Nightlife For Farangs In Udon Thani

[Ulysses G.]

I passed through Udon last week and stayed at the Top Mansion - which was clean and comfortable and inexpensive. Is that the main area for Western-oriented bars and such in the city? I did not have time to look elsewhere, but i was impressed by the number of venues on that one street as I chose the hotel from a hat and was not expecting much.

I also ate at the Irish Clock which is highly recommended for decent British pub food. I have a feeling their Indian food is also good, but I had just eaten it every day in Vientiane, so did not bother.

By the way, is Fuzzy Kens still open? I did not notice it the first day and it was not open on Sunday.

[chuckd]

Next time you are up in this area, give me a call. I'd like to meet you.

I'm located outside Nong Bua Lamphu towards Loei. If you are driving from CM, it is on the way.

PM with telephone number to follow.

[SweatySock]

Night life in Udon - try Night and Day, which you must have seen walking from Top Mansion to the Irish Clock.

Afterwards, down to the bottom of the road, turn left and about 100m further along you have Nutty Park, always good for a few beers.

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks much Chuckd. Next time!

[welsh1]

Thanks much Chuckd. Next time!

Day and night..walk past the irish clock turn left at the end of the road around the conrner then you have nutty park lots of bars there also..

PS fuzzy kens is shut on a sunday !!

[citizen33]

I must have been in Udon about the same time as the OP (and did encounter one American visitor who asked where the bars were). Some of my random thoughts from walking around are as follows. Of the two drinking plazas, I thought Day and Night was quite a bit livelier than Nutty Park. Mr Tong's bar (near Nutty Park) has had a facelift, but was expensive and quiet. There is another new upmarket bar called The Office, which has possibilities and a good happy hour offer, but had hostesses who seemed more interested in going outside for a smoke than talking with customers. Beer Berry bar, which I remembered as okay, seemed to have gone downhill badly and is now staffed by a fearsome crew of old dragons. There is a new Australian bar past the nightmarket and towards the Charoen Hotel - the Koala bar - which was okay but quiet. This bar is quite near to a cluster of Thai-style bars that have live music and may be worth a visit if you can manage the language. The Yellow Bird nightclub at the Charoen Hotel was packed with a mainly young Thai crowd and had good live bands. Wolverine ago-go is reputedly still open but I could not summon up the energy to check it out (it is away from the main cluster of bars). I did not visit the Thai karaoke bars or the sois in the naughty area.

[Eazy-Going]

Udon has many good bars and eating places to choose from, most very reasonably priced with friendly atmosphere.

BTW - Fuzzy Kens is still open, one of the cheapest in town, large Archa 40bht, large Leo 55bht, decent, (but simple food), a nice crowd of drinkers always willing to 'chew the fat'. However he's been doing a minor refurb of late so is closed today, (Saturday), and always closes on Sundays.

[Ulysses G.]

BTW - Fuzzy Kens is still open, one of the cheapest in town, large Archa 40bht, large Leo 55bht, decent, (but simple food), a nice crowd of drinkers always willing to 'chew the fat'. However he's been doing a minor refurb of late so is closed today, (Saturday), and always closes on Sundays.

I am guessing that it was also closed on the Saturday that I walked by (on the other side of the street) as I did not notice it and I hardly ever miss a bookstore. :jap:

[TheGhostWithin]

Now I understand how some people get such high number of posts. Aren't things getting a bit off track? I am heading back to Udon in September. Excited to see all my old friends, and say whatsup to Mr Tong again. I hear now that most of the locals go to brother club.

Things will have changed now, my friend Chris who used to run the Richmond Steak house has now returned to the UK - and I had heard that Mr. Tongs had gone quiet because locals didnt want to pay the high(er) prices. I also hear that tourist numbers are down which is good for the few that do go - it is definately a gem in terms of accommodation and entertainment if you hitch up with the right people. There are not too many bad girls or guys in Udon, unlike the night scene in other places. Shopping is also good, with the complex near to top mansion, and if you walk towards the complex from top mansion, and continue walking straight past fuzzy kens and mojos (which also does great food, but is more inline with BKK pricing), you will see a small soi beside the massage shop which has a few fruit stalls - go inside and you will find a fresh produce market. The night market, well you already probably know where that is but it is beside Mr. Tongs and in my opinion is one of the better markets I have come across outside of BKK in terms of range and quality of foods.

I went to the Yellow bird once and found it was fun, but very Thai so don;t go there alone because people will look at you strange.. its better to go with a few of the locals you meet

Expats in Udon (despite their reputations) are very friendly and approachable. Most of the permanent residents there are very honest - just be weary of some who pass through.

I can recommend my friends restaurant called Bossa Bar, though I do not know the exact address - very very good food and a live band. It is down a small soi and a great place if you have someone special to take. The owners name is Tae, and he is a personal friend of mine.

I do not drink in Day Night, because I find it a bit rowdy, but can recommend Tui Bar (first bar on your left) as you go into Nutty Park, as a good place to drink. Monkey Bar is a good palce to eat, it is about mid way down and good for a snack with beers. Not pricey and good food.

[Milo]

I must have been in Udon about the same time as the OP (and did encounter one American visitor who asked where the bars were). Some of my random thoughts from walking around are as follows. Of the two drinking plazas, I thought Day and Night was quite a bit livelier than Nutty Park. Mr Tong's bar (near Nutty Park) has had a facelift, but was expensive and quiet. There is another new upmarket bar called The Office, which has possibilities and a good happy hour offer, but had hostesses who seemed more interested in going outside for a smoke than talking with customers. Beer Berry bar, which I remembered as okay, seemed to have gone downhill badly and is now staffed by a fearsome crew of old dragons. There is a new Australian bar past the nightmarket and towards the Charoen Hotel - the Koala bar - which was okay but quiet. This bar is quite near to a cluster of Thai-style bars that have live music and may be worth a visit if you can manage the language. The Yellow Bird nightclub at the Charoen Hotel was packed with a mainly young Thai crowd and had good live bands. Wolverine ago-go is reputedly still open but I could not summon up the energy to check it out (it is away from the main cluster of bars). I did not visit the Thai karaoke bars or the sois in the naughty area.

Watch yourselves around the 'naughty area' soi's, they've had cameras around there recently, a few 'big names' getting caught out and ending up on Channel 3 according to the missus? Allegedly the powers that be don't appreciate some of the publicity Udorn's receiving? Oh yes, Nutty Park, Day & Night, the commercial fleecing venues fine, welcome! But the little dark back alleys that have always been a 'best kept secret', Thai style (don't mention it and it doesn't exist) being blasted all over the internet by idiot farangs with bigger gobs than brains has pissed them off. Thanks lads, we had it REAL sweet round here before you clowns screwed it up for us.

Of course I'm not, and never would be casting aspersions towards anybody on THIS particular thread! :jap:

[MAJIC]

BTW - Fuzzy Kens is still open, one of the cheapest in town, large Archa 40bht, large Leo 55bht, decent, (but simple food), a nice crowd of drinkers always willing to 'chew the fat'. However he's been doing a minor refurb of late so is closed today, (Saturday), and always closes on Sundays.

I am guessing that it was also closed on the Saturday that I walked by (on the other side of the street) as I did not notice it and I hardly ever miss a bookstore. :jap:

Fuzzy Kens is a Bar Restaurant at the front, with a sideline Bookshop in the backroom.So it would have been easy for you to miss the Bookshop.

Directions: Facing the Charoensri Grand Hotel,look left and walk to the Traffic lights/crossroads,turn left at the traffic lights,walk 20 mtrs,look right across the road,and wallah,Fuzzy Kens.You could probably throw a stone that far!

PS He will Part exchange your old books too!

[Ulysses G.]

Thanks. Now I know why I missed it. I was thinking it was another symptom of old age.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[Lite Beer]

A large number of off topic posts have been removed.

[enerzne]

Watch yourselves around the 'naughty area' soi's, they've had cameras around there recently, a few 'big names' getting caught out and ending up on Channel 3 according to the missus? Allegedly the powers that be don't appreciate some of the publicity Udorn's receiving? Oh yes, Nutty Park, Day & Night, the commercial fleecing venues fine, welcome! But the little dark back alleys that have always been a 'best kept secret', Thai style (don't mention it and it doesn't exist) being blasted all over the internet by idiot farangs with bigger gobs than brains has pissed them off. Thanks lads, we had it REAL sweet round here before you clowns screwed it up for us.

Of course I'm not, and never would be casting aspersions towards anybody on THIS particular thread! :jap:

nothing more to say

go with you again to the more hidden places. that is what i like.

[JimmyChoons]

Now I understand how some people get such high number of posts. Aren't things getting a bit off track? I am heading back to Udon in September. Excited to see all my old friends, and say whatsup to Mr Tong again. I hear now that most of the locals go to brother club.

I'm pretty sure the brother club has been knocked down now something to do with the shopping centre across the street. Was there around Christmas last year, wasn't anything to write home about and not too many people there either so not much atmosphere. The music was terrible also which might be why it wasn't very busy.

Tong's a much better bet although closes around 2am I think.

There's more than a few thai clubs/discos to head to after, can't for the life of remember the names but all the locals know so if in doubt just ask.

Chock Dee!

[jazzbo]

I just spent 24 hours in Udon T. and I am guessing the new hot-spot is the UD Town with a half-size Tesco-Lotus open until midnight ... a new shopping complex built on the site of the old dilapidated railroad yards as you pull into the station from the South ... 3 or 4 different Oishi restaurants plus the regulars PizzaCo McD, etc. ... I had time to explore because the RRT train was 3 hours late...