Never been to Issan. Is there anything really worth seeing there?

[blazes]

This second picture gives a very precise idea of the flat landscape that awaits you in virtually the whole of Issan.  

If you come from East Anglia or the prairies of Canada or from Nebraska and other flatlands in the US, you will at least know how to put up with the flats of Issan.

[Oztruckie]

If you still around in,think it's November,and in Nong Khai,you might like to go see the naga fireballs shooting up out of the Mekong river at night,I believe it's quite a phenomenon,even has all the scientists baffled,they cannot explain was caused them.

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed. 

[Jip99]

34 minutes ago, Oztruckie said:

If you still around in,think it's November,and in Nong Khai,you might like to go see the naga fireballs shooting up out of the Mekong river at night,I believe it's quite a phenomenon,even has all the scientists baffled,they cannot explain was caused them.

 

 

Dream on........... folklore.

 

 

Saw jack when I went up there..

[csabo]

8 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

The zoo is pretty nice. Little trams drive you around.  You can hop on and off and  walk around at your own pace.

Wow when the other guy said Isaan included twenty provinces I thought it was big. I guess not based on your description. 

[Jip99]

37 minutes ago, blazes said:

This second picture gives a very precise idea of the flat landscape that awaits you in virtually the whole of Issan.  

If you come from East Anglia or the prairies of Canada or from Nebraska and other flatlands in the US, you will at least know how to put up with the flats of Issan.

 

 

Coming from Lincolnshire I found Buriram quite hilly! 

[Stevemercer]

Isan is a nice place to live and settle into a community because the people are so nice and it is relatively cheap. However, just traveling around as a tourist, without hanging around enough to get immersed in the lifestyle, could be a bit tedious. There are better parts of Thailand to tour.

[Jip99]

10 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

Isan is a nice place to live and settle into a community because the people are so nice and it is relatively cheap. However, just traveling around as a tourist, without hanging around enough to get immersed in the lifestyle, could be a bit tedious. There are better parts of Thailand to tour.

 

 

I am not so sure that Isaan is 'relatively cheap'......... other than for housing.

 

 

Happy to hear about other things that are cheaper............... I will not accept khao man gai from the village noodle stall as 'relativity'

[Ace of Pop]

No?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Wake Up]

6 hours ago, JLCrab said:

Khon Kaen is notable for 2 famous structures: the first one is a major tourist attraction for Thai tourists and the second, in the photo on the right, well, it's a navigation landmark let's just say.

 

 

 

 

Like your photos but I saw the two most beautiful structures in Khon Kaen at Tawandang and a few more at Thom Tom. 

 

University city with the most beautiful Thai lady structures in Thailand. 

[JLCrab]

I've said that a major past time in Khon Kaen could be riding the songtaews near the universities but I might have other words for the fauna besides 'structure'.

[Gary A]

Everything is worth seeing even if all you get out of it is being able to say, "Yep, I've been there". Nothing is really the same. There are beautiful mountain views . waterfalls, rock formations, rivers, forests, flat rice paddies for as far as you can see and seemingly endless fields of sugarcane. I live in Loei province out in the boonies but still have a condo in Jomtien. With the help of my GPS, I am able to choose at least a partially different route every trip down and back.

[The Dark Lord]

Perhaps the steam of disenchanted farangs heading for Swampy might be worth viewing. 

 

If i I may ask what persuaded you to leave for ever ( I am having very serious second thoughts about coming back)

[sjbrownderby]

If you are having to ask then you do not know much about Thailand. I live in Isaan and just from your question I can tell that there is nothing here for you. It would be best if you stay in Pattaya and look at pictures on the internet. That should satisfy your curiosity. 

[The Dark Lord]

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

Dream on........... folklore.

 

 

Saw jack when I went up there..

How was he? ( Jack that is), I haven't seen him in a while......

[gummy]

1 hour ago, Stevemercer said:

Isan is a nice place to live and settle into a community because the people are so nice and it is relatively cheap. However, just traveling around as a tourist, without hanging around enough to get immersed in the lifestyle, could be a bit tedious. There are better parts of Thailand to tour.

What is a Lincy  doing in Thailand ?

So you have never met me but after my failure of my mountain rescue school when I worked in Holland in the 1970's,   then my disastrous venture of a Boston ski slope  and more recently my cross country skiing school in Udon Thani, I am surprised our paths have not crossed .  However apart from these ventures what to do and see in Issan is very dependant upon exactly what your interests  are ?

[bberrythailand]

Wow, I found someone worst than me ! I have no interest visiting and crap place where most of the people go, but at least I have already been to most provinces in Thailand (but I do not visit, I just live).

 

Nothing special in esaan just as nothing special near the beach.

 

 

[bazza73]

Any place is what someone makes of it. I found Issan quite interesting. Drove around it in low season, stayed in mostly empty hotels for comparative peanuts. Volcano crater in Buriram, the hills like sharks teeth in Loei. Spectacular mountain scenery coming down through Petchabun from Loei. Although that's probably not regarded as Issan proper.

 

There's a retreat near Udon Thani built by a very holy monk - not a temple - back in the 1950's. Local villagers regard him as holy because he banished the tigers that were eating their livestock. The retreat has a large elevated meeting hall with a wooden floor. Walking on it in bare feet is a great sensation. It's been polished daily by hand for over 60 years with coconut husks, and it feels like walking on silk.

 

It does help to have a Thai partner. As a lone falang, I would have just driven past most of the interesting parts completely unaware.

[khunPer]

I would say Phanom Rung in Buriram and Elephant Round Up in Surin both are "must see", but that has already been mentioned, so just a repeat...

 

 

[The manic]

23 hours ago, Lamkyong said:

sir names not BOWIE per chance ??

Er no.  Where did you are think you may have met me? 

[Blue bruce]

The most beautiful women in  all of Thailand

[Lamkyong]

52 minutes ago, The manic said:

Er no.  Where did you are think you may have met me? 

?????

[ALFREDO]

On 15/8/2560 at 1:19 AM, SunsetT said:

No! ....................lol

Right!  

 

OP,  =thaibeachlovers=, I only surprised that that in nearly 50 years,  no Thai woman or man, brought you to her/his family home in Isaan.  

No intense relationships it seems. 

 

By the way - in your age - you decide to live your lifespan out some other place? Why and where?  

[catman20]

On 8/15/2017 at 7:45 AM, davidst01 said:

come and see the best looking girls in thailand. 

really where do you recommend ?

[wildewillie89]

21 hours ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

I am not so sure that Isaan is 'relatively cheap'......... other than for housing.

 

 

Happy to hear about other things that are cheaper............... I will not accept khao man gai from the village noodle stall as 'relativity'

Isaan is 'relatively cheap', if discussing every day items. A fried rice dish at a restaurant in my city is 35 baht, whereas in the village it is 30 baht. Go to Bangkok and the like and that same dish in a similar restaurant will be 3-5 times higher. I would have thought your big grocery stores would also be slightly more expensive in richer areas.

Housing and the advantages of housing vs apartments (cheaper land, and also cheaper electricity and water bills). 

 

Really, it is only non-food shopping items that are more expensive (bought bulk in Bkk and sold on here). Most people probably go to Bangkok at least once a year so will just get all the things they need then (if they are concerned about the slight increase in cost). 

The wife and I are able to save 15,000 baht per month, which will only increase as her salary increases (paying a homeloan, insurance schemes for the kids, bills, one child, another on the way, 2 giant breed dogs (fed raw meat). I very much doubt that would be possible if we lived in central Thailand.  
 

[transam]

It is most definitely cheaper to live in Isaan.....

[ALFREDO]

29 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

2 giant breed dogs (fed raw meat). 
 

Interesting - what kind? Photos?  Had some years ago my own bunch of big dogs.  

[wildewillie89]

13 minutes ago, ALFREDO said:

Interesting - what kind? Photos?  Had some years ago my own bunch of big dogs.  

What did you have?

 

I have a female Caucasian Shepherd that has just been joined by a male Fila Brasileiro. Had a good look at the Thai Bangkaew dog with the relatives, but on inspection I tended to agree with them that it did not fit our needs (loving family dog, but also a strong deterrent during election times - family is in politics). 

[ALFREDO]

2 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

What did you have?

 

I have a female Caucasian Shepherd that has just been joined by a male Fila Brasileiro. Had a good look at the Thai Bangkaew dog with the relatives, but on inspection I tended to agree with them that it did not fit our needs (loving family dog, but also a deterrent during election times - family is in politics). 

Thank you -    "a deterrent during election times"  

 

I would have thought that can be a problem with a Fila Brasileiro lol 

 

Same time I had in a walled 2 Rai land, a Bullmastiff, Rottweiler, Bordeaux Dogge, American Boxer, French Bulldog - all boys.

I do not trust most Thais with animals, so I did not like to have puppies to give away and think if they get a good life. 

 

Was ok, but had after some time the Boxer and the Bordeaux kept apart as the Boxer did not back down after the last arrived bigger Bordeaux breed and was bitten, had to go for stitching twice. 

    

 

 

 

[wildewillie89]

Just now, ALFREDO said:

Thank you -    "a deterrent during election times"  

 

I would have thought that can be a problem with a Fila Brasileiro lol 

 

Same time I had in a walled 2 Rai land, a Bullmastiff, Rottweiler, Bordeaux Dogge, American Boxer, French Bulldog - all boys.

I do not trust most Thais with animals, so I did not like to have puppies to give away and think if they get a good life. 

 

Was ok, but had after some time the Boxer and the Bordeaux kept apart as the Boxer did not back down after the last arrived bigger Bordeaux breed and was bitten, had to go for stitching twice. 

    

 

 

 

The gates obviously have to be locked constantly. Caucasian roams the land protecting the boundaries. The Fila will be more of a close, personal protection dog. 99.9% of the time everything is fine, but during election times the family get the threats (3rd world politics lol). Although will be interesting if it happens with the dogs. 

Some big breeds there...boys do a lot better together than girls. What do you have currently?

 

Socialised the hell out of the Caucasian, she is pretty good now. Knows when and when not to step up. I can happily walk her through the village each day. She will let people touch her if I am comfortable with them. The whole village know her name and like to say hello as they drive past on the motorbikes (I think just happy that a dog is not trying to attack them). At her home her temperament is obviously the opposite, very protective. 

Will do the same with the Fila, but slightly different as their disliking for strangers is slightly stronger.