Maha Sarakham Or Kalasin?

[TheGhostWithin]

Hi all,

I have traveled a lot in Thailand, and speak Thai. I am very interested to visit new places that I have never been to, and as such am heading "off the beaten path" -- for most people.

Which is why I am here - to ask the people that have lived/resided in both Kalasin and Maha Sarakham, which is the best place to visit? I am looking at heading over from Roi Et (where a good friend and his family live), and making my way to Khon Kaen.

Which city is the best for me to visit? I prefer somewhere with a good healthy food market, where people are generally friendly to foreigners. I enjoy the people side of Thailand. Somewhere that would have some nice things to see would also be nice.

Please, take a moment to sell your case over to me. Hotel recommendations would also be very helpful, as it is new territory for me.

Thanks all, Hamish

[Vegemite]

Hello Hamish,

have you been to this area before?

[TheGhostWithin]

Hello Vegemite,

I have been to Isaan many times over the past 8 years, however predominantly Khon Kaen, Udon Thani and Nong Khai.

[citizen33]

Both towns are rather off the beaten track and both have some interesting aspects, but I'd say there is more going on in Maha Sarakham than Kalasin. This is mainly because Sarakham is a college town with a large number of students and a more lively feel about it. There are more restaurants, bars and shops. if you search you will find some old threads on both places.

The best hotels are Taksila in Maha Sarakham (nice but no pool)

http://www.taksilahotel.com/

and Rimpao in Kalasin (slightly run down but swimming pool and coyote dancers).

http://www.rimpaohotel.com/

When I'm in Thailand (about 3 months a year) I spend a lot of time in a village which is roughly halfway between the two towns - so I visit both.

[ubonrthai]

I've stayed at 2 of Taksila's hotels. Room was great. It's right next to a fresh market and a busy area.

Edited June 28, 2012 by ubonrthai

[TheGhostWithin]

Both towns are rather off the beaten track and both have some interesting aspects, but I'd say there is more going on in Maha Sarakham than Kalasin. This is mainly because Sarakham is a college town with a large number of students and a more lively feel about it. There are more restaurants, bars and shops. if you search you will find some old threads on both places.

The best hotels are Taksila in Maha Sarakham (nice but no pool)

http://www.taksilahotel.com/

and Rimpao in Kalasin (slightly run down but swimming pool and coyote dancers).

http://www.rimpaohotel.com/

When I'm in Thailand (about 3 months a year) I spend a lot of time in a village which is roughly halfway between the two towns - so I visit both.

Wonderful, so it sounds as though Maha Sarakham is the destination of choice. I will get my fiance to look through the Taksila website tonight, as there does not appear to be an English version and I do not read Thai.

Thanks so much for the advice. Really looking forward to seeing somewhere new and smelling the fresh air of Isaan again.

Edited June 28, 2012 by TheGhostWithin

[Freeman64]

I am familiar with Mahasarakham, Roi Et and to a much lesser degree Kalasin.

In Mahasarakham I suggest the Takasila Hotel. The ‘front’ hotel is upmarket and quite expensive. There are hotel rooms available at reasonable prices towards the back of the hotel complex which I have heard from people who have stayed are OK.

Another Hotel is the Hotel Wasu, a little cheaper but still very close to ‘downtown’. No taxis in Mahasarakham, tuk tuk or songtheaus.

Takasila Hotel is about 3-400 metres from the bus station along the klong in one direction from the downtown bus station and Wasu about the same in the other.

While in Mahasarakham take a blue songtheau from the bus station to the Mahasarakham Uni ‘new’ campus at Khamriang (20 -30 mins away). A few interesting cultural things there Isan Cultural Museum, the Mushroom Museum in SE Asia. Old campus had a four storey Isan Cultural Museum and the Chinese Confucius Center.

Rimpao Hotel ‘near’ is good for a night’s stay but there is not a lot to see around it. The swimming pool at Rimpao is great as is the food from the restaurant. Kalasin also has the Dinosaur Museum which is well worth a look (closed on Mondays) but you would probably need a car to get you there and back.

Roi Et is worth a look also. A huge standing Buddha and a very scenic park in the city centre. There is a decent hotel in Roi Et (name escapes me) with a swimming pool.

At all these places the Isan people are very friendly. I am sure you will enjoy yourself.

Travelling between Khon Kaen - Mahasarakham - Roi Et is easy with the ‘pink’ bus service running comfortable AC buses regularly from @ 5.30 am until @7 pm every day.

PM me if you want more details.

[citizen33]

I think the OP is coming across from Roi Et after staying with friends there, but for what it is worth I guess the hotel mentioned is the Petcharat Garden (with a nice pool and in the entertainment area).

There are more downmarket hotels in Sarakham if you want a cheaper option. On the Taksila site there is also the New Pattana Hotel and the Pattana Hotel (same ownership). The Vasu - as mentioned - is the other way along the canal past the hospital and near the town's main disco, and there is the training hotel at the Rajabhat University - Suan Warun - though the last reports on the forum weren't very good.

http://vasuhotels.com/

http://eng.rmu.ac.th/

The new MSU training hotel near Khamrieng must be about ready to open, but I'm not sure if it is taking customers yet. Also near Khamrieng and Big C are Taksila Apartments (not near the hotel of same name), which do short term lets at low prices and have a swimming pool. This complex also boasts the Living Room restaurant that sells western-style food. Transport from Khamrieng to the city centre is mainly by songthao and is non-existent in the late evening.and night, though there is actually enough in this area to survive.

Edited June 29, 2012 by citizen33

[SlyAnimal]

imo stay at D'Living, it's nice and just 400 Baht a night (It doesn't have the frills of the Takasila, but is still very nice with rooms 2x the size and 1/3rd the price). It's on the main bar street (around 1-2km from the shopping mall/bus station / takasila. Although it's not that close to the bus station, so you would want to have your own motorcycle or car. Their number is 04 3742210.

Vasu (mentioned earlier) is right next door to the main nightclub in Maha Sarakham, so you wouldn't need to drive home (If you're thinking about hitting the bars etc while you're there). Vasu is ok, the 700 Baht rooms have baths which is nice, but it's a fair dip in quality compared to Takasila. It's still fine though, and the location is convenient.

Tonnes of students in Sarakham, a good place to hang out and meet some of the locals. If you want, pm me if you're heading there and might be able to go for a beer with ya, I don't live there, but often visit on the weekends to catch up with mates etc.

Edited June 29, 2012 by SlyAnimal

[TheGhostWithin]

imo stay at D'Living, it's nice and just 400 Baht a night (It doesn't have the frills of the Takasila, but is still very nice with rooms 2x the size and 1/3rd the price). It's on the main bar street (around 1-2km from the shopping mall/bus station / takasila. Although it's not that close to the bus station, so you would want to have your own motorcycle or car. Their number is 04 3742210.

Vasu (mentioned earlier) is right next door to the main nightclub in Maha Sarakham, so you wouldn't need to drive home (If you're thinking about hitting the bars etc while you're there). Vasu is ok, the 700 Baht rooms have baths which is nice, but it's a fair dip in quality compared to Takasila. It's still fine though, and the location is convenient.

Tonnes of students in Sarakham, a good place to hang out and meet some of the locals. If you want, pm me if you're heading there and might be able to go for a beer with ya, I don't live there, but often visit on the weekends to catch up with mates etc.

SlyAnimal,

Awesome to see a fellow Kiwi in the area! Well, will be my first time through so your advice as with others has been very helpful.

Like the sound of D'Living, though cannot seem to find a website for their hotel nor any online record or reports. Do happen to have a card with their website or anything on it? Even a phone number would be useful, so that I could call them.

Otherwise, I may check in at Taksila.

Are there any motorbike rental co's around? I would likely only stay for 1-2 days as I want to go to Khon Kaen and play basketball with a few friends there.

Thanks again,

Hamish

[SlyAnimal]

I put D'living's phone number in the above post :-P I don't think they have a website or anything, as they are actually more of an apartment building, which rents out unoccupied apartments (although they have a few which are only available on a per night basis).

As for renting a motorcycle/car, sorry I don't know where you could do that. Although your friends in RoiEt might be able to lend you one (It's only around 40km on the highway from RoiEt to Sarakham, from Sarakham to Khon Kaen is around 90km I think. If you're driving there, you could pop into Kosum Phisai too, which is roughly half way between the two. They have a monkey forest next to the river there which is quite cool)

And yeah, always good to see other kiwis in Isaan

Edited June 30, 2012 by SlyAnimal

[darylzeng]

I am familiar with Mahasarakham, Roi Et and to a much lesser degree Kalasin.

In Mahasarakham I suggest the Takasila Hotel. The ‘front’ hotel is upmarket and quite expensive. There are hotel rooms available at reasonable prices towards the back of the hotel complex which I have heard from people who have stayed are OK.

Another Hotel is the Hotel Wasu, a little cheaper but still very close to ‘downtown’. No taxis in Mahasarakham, tuk tuk or songtheaus.

Takasila Hotel is about 3-400 metres from the bus station along the klong in one direction from the downtown bus station and Wasu about the same in the other.

While in Mahasarakham take a blue songtheau from the bus station to the Mahasarakham Uni ‘new’ campus at Khamriang (20 -30 mins away). A few interesting cultural things there Isan Cultural Museum, the Mushroom Museum in SE Asia. Old campus had a four storey Isan Cultural Museum and the Chinese Confucius Center.

Rimpao Hotel ‘near’ is good for a night’s stay but there is not a lot to see around it. The swimming pool at Rimpao is great as is the food from the restaurant. Kalasin also has the Dinosaur Museum which is well worth a look (closed on Mondays) but you would probably need a car to get you there and back.

Roi Et is worth a look also. A huge standing Buddha and a very scenic park in the city centre. There is a decent hotel in Roi Et (name escapes me) with a swimming pool.

At all these places the Isan people are very friendly. I am sure you will enjoy yourself.

Travelling between Khon Kaen - Mahasarakham - Roi Et is easy with the ‘pink’ bus service running comfortable AC buses regularly from @ 5.30 am until @7 pm every day.

PM me if you want more details.

Hi all,

came across this helpful thread and im planning to visit mahasarakham in a couple of weeks. looked at the various options for lodging and could only find vasu and takasila hotel on the internet. Sly Animal, where is the main bar stretch of D'living that you are staying at?

are there any accomodation in the kamrieng area?

regards,

[SlyAnimal]

Lim Klong som tawin road is the sorta main bar street which I'm talking about (also a lot of bars out near mor Mai (MSU new campus)). One of the two main nightclubs/music halls is khao karn(the other one, is out near the edge of town), which is next to the vasu hotel. Dee Living or Perfect condo are further down the same street as vasu hotel.

Lim Klong som tawin is a long street, e.g. Serm Thai Plaza, the bus station and Takasila hotel are on it aswell, but maybe more than 1km from vasu hotel, which is probably almost 1km from dee living (if you're going to kaew karn and don't have a motorcycle/car I'd recommend vasu hotel, as tuktuks don't usually work in the evenings)

[SlyAnimal]

Oh and sorry I don't know much about accommodation near khamriang (based on an earlier post, it sounds like this is Mor Mai), but there are quite a few bars out there too lol. It's quite far to go between the two areas, although there are regular songtaews during the day