I Love Khon Kaen But Can I Live There?

[stevehaigh]

i've visited Khon Kaen about 5 times now and every time is more fun than the last. its such a great city, easily my favourite in Thailand and the world. so much fun stuff to do and the people are really nice. i had the time of my life a couple of nights ago with 3 young hottie college students!

i'm thinking a lot about other places to live if i can get the hel_l out of Ko Phangan (beautiful scenery but a pain in the ass to live there).

the downsides to living in Khon Kaen I see are:

1) too far from Bangkok and the rest of Thailand, i want to be more centrally located

2) too hot and dry in hot season, i like green and wet

3) the countryside isn't much to look at, at least what i've seen. it all looks flat and featureless within 20-30 mins drive of the city.

there isn't much I can do about 1 and 2 above but maybe i've missing something about the scenery. are there any scenic areas close to KK? mountains, rivers,?

thx steve

[hansnl]

i've visited Khon Kaen about 5 times now and every time is more fun than the last. its such a great city, easily my favourite in Thailand and the world. so much fun stuff to do and the people are really nice. i had the time of my life a couple of nights ago with 3 young hottie college students!

i'm thinking a lot about other places to live if i can get the hel_l out of Ko Phangan (beautiful scenery but a pain in the ass to live there).

the downsides to living in Khon Kaen I see are:

1) too far from Bangkok and the rest of Thailand, i want to be more centrally located

2) too hot and dry in hot season, i like green and wet

3) the countryside isn't much to look at, at least what i've seen. it all looks flat and featureless within 20-30 mins drive of the city.

there isn't much I can do about 1 and 2 above but maybe i've missing something about the scenery. are there any scenic areas close to KK? mountains, rivers,?

thx steve

Steve,

I know, I know, Khon Kaen is 450 km from Bangkok.

Happily that stops a lot of visitors.

6,5 hours by bus, 55 minutes by air, 10 hours by comfortable night train.

From Khon Khon good connections by bus to Pattaya, to Chiang Mai, Vientiane, Suvarnibhumi, Si Saket or take your pick.

Too hot?

It can be hot in March and April, very hot, but it is dry heat, so much better to stand as wet heat, really!

Green it is not around Khon Kaen, but wet it is becasue of th paddies.

Not much to look at, the countryside.

Go up to Loei and Nong Khai, some 170-200 km, the scenery around the Mekhong and the highlands is breathtaking.

But I assure you, look around in the countryside around Khon kaen, and maybe you will be able to see the beauty that is there.

The paddies and the people working on it can be breathtaking in early morning.

Prices in Khon Kaen are very reasonable, and lower as in tourist infested regions.

Get used to the idea that Khon Kaen althoughthe second city of Thailand, it is very different from the tourist towns

And enjoy the real Thailand.

Or maybe Isan style.

Isan food is just fantastic, sometimes very spicy, but get used to it and you will eat very healthy indeed.

Or order your food to be cooked less spicy, no problem.

I live in Khon Kaen for 4 years now, and I will stay here.

Visits to Bangkok, Pattaya on a regular basis are made, and always glad to be back home again.

Think again, and try to see things in a different way, throw away the preconceived ideas about how beauty should be.

And start living an leisure life!

Take care

[Lite Beer]

To me, when the Rice Paddies go on for ever and are a beautiful green. Stunning.

[Junglejumbo]

If you're not working, typically you stay in side from 10am-4pm when the heat is most intense. Plenty of parks and lakes to go for exercise.

Property cheap but get a house with a garden so you can grow some trees/ shrubs to keep the heat off the house, plenty of air-conditions also, have a car also otherwise getting about will by annoying.

[mahtin]

have a car also otherwise getting about will by annoying.

Make that a pickup if you want to blend in

[hansnl]

If you're not working, typically you stay in side from 10am-4pm when the heat is most intense. Plenty of parks and lakes to go for exercise.

Property cheap but get a house with a garden so you can grow some trees/ shrubs to keep the heat off the house, plenty of air-conditions also, have a car also otherwise getting about will by annoying.

A car, in Khon Kaen, might not be such a good idea.

Traffic can be horrendous 8-10 and 15-19.

Take a Song Taew as soon as you know the routes.

Otherwise take a tuk-tuk, arrange the price before getting in.

40-60 baht is the going rate, the outside villages maybe 70-100 baht.

Get friendly with a tuktuk driver, get his telephone number, and be certain of service, from him or one of his "friends".

Motorbike is the best way to go to and fro in Khon Kaen.

A car outside Khon Kaen can be handy, but bus services are there for nearly all destinations.

Property to rent or buy is rather cheap indeed, for exercise find out about the mostly free or very cheap fitness clubs, including the one attached to the state hospital on Srichan Road. Including medical advice and control.

The state hospital and the university hospital are good, get there in the afternoon, much quieter.

And very cheap!

Ratchapruek Medical Centre for the private patients and RAM Hospital for the more affluent customers.

Same doctors as in the State and Uni hospital, by the way.

Khon Kaen......the place for the people in the know!

Edited March 22, 2009 by hansnl