you have any other interests apart from the above then get a motorbike. If you travel inter province to nong khai phon phisai so phisai bung kan or so on, then maybe get a car. I used to just hire a car everytime i landed which was costly. In the meantime i hired a motorbike for 200b a day if in town. I rented an apartment in udon for a while which was near a tesco lotus and the big highway but nothing else.

that said there is tuk tuks around and there is buses that can take you to other provinces if you dont mind risking your life with the minivan madness and what not. Take walks to or around nong prajak public see the famous duck lol.