Kenny202 Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 (edited) Heading up to Nong Kai this week for a couple of days. Apart from the lovely riverside market area, we were pretty dissapointed last time but to be fair we didn't plan anything much. Drove about 20km out to a "mekong beach" only to find it wasn't there. Locals told us it washed away some time ago. Then followed signs from town to a waterfall. Quite a long way then the signs just stopped. We stopped and asked directions (missus pet hate. She'd rather drive around in circles for hours rather than ask) but no one knew of any waterfalls. So looking for a bit of guidance on things to do. Is there anywhere for a swim? We were told people swim near the friendship bridge but couldn't find that area too. Is the Mekong even clean enough to swim in? Nice places to eat? Things to see? Someone told me there was a special market there...maybe Saturday night? Is it much hassle to cross the border and go and see Vientiane? I'll be in my Thai registered vehicle and I'm on a retirement visa. Probably need a re entry permit? Does it take a long time at the border going? Coming back? Best time of the day to cross? Will be going midweek Edited June 19, 2016 by Kenny202 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 i have read previous posts they indicate some sort of car passport required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted June 19, 2016 Share Posted June 19, 2016 Best bet would be to park the car at a car park near the bridge. Cheap. I usually grab a van service after clearing Laos immigration. Cost about 800 Baht for the day to take you and wait for you in Vientiane. When you say you are on a Retirement visa, I assume you mean an extension of your permission to stay, based on Retirement (it is not a visa). If you are on an extension, then yes, you will need a re-entry permit to keep that extension alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny202 Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Ok. Understand OA visa. Yes you would need the re-entry permit as you are on the second year of the visa. I happen to love beer Laos and you can get it and drink it in Laos (Vientiane) quite cheap. Lots of "restaurants" and I love the Liver Pate French baguettes widely available. I'm not much on the site seeing so will have to leave that to others. But the Van Driver would be able to make suggestions that you might be interested in. Edit: It typically does not take long to clear immigration from my experience. Sometimes just a few minutes to maybe 20 minutes. Edited June 20, 2016 by Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARYZX6R Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 If you like live music/resturants along the river front about 1 half kms heading right from the indoor market there are lots of bars with nice views over the river. Nightime only though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soisiphok Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 GARYZX6R, when where you last there? I went in January after an 8yr absence & have to say it's dead as a doornail since back then. LESS bars/girls but more value accommodation. After 4 days I was bored shitless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliss Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Couple of half decent Indian Restaurants there . Try Luang Prabang , Now a reasonable safe journey . The mud roads do not get washed away like they used to do. thanks Tarmac . Also with the super high speed coaches , not soo many highway robbers , Those were the days , hey Robin . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canopus1969 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Couple of half decent Indian Restaurants there . Try Luang Prabang , Now a reasonable safe journey . The mud roads do not get washed away like they used to do. thanks Tarmac . Also with the super high speed coaches , not soo many highway robbers , Those were the days , hey Robin . Can you give a rough idea where these 2 Indian restaurants are in NK please ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny202 Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Couple of half decent Indian Restaurants there . Try Luang Prabang , Now a reasonable safe journey . The mud roads do not get washed away like they used to do. thanks Tarmac . Also with the super high speed coaches , not soo many highway robbers , Those were the days , hey Robin . I'd be more terrified of sitting in a "high speed coach" than I would be of pirates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ireland32 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Well it's an extension of my first year OA visa. I left the country and returned just before my first year visa date ran out. I still think I need a re entry permit though. Is Vientiane worth seeing mate? Is it a long time to clear customs going and coming back? Couple of half decent Indian Restaurants there . Try Luang Prabang , Now a reasonable safe journey . The mud roads do not get washed away like they used to do. thanks Tarmac . Also with the super high speed coaches , not soo many highway robbers , Those were the days , hey Robin . Can you give a rough idea where these 2 Indian restaurants are in NK please ? . I heard in Vientiane, might be one in Nong Khai but English restaurant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starky Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliss Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. Kap . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny202 Posted June 27, 2016 Author Share Posted June 27, 2016 So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. haha seems like it or it so good everyone wants to keep it a secret. It's nice on the water there next to the Mekong, and the markets where pretty cool, but otherwise standard sleepy little Thai town. Not any farang restaurants that I saw. I thought I read somewhere it was voted one of the best places in the world to live? I don't get it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliss Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 (edited) So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list.haha seems like it or it so good everyone wants to keep it a secret. It's nice on the water there next to the Mekong, and the markets where pretty cool, but otherwise standard sleepy little Thai town. Not any farang restaurants that I saw. I thought I read somewhere it was voted one of the best places in the world to live? I don't get it Try Brendans restaurant , on the river front , farlang restaurant , only been there for soo ,many years , and the street Bar areas , not too far away ,,,,,Nuff said . Sex Toursits , go to Udon , oops i mean Sin city , aka Pattaya ... 555 FYI , OP is Just another sex tourist , in disguise . This could be my last post , maybe my last post i dont know., UM / UT , forgive me , pleese. new id @ 123459 Edited June 27, 2016 by elliss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starky Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. haha seems like it or it so good everyone wants to keep it a secret. It's nice on the water there next to the Mekong, and the markets where pretty cool, but otherwise standard sleepy little Thai town. Not any farang restaurants that I saw. I thought I read somewhere it was voted one of the best places in the world to live? I don't get it Na not interested in farang restaurants. Have been other places on the river but being not far from Nong Khai was a bit interested in how this played out. As you said maybe just really well kept secrets because some don't want us coming up there or as I stated there is fyck all to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DILLIGAD Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. haha seems like it or it so good everyone wants to keep it a secret. It's nice on the water there next to the Mekong, and the markets where pretty cool, but otherwise standard sleepy little Thai town. Not any farang restaurants that I saw. I thought I read somewhere it was voted one of the best places in the world to live? I don't get itLive or exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ban Merry Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Very Bleak town indeed these days. Absolutely dead with only the usual grumpy old lad eyeballing you for eating or drinking in their regular restaurant. Some very strange folk live there. Anyway, take a drive along the river to Sri Chang Mai for lunch then back to Nongkai or home. Nice road with a few restaurants over looking the river into Laos. Aquarium is meant to be okay in Nongkai as well. Always the golf course if you play. At night if you think Vientiane is boring then try the lady, lady boy area of Nongkai. You won't need to take sleeping pills for a good night sleep. Just plain boring now. 12-6 years back used to be okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ireland32 Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) So 10 days later seems like there is fyck all to do in Nong Khai then? Guess I can cross that off the to-do list. haha seems like it or it so good everyone wants to keep it a secret. It's nice on the water there next to the Mekong, and the markets where pretty cool, but otherwise standard sleepy little Thai town. Not any farang restaurants that I saw. I thought I read somewhere it was voted one of the best places in the world to live? I don't get it. There are Western Food restaurants and a famous Vietnamese place, Look on TA, Jing Joe's is Very Popular, right near Brendan and Noi's but not on River, pretty active Farang bars on Nong Khai City Hotel street, it's called Soi Nitapant Mai's and Aussie bar or boxing bar and many others Edited June 28, 2016 by Ireland32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soisiphok Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Soi Nitapant, what a joke, only ONE bar with girls. Nong Kai, sadly only a shadow of its former self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliss Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 . There are Western Food restaurants and a famous Vietnamese place, Look on TA, Jing Joe's is Very Popular, right near Brendan and Noi's but not on River, pretty active Farang bars on Nong Khai City Hotel street, it's called Soi Nitapant Mai's and Aussie bar or boxing bar and many others Koun Ireland , please keep nite life nfo private , we do not want the wong type of farang here ,same Udon, Nong Kai , is a pleasant respite . Lady Laos not greedy ,soo much , same err, lady thai.? Night life Nong Kai has , sure . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soisiphok Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Lady Nong Kai has suret.. I agree, but these days you have to t be " in the know" to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny202 Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 (edited) Anyone know what time the long market area on the riverfront is open until? Is it open every day or only weekends? What about a decent reasonably priced hotel? Edited July 7, 2016 by Kenny202 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chapelroad Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Look for a temple, just outside the city, called Sala Kaew Ku. Amazing statues in the grounds, and good for a few hours sightseeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliss Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Anyone know what time the long market area on the riverfront is open until? Is it open every day or only weekends? What about a decent reasonably priced hotel? Indochine Market is open every day , after 4 pm goes quiet as people Laos return home across the Mekong river . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ireland32 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Anyone know what time the long market area on the riverfront is open until? Is it open every day or only weekends? What about a decent reasonably priced hotel? Indochine Market is open every day , after 4 pm goes quiet as people Laos return home across the Mekong river . . I usually stay Nong Khai City Hotel it's on a Soi Farang type street, soi Nitapant, Mai's Restaurant is across street ask Luc and Mai anything about the area, cheap room , good food go to Jing Joe's and say hello to John, great guy , one Soi off the river kinda Behring Vietnamese restaurant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas39 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 Nong Khai is a pleasant, quiet provincial town with a few farang restaurants and many Thai restaurants in the town and along the Mekong every night. I took this video of the Saturday night market along the Mekong. There are glimpses of the river and the Friendship Bridge to Laos. Lets hope it stays quiet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soisiphok Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I enjoyed that chas39 but really liked the music! Carabao? Do you know what C.D. ? I want to get/download it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny202 Posted July 8, 2016 Author Share Posted July 8, 2016 Anyone know what time the long market area on the riverfront is open until? Is it open every day or only weekends? What about a decent reasonably priced hotel? Indochine Market is open every day , after 4 pm goes quiet as people Laos return home across the Mekong river . thanks mate :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas39 Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I enjoyed that chas39 but really liked the music! Carabao? Do you know what C.D. ? I want to get/download it. Hi soisiphok; glad you liked it. I found the track on YouTube. There were videos of Carabao just sitting/playing in a studio rather than in concert. I had a quick look just now but couldn't find the same video - but it will be there somewhere. Hope you find it. They have their own website which may be of help. It also lists upcoming concerts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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