Route 22/ Sawang Dan Din

[CTO]

It's not a black Canyo though, something called a loyality project, same staff, coffee about 20 baht cheaper, not as good, too bitter, but I guess that's the price thing.

Went to the airport, GREAT PLACE!! Well worth the trip - head north of Sawang, somewhere about the 85 km to Sakon Nakorn you'll see a white sign pointing left,

Follow the road, not a great road. You can drive right up to the hangers, doesn't look like they want you too but they do!

Sunday's is the best day to see jumping.

[CTO]

For a year now we've been driving past a boring looking house with a sign in Thai, Chang Noi Swimming Pool, just before Baan Chang, half way between Nong Mex and Baan Dung.

Well we finally decided to if it was a swimming pool and turns out it a great spot. Very large pool built by a dutchman.

Though as Dar said, with only three families here on a hot Sunday, all Farang/Thai, why isn't the sign in English!

60 baht adults, 40 baht kids, very clean togs to rent, no one wanted to wear the wicked weazel bikini's I brought though.

All in all, if your in the Sawang area, great pool to go too, it'll be a regular with us.

[tartempion]

Hi CTO,

What's the exact location of that swimming pool?

Are you referring to road 2096 from Nong Mek (note not Mex, that's a typo on the road sign coming from Sawan) to Ban Dung and where on that road, how far from Nong Mek???

If that's less than 20kms from my place we could go there weekly (hope the Dutch owner sells some drinks?)

Maybe meet you and your family there some day?

I'll be back in Nong Mek 25th May, but then we're off to France for 3 weeks in June (if the unnameable volcano allows us to)

[CTO]

Im off to Adrica tuesday for 3 weeks, after that. Yes close to your place! Beer too!

[kevin2008]

Sawang daen din changes...................Bjorn Steakhouse, small falang restaurant open on the main st.....heading towards Phung Khon east out of town, pass 2nd pedestrian bridge, and exactly at bus stop on left.....yellow illuminated sign "BJORN STEAKHOUSE".

Another nice bar open, around near UD niteclub, very close to Temple at the end of street, name of "YESTERDAY BAR"........only open in evening,and run by very nice Thai husband and wife who speak good english (teachers)

Big improvements at Chamdao Resort

Road in front of TESCO at present stage of upgrade to 4 lanes, badly needed.

[CTO]

<br />Sawang daen din changes...................Bjorn Steakhouse, small falang restaurant open on the main st.....heading towards Phung Khon east out of town, pass 2nd pedestrian bridge, and exactly at bus stop on left.....yellow illuminated sign "BJORN STEAKHOUSE".<br /><br />Another nice bar open, around near UD niteclub, very close to Temple at the end of street, name of "YESTERDAY BAR"........only open in evening,and run by very nice Thai husband and wife who speak good english (teachers)<br /><br />Big improvements at Chamdao Resort<br /><br />Road in front of TESCO at present stage of upgrade to 4 lanes, badly needed.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Glad you found the nice yesterday bar, it's good isn't it! The bloke also deals in Antiques hence the old stuff.

Bjorn's sadly is very touch and go, been there three times last 2 weeks, each time the cook away, BUT if it's open, the pepper steak for 120 baht is good value!

The SMO disco has new talent, so worth a visit, we went a few nights back, good fun.

Stumps is Porn's coffee shop, well worth a afternoon visit and he DOES have Leo beer, err disclaimer, he did when Beer Ghain ran out and his supply didn't show up.

The German bar is closed again.

[CTO]

Just went to the little Sky Diving Airport, it's talked about further up this thread I think

Place has improved a lot, they got another Farang manager, good bloke I think, and the swimming pool is finally working nicely.

Still a bit expensive compared to the resort in town, but the pool is cheap, we'll be back regularly.

[kevin2008]

Anyone around Sawang at moment know if the roadworks in front of Tesco is completed ...someone else enquiring from me, but i am not there.......TA

[uty6543]

houses behind tesco now 1.5 mil - 1.9 mil very expensive for what they are and many have subsidence cracks. at least 5 new unoccupied ones have been for sale for more than 1 year. the owner is building 2 more don’t know why when she can’t sell the 5 empty ones. no cinema, bowling ally or big c has been built.

[uty6543]

UPDATE ON HOUSE PRICES BEHIND TESCO

price of houses are now changing. different prices asked everytime someone goes to look from 1.7millon to 2.5 million

[CTO]

Kevin - the main double road is pretty good but as always, as soon as it rains the road in front of Tesco dissolves. It's a pain driving out, as most people, (me included) forget people are turning in, it's NOT Tesco's laneway!

Which Tesco would do something, as the traffic is all theirs.

Cinema may be coming later this year, haven't found the land yet.

[CTO]

SMO is getting boring by the way, rarely have Coyote girls, and the current band is pretty boring compared to the last few.

[diggledunc]

Only just seen this thread. How could I have missed it. Live 8 months of the year just outside SDD. Getting better every year.

Anybody looking for a house should contact the German builder who lives behind the temple on the east side of town. Met him a few weeks ago. Builds nice houses and has one for sale. Good bloke and he speaks good English. Forgotten how much.

Now SDD has passable pizzas not far from Beer Garden. Ken's something or other it's called.

Any posters actually live in SDD or are there at the moment. I return next month.

[CTO]

German is a nice chap.

Pizza is called Ken's Kangaroo Pizza, I'm not Ken

They do home delivery now as well, so if it's raining get them to deliver.

Beer Garden (Stumps or Porns's Coffee shop) is a great spot in the evening,

The bar around the corner from it has been closed for the last week or more. Barp Bar.

There is also a new Sushi Place opened in Town, all you can eat from about 100 baht with a Electric Korean style hot plates and Sushi.

Opposite the two High Schools, same side as Bjorns Steak house, which is no longer Bjorn's steak house but a nice Thai Restaurant.

Only just seen this thread. How could I have missed it. Live 8 months of the year just outside SDD. Getting better every year.

Anybody looking for a house should contact the German builder who lives behind the temple on the east side of town. Met him a few weeks ago. Builds nice houses and has one for sale. Good bloke and he speaks good English. Forgotten how much.

Now SDD has passable pizzas not far from Beer Garden. Ken's something or other it's called.

Any posters actually live in SDD or are there at the moment. I return next month.

[kevin2008]

Back there early JANUARY.......looking forward to a nice Pizza with a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio....K

Edited October 19, 2012 by kevin2008

[bowitz]

So whats to do during the day here in SDD? Im living a few km outside of town and are wondering what people do during the day here? Afternoon kids come home from school so then im allright, its during the daytime i need something to do... Closest golfcourse is Udon right?

[CTO]

Swimming pool if you like swimming, when I wasn't working I used to go for a lot of bike rides, but like most rural areas, it's far less "Entertainment" than cities.

That said you can get a good massage, go for a coffee, a few places now make semi decent coffee, Coffee Shop in Tesco is good, not bad food either, very nice owners, the Amazon at the PTT near the High Schools is good too for coffee, far better than the Amazon at the other end of town on the road to Udon.

Free Wifi at both the Coffee Shops, and at the pizza shop too.

More and more farangs living here so maybe meet some, the food court at Tesco is site for most regular get togethers, also Porn's coffee shop and Eddies bar in the latter evenings.

Remember Sakon Nakorn city is the same distance as Udon Thani, far faster drive getting there, but less things to do in Sakon Nakorn than Udon.

[bowitz]

I usually go swimming in the weekends. But Eddie's bar? Where is that located?

[CTO]

Same Road as Porn's and the the Kangeroo Pizza, from the bus station running up to the Wat, just before the Wat on the right side,

Full of nice wooden stuff and has TV for Soccer games etc

[kevin2008]

http://www.thaiskydiving.com/ About 10 km east of SDD, ..look for the sign on 22 heading east and turn left and about 2km down that road.

[CTO]

The airport has on ok swimming pool at the resort part, and a nice coffee shop too, anyone welcome, fees apply to both coffee and swimming

[bowitz]

Anyone know when the golfcourse is opening at Birds Paradise? I was up there a couple of months ago and then they hadnt started building it yet

[MrRed]

Ban Chiang world heritage village site is worth a visit for the more cultured of you as are the Temples of Song Dao in the Phu Rua National park.

I see they are moving the market to a new spot in town at Sawaeng?

I was only there one night and never got to sample the evening entertainment sadly! next time maybe

[CTO]

The village past Khok Si has a temple there that is one of the oldest Stupa's in Thailand, a USA University has built a structure to protect it, excavations have found "civilization" as old as Baan Chiang, not as badly pillaged though so far more original "things" including bones etc,

[bowitz]

Is there any Superbowl action in town next week? The game starts around 7 in the morning next monday

[diggledunc]

Anyone know when the golfcourse is opening at Birds Paradise? I was up there a couple of months ago and then they hadnt started building it yet

Not heard about this one before even though I have been up to the resort and spoke to farang manager there. They are building one opposite Tesco on the back road on the side road off. You can see the buildings going up now but have heard it might be another 3 years. Went to Sakon Nakhon last week. 9 hole course, played 18 560B including caddy and tip. Greens were in good condition but fairways now a bit dry. Plenty of water and challenges. Well laid out so different on each hole. Would recommend. Has driving range but not really any decent facilities, just enough and a watering hole after 5 or 6 holes. Can get a beer or soft drinks and sit down. They sell balls there to, a good deal, choose your make 100B for about 10.

[bowitz]

How about different activities around SDD. Racing course, car or motorbike? Thai boxing? Squash?

Think i heard about a motorbike track around somewhere, but the directions i got where a bit dodgy, havent located it yet. Local football team maybe?

[CTO]

The local teams welcome farangs, the German who owned a small pub here used to play for the police team if I remember right,

I get around in the bush on my bike by just heading out and across land tracks, good fun, good time now with nothing much being planted.

Thai Boxing there is a famous camp on the back road to Baan Dung, there are other camps,

Also a Tae Kwan Do school my kids go to and enjoy,.

One bloke I know has a small sail boat he told me,

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

My wife worked in SDD for 8 years, before moving to BKK after we became a couple.

Visited SDD a few times, but we ended up staying and spending most of our time in Udon in our early days.

In all my time around there, never heard anything about a Big C or a cinema arriving for the town.

Even looking around for a potential home (apartment/house) to rent was pretty sad... not much more than rooms, and not very good ones at that.

I'm not trying or intending to slag on SDD... but it didn't work for me... an admitted city type.

BTW, all the websites posted earlier in this thread for the two local "resorts" are dead links.

Edited February 22, 2013 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[CTO]

I agree with Big C, there is a small cinema that will be built this year hopefully, I know the people doing it and work with them on some mutual projects, so it seems viable,

I often wonder why no one has put up a roller skating rink, would be great fun, cheap to do also.

SDD is only a small town, not even a big one, the numbers I've seen quoted for population take in all the surrounding areas, the town itself I think is about 15 000 people, not many.

It is getting better though with time, but you can get bored.