Young farang wanting to spend some time in Isan.

[brain1]

I stayed with Asia Backpackers in Udon and they did me a deal on a single room, great place and a good location to tour Isan

[BKKBrit]

Though no gym enthusiast, I spend my long weekends escaping Bangkok to Esan. I find it refreshingly simple and the people are always the happiest I have come across in my 14 years here. They see you as a visitor and respect you as much....they aren't after your wallet as they are in the more touristy parts of Thailand and for sure, the smiles are way more natural.

My favourite city would be Mahasarakham followed by Ubon Ratchathani. The scenery in and around Ubon / Yasothon is strikingly beautiful.

Mahasarakham, as one member suggested, has a loads of people of your age given the universities there, and there are bound to be gyms. It's small, easy to navigate and just very pleasant. Further, it's not far from the commercial 'capital' of Esan, Khon Kaen.

Ubon just because of the scenery, food and some seriously pleasant folk. Plus there's the mighty Mekhong and a fascinating archeological park Sao Chaliang.

My overall favourite 'cultural' destination would be the historical city of Sukhothai. Although not in Esan but right bang slap in the middle of the country, it's a quiet and very tranquil location to appreciate Thailand's history - and sitting under a tree with a book listening to nothing but the birds with a landscape of giant buddha figures, palaces and temples. It's a world-heritage site...so if you have the time and inclination, I highly recommend that. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site so it's relatively well-maintained.

I admire what you're doing and wish I could spend 6 months chilling

Chok dee!

[Artist]

Without wishing to upset anybody who lives in Udon Thani, its not a place that I would like to live. Nong Khai is a much nicer city. If you want to get a feel for rural Issan visit our guesthouse website ** Commercial link removed ** If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live.

Edited July 11, 2014 by SlyAnimal
Removed link to commerical site

[Docno]

20 years old eh? I give you a week or two in Isaan before the pull of some of the larger cities and beach resorts becomes too much for you to resist.

Not every 20 year-old is into the beach or bar scene. Why do some find that hard to fathom?

[Docno]

Without wishing to upset anybody who lives in Udon Thani, its not a place that I would like to live. Nong Khai is a much nicer city. If you want to get a feel for rural Issan visit our guesthouse website** link to commercial link remvoed ** If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live.

"If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live"

Well, that's a pretty cynical and even offensive statement coming from someone who is promoting a guesthouse in Isaan. Not everyone seeks romance from a bar stool ...

Edited July 11, 2014 by SlyAnimal
link to commercial site removed from quote

[Docno]

"This time, I really want to get 'soaked up' in the the real things about loving Thailand. The culture, the food and basically just the Thai way of living. I'm also very interested in learning the Isan Language. I come to Thailand to experience THAILAND. I can't relate to other foreigners, especially my age who do nothing but farang things..."

You can't relate to other foreigners who live here for many years? Do you think all of them are alcoholics and psychopaths? Okay, you're a special kid then.

I think you missed his point. He wasn't slagging all farangs who live in Thailand, just saying that he can't relate to those farangs who spend all their time with other farangs doing 'farang things' (which I take him to mean hanging around westerner-oriented bars, eating at western restaurants, etc.). I think he's just saying that he wants a more genuine 'cultural experience' ... not just to be in a version of Sydney in Thailand. I personally relate to that myself...

[Boyce]

khwaibah, on 10 Jul 2014 - 08:17, said:

A1Str8, on 10 Jul 2014 - 07:53, said:

That's a great thing to do and a good idea to visit isaan. It's much better than visiting Bangkok for example with the fake culture and the stuck up mentality.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You can add Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai to that list.

That's not Isan , or is it ..

[Just1Voice]

That's a great thing to do and a good idea to visit isaan. It's much better than visiting Bangkok for example with the fake culture and the stuck up mentality.

Sent from my GT-I9500 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You can add Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai to that list.

If you actually read the OP, no way in hell would you add Pattaya and Phuket to his list! But Chiang Mai is a definite possibility.

[Mudcrab]

My advice to you is DONT GO THERE!!! Are you mental? Why the F^%k would you want to go to Isaan when Thailand has Pattaya? <deleted>?

Yeehaaa....lets all go to Pattaya for the isaan girls!!

[shaurene]

Good on you Mate you know clearly what you want which is half the battle. Khon Kaen is a good place large city and close to many places, bus service to all other city's/towns. Good luck.

[siampolee]

bhthai.

Remember me lad it's your life and it's for real not a fun run.I have done everything I have wanted to do.

90% has been great 5% well I did it and 5% F***.me gently, I should never have done that, but you learn and you have memories.

See a corner go round it, an open door go through it any opening any opportunity take the chance or you'll spend the rest of your life thinking ''what if?''

Still do it at my age now 68 but a bit slower irks the missus but she understands Thai feminine logic = karma in her mind(s)

Live life to the full, don't be a boring young or old fart,remember when you're drooling away in the old folks home in years to come your memories will be more precious than gold

Edited July 11, 2014 by siampolee

[khwaibah]

Give Soi Kola a shot in Surin..

Edited July 11, 2014 by khwaibah

[Artist]

Without wishing to upset anybody who lives in Udon Thani, its not a place that I would like to live. Nong Khai is a much nicer city. If you want to get a feel for rural Issan visit our guesthouse website** link to commercial link remvoed ** If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live.

"If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live"

Well, that's a pretty cynical and even offensive statement coming from someone who is promoting a guesthouse in Isaan. Not everyone seeks romance from a bar stool ...

I am sorry. It was intended as a joke and I hadn't anticipated that anybody might be offended by it. I was just making the point that she sort Isaan of girls a young man might be interested in are probably working in the bars whereas the girls in Isaan are generally much more conservative. All Isaan girls are lovely in any case. I apologise unreservedly for my crass attempt at humour.

[Artist]

Without wishing to upset anybody who lives in Udon Thani, its not a place that I would like to live. Nong Khai is a much nicer city. If you want to get a feel for rural Issan visit our guesthouse website ** Commercial link removed ** If you are interested in Issan girls go to Phuket or Pattaya as that's where they live.

Thanks for removing the "commercial" the fact is that the website I was referring to does have a lot of useful information about the Nong Khai area. If you link to any website with information about Isaan it will contain commercials. If you search for Thailand Painting Holidays you will probably find some useful information about ISAAN.

Now take that one down as well!!!

[Loles]

Do young amigo if you have enough money! You have to learn many thing about the true life and to stay in Isaan probably will be a good lesson.

[shirtless]

Just be aware that things are very different in Essan, Keep your eyes open and dont take to many risks .

[Artist]

Just be aware that things are very different in Essan, Keep your eyes open and dont take to many risks .

That's a strange thing to say. I quite certain that you are much safer in Isaan than any of the major tourist centres. The people have not been corrupted by tourism yet, the only problem is that few speak English.

[96tehtarp]

Hello bhthai. You have a plan. Now all you need to do is stick to it.

You have a good plan. When you arrive skip Bangkok and Pattaya and all that. Don't go there, even for one day. They can be like magnets for farangs and if you get sucked-in and stuck it could easily eat up your entire six months time and budget, or a couple of decades of your life.

I'm located in Central Thailand, the lower North - not Issan. But your plan could easily be implemented here, Issan, or even in the south. All are good choices - avoid the farang ghettos.

I can't recommend a specific spot in Issan, however you should be aware than Issan has three main cultures.: Thai (This Is Thailand), Khmere, and Lao.

Buriram, Surin are heavily Khmere influenced with many people there speaking Thai and Cambodian dialect. Towards Udon Thani, (anything past Khon Kaen), it is heavily Lao influenced and they speak Lao-Thai dialect. You should experience both, (all three). Note: several years ago there was a big exodus of farangs from the bar scene in Pattaya and they relocated to Udon Thani. (If you are trying to avoid that). I'm not knocking Udon Thani.

Look at the map with a view to transportation. I like the recommendation of another poster who touted Mahasrakham as it is quite central and still very Thai. I hope you are able to stay in the center of the Isaan wheel, and make frequent trips out on the spokes to neighboring cities. All of the big cities in Issan have all the amenities a farang could want including farang food when you get the craving.

The biggest obstacle I had when I was twenty, (I had plans similar to yours), was inertia. I always tended to get stuck in one place.

Expect your new Thai friends to be quite clingy and try to keep you captive in one place. They will tell you tales of the cannibals in neighboring provinces where they make soup from farang bones.

I often found myself sucked into farang ghettos like Phuket, Samui, Pattaya. The attraction of those places can be overwhelming and costly.

Someone posted in this thread that you may have visa problems. I'll leave it to you sort out which type of tourist visa you plan to use and where and how you will get it. Things right now are changing quickly. Don't let that worry you now.

You can certainly be a tourist in Thailand for six months, with border runs. You might need things like letters of invitation from Thai people etc. in order to prove you are a real tourist. Stuff like that, eg. having addresses or letters of invitation will help you when doing a border run to prove you are a tourist. You can get these when the time comes. This forum can help you with that when needed. Check back here.

Another poster in this thread mentioned something along the lines of; "A fool and his money are easily separated". Yes, you are going to need to watch out for that. I hope you can get some help here on this forum. You can. You will first need to sort through the naysayers and bitter old men.

If you are heterosexual, brush up on your knowledge of contraception. This because the young Thai girls are not really adept or proficient with that, so it seems.

Good luck, you have a great plan.

Edited July 11, 2014 by 96tehtarp

[Diablo Bob]

bhthai.

Remember me lad it's your life and it's for real not a fun run.I have done everything I have wanted to do.

90% has been great 5% well I did it and 5% F***.me gently, I should never have done that, but you learn and you have memories.

See a corner go round it, an open door go through it any opening any opportunity take the chance or you'll spend the rest of your life thinking ''what if?''

Still do it at my age now 68 but a bit slower irks the missus but she understands Thai feminine logic = karma in her mind(s)

Live life to the full, don't be a boring young or old fart,remember when you're drooling away in the old folks home in years to come your memories will be more precious than gold

I posted this a few weeks ago on another thread.....

I agree with siampolee's thoughts.

[Queenslander]

G'day again

Put your email address into the next link and I will contact you. Not with intellectually inadequate/useless information, but information about Isan from someone who 'actually' not drunkenly lives here!

Edit by SlyAnimal - Please pm the user, rather than posting your e-mail address

[brd]

what is Isan culture please ?

Be very so selfishly happy doing little or nothing, retired at 50 or earlier on and smile at any stranger preferably with deep pockets ?

Send their girls to make a living with foreigners by all means to feed family and ruin the poor working girls ?

whitening their skins with foreign fatherhood kicking out the same father from the kids they see as their own ones only ?

Invite all foreigners to play play play ?

What could a young man achieve there ? visiting short time possibly for a change of scenery, just going through the jungle, same same but different....

[DILLIGAD]

Give Soi Kola a shot in Surin..

Why? It's crap, overpriced and uninspiring.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mick01827]

Hi

I've recently came back from Thailand after spending 6 months there. I spent about 4 months in Ubon Ratchathani city, I really enjoyed it there, its cheap and the people are completely different to the south, by this I mean the people are extremely genuine, its not a tourist hot spot so money is not the main factor to their lives( ie you tend not to get ripped off)

Theres a big park in the city which has an outside gym which is free for all to use 24hours a day plus at night time the park comes alive with many diiferent activities, football, basketball, skateboarding, ballroom dancing, people running, theres also a couple of other gyms that you have to pay for. A couple of farang bars are in ubon although I used to use the thai bars at the weekends when I would go out but it was nice to talk with some farang occasionally.

I know alot of the hotels/apartments/rooms for rent if you need any help and the general info about the city/province etc.

You can contact me if you need any help or info.

All the best

mick

Edited by SlyAnimal - Removed email address, if you would like to contact the poster, please do so via pm instead.

[slipperylobster]

Udon Thani has what you want. Several gyms, swimming pools and a nice large park for exercise. There is a large mall you will enjoy, right next to Farang street (Soi Samphan), which has your flavor of the month. Easy to get around, just rent a moped. I recommend the Physical Education College for a gym, as you are younger. You can stay in a room just between Soi Samphan and Central plaza mall. I forgot the name...but it is not expensive, by the month. Typically can get a room in an apartelle for 6 to 8 thousand baht a month, plus electricity and water. Excursions to Nong Khai and Vientiane are quick and easty (one hour or less). There is a nice airport to fly in to, train station, and bus station. Plenty of other farangs....when you need to chat/watch a game.

[sabai-dee-man]

I've spent time in Khon Kaen, Udon, and Ubon, amongst others, and from what I gathered from the OP, I would say Ubon [as a base] fits the bill the most.

Udon, in my opinion, has everything more centralised, but is much more commercialised these days. (When I first visited Udon, about 15 years ago, I rarely saw another westerner, but now it's difficult to avoid them!)

Ubon however, although not much "quieter", has considerably less of a "city" feel to it. As someone else pointed out too, the people are really friendly and genuinely inquisitive, and the nearby national parks are absolutely stunning. You'll ideally need some form of personal transport in Ubon though. When I was last there in the spring though, there was a lot of development going on. I still think it would make a great base though.

Khon Kaen (city), for me, was far too busy, although rather laid back around the outskirts of the city in the evenings. The lake just south of the city centre is a nice place to spend the evening sometimes, but again you can't but help running into westerners in KK.

A few less often mentioned cities, that would really drop you in quite deep, are Amnat Charoen, Chumphae, and Nong Bua Lamphu. Each is quite undeveloped, and you'll rarely see another foreigner. While they have some western amenities now, you're never going to feel overwhelmed with shopping malls and superstores, and will always know you're "out in the sticks" a bit, without actually being out in the sticks too much, and losing all touch with civilisation as we know it! (It is good to pop into a Tesco's or somewhere similar now and again!)

Just my tuppence worth.

Sabai Dee Man!

[meatboy]

I've spent time in Khon Kaen, Udon, and Ubon, amongst others, and from what I gathered from the OP, I would say Ubon [as a base] fits the bill the most.

Udon, in my opinion, has everything more centralised, but is much more commercialised these days. (When I first visited Udon, about 15 years ago, I rarely saw another westerner, but now it's difficult to avoid them!)

Ubon however, although not much "quieter", has considerably less of a "city" feel to it. As someone else pointed out too, the people are really friendly and genuinely inquisitive, and the nearby national parks are absolutely stunning. You'll ideally need some form of personal transport in Ubon though. When I was last there in the spring though, there was a lot of development going on. I still think it would make a great base though.

Khon Kaen (city), for me, was far too busy, although rather laid back around the outskirts of the city in the evenings. The lake just south of the city centre is a nice place to spend the evening sometimes, but again you can't but help running into westerners in KK.

A few less often mentioned cities, that would really drop you in quite deep, are Amnat Charoen, Chumphae, and Nong Bua Lamphu. Each is quite undeveloped, and you'll rarely see another foreigner. While they have some western amenities now, you're never going to feel overwhelmed with shopping malls and superstores, and will always know you're "out in the sticks" a bit, without actually being out in the sticks too much, and losing all touch with civilisation as we know it! (It is good to pop into a Tesco's or somewhere similar now and again!)

Just my tuppence worth.

Sabai Dee Man!

khon kaen [city] for me and not a mention for the uni girls.what are you here for?

[klikster]

I think KK Uni also has a language school. Lots of pretty girls, plenty of reasonably priced housing ..

And I guess I don't understand the "avoid other foreigners" in a few posts. There are some pretty nice folks of all races and persuasions living in Isaan.

Edited July 12, 2014 by klikster

[CTO]

Rice planting Season, we could go an extra pairs of hands!

Why don't you try teaching, there are at least 8 young/not old farang teachers employed legally in Sawang Daen Din

Wife does home stay's, but it's not for the faint hearted

[bhthai]

Firstly, I appreciate all the contributions to this thread and I apologise for a late response to my own questions...

I have tried to multi-quote my responses, multiple times, but I keep getting fkd over when trying to submit my post. Not sure if a internet, forum or just browser issue.

Apparently 3 multi-quotes is above the limited...? seems low...oh well, apologize for individual replies.

Best way to travel through Isaan (it's beautiful) would be to find yourself a genuine local soul mate and start moving from place to place.

Without local insight you will miss out on the most interesting part of your Journey; Isaan culture.

I would land In Kurat (large city with every conceivable amenity) and start planning from there.

Having a significant other is something I definitively agree will allow me to get a deeper insight into Thai/Isan culture and I also would enjoy the compony.

For this reason I created an account on TF. I have made quite a few connections already and even if they are only limited to a friendship it's probably still a good idea to make as many friends as possible.

[bhthai]

Good on you for working, saving and experiencing life! Far to many kids today doing naff all with their lives!

Thanks.

I definitely think a lot of people judge me and have their own options on how I should use MY money and MY time, but I personally feel what I am doing for myself is not only something I gain a lot from now, but something I will cherish when I am older, too.

In the end I don't think I'm ever going to think to myself "Damn, I really wish I hadn't spent so much time living overseas and doing things most people will never experience in their lives"