Nong kai things to do

[Kenny202]

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

[Lamkyong]

i have read previous posts they indicate some sort of car passport required

[Ken]

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.

[Kenny202]

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?

[Ken]

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.

[GARYZX6R]

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.

[soisiphok]

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.

[elliss]

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 .

[canopus1969]

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 ?

[Kenny202]

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!

[Ireland32]

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

[starky]

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.

[elliss]

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 .

[Kenny202]

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

[elliss]

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

[starky]

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.

[DILLIGAD]

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

Live or exist?

[Ban Merry]

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.

[Ireland32]

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

[soisiphok]

Soi Nitapant, what a joke, only ONE bar with girls. Nong Kai, sadly only a shadow of its former self.

[elliss]

. 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 .

[soisiphok]

Lady Nong Kai has suret.. I agree, but these days you have to t be " in the know" to find it.

[Kenny202]

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?

[Chapelroad]

Look for a temple, just outside the city, called Sala Kaew Ku.

Amazing statues in the grounds, and good for a few hours sightseeing.

[elliss]

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 .

[Ireland32]

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

[chas39]

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.

[soisiphok]

I enjoyed that chas39 but really liked the music! Carabao? Do you know what C.D. ? I want to get/download it.

[Kenny202]

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 :-)

[chas39]

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.