Looking to take a trip to Isaan for a few days for fun. Where would you base youselves from a cruising pov?

Korat

Khon Kaen

An Ubon or an Udon?

Travelling with my Thai bf who is from the south, and we both love Isaan guys and threesomes, and would like a new destination.

Quote |

Every month or so I make an Isaan trip. Previously and even more so now(fuel at Bht26+/liter), I find it better to fly on AirAsia to Khon Kaen or Ubon Ratchathani and rent a car from Budget at the airport(Call Budget or e-mail them for a reservation to their RCA, Bangkok office). That way you arrive in the heart of the place fresh and with less expense. If you drive from Bangkok, the route is not so interesting and a waste of time. Khorat really isn't real Isaan and apart from the swimming pool on the roof of The Mall, not so exciting.
At Khon Kaen you have the large lake to cruise (south and south-west end) and walking distance from The Beach and a very beautiful square temple. There is another sauna called Dolphins on Srichan soi Supathera..Walking distance from Sofitel. It has massage but not tried yet.
In Khon Kaen, Fairy Mall is pretty ok. Also if you have a car, take a long drive through Khon Kaen University...it is a huge campus and very interesting...take a snack in the student rec areas and chat to some boys there...they like to chat.
After Khon Kaen, head east to Mahasarakhan and drive through the Mahasarakhan and Ratchaphat universities...teaming with talent. Mahasarakhan uni is the area's best/largest uni for teaching English. There is a new, small mall in the city centre called SermThai Plaza that is cruisy. On the way to Mahasarakhan from Khon Kaen you will see signs to Isaan Jurassic Park..It’s in Kalasin and worth a visit if you have time...it's a museum with dino relics and excavations.

Contrary to what you might expect, Isaan is not packed with cute boys..they mostly seem to have gone to Bangkok already. But at the universities you will see hoards of them...very few deeper in the country side.
After Mahasarakhan, head for Yasothon and then Ubon. Stay at Nevada Hotel or Inn.....or Ratchaphat Hotel(A huge edifice built for the government and then handed over to Ratchaphat uni to run as a hotel). In the central Candle park, there are some commercial guys at night..never found a good one. The rent boy shop is on Phrommarat Rd...do not go near...let your Thai friend go alone.

At the south end of Udon province, just inside Si Siket, is access to Phra Vihan temple. It is very interesting and beautifully perched on a high hill just 3 kms inside Cambodia and overlooks Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. You have to walk the 3 kms..but it's worth it and the Cambodian guide boys are super pleasant.
From Ubon, head east to Phibun and Kong Chiam at the confluence of the Mun and Mekong rivers, From Mae Nam on the river bank, you can rent a little boat for Bht200 to take you across the river to a Laos village where you pay Bht50 to the local police in lieu of visa and shop around and buy stuff cheaply.
Then head north and follow the Mekong River all the way via Nakhon Phanom(stay a night on the river and mingle with the lads on the river bank in the evening). Then continue all the way up and around to Nhong Khai. Stay at the guest houses on the river bank and eat there also..often many cute waiters. If you want to pay the $30 plus taxi, then visit Vientiane for a night across the Friendship bridge. Leave the car at some hotel car park in Nong Khai. Then head west along the Mekong to Chiang Khan..stay on river bank in many cheap and good guest houses...all seem to serve muesli for breakfast. Then head south to Loei...just west of Loei, there is a lake where they tow you out to the middle on a raft and then bring food out to you after you send signals using flags on a pole. You can have scintillating sex in a perfect setting if you have the right guy with you.

Then head for Nong Bua and Udon Thani. Visit Robinson's mall and eat at Sizzler on the roof. Just opposite and to the right is a boy bar, but it's deteriorated into a mindless karaoke place..but used to have some fantastic lads a few years back. then drive back to Khon Kaen.
It is more interesting to use some of he gay web chat sites to find lads living in the area before you go to act as guides and hosts.
Now is a good time to go as the scenery is stunning in the rice areas with all the recent rains.

Quote |

Great review, thank you Yannawa ...
I second everything you said especially the great atmospehere along the Mekong River be it in Chiang Khan or in Nakhon Panom.
About Ubon I met nice freelancers in the Nevada Entertainment Complex near the karaoke boxes.
Can you tell us more about the 'rent boy shop' in Ubon ?

Quote |

Great response Yannawa, thank you. Do you stay at the Sofitel in Khon Kaen? Any problems with guests?

Quote |

A few months back, I tried to book into the Kosa and Charoen Thani next to the Sofitel as they certainly have no problem for guests, but they were full...so I motored around looking for other hotels and came across The Khon Kaen Hotel. It's only about Bht600/night and is good enough and never full and not a problem with guests either. There are a few small resort-type restaurant/bar places around the hotel where you can have a better breakfast than the hotel offers. This hotel is on the main drag Klangmuang Road that is a through route down to the lake near The Beach and has the Fairy Plaza also. The plaza infront of the Sofitel is not so exciting. Fairy is better and has Khon Kaen's only Pizza Company restaurant.
http://www.khonkaen.com has a lot of useful information and maps.

Quote |

The worst thing about travelling in Isan, for me anyway, is that it is hard to find a good restaurant. When there in February this year, I had to go to find some large malls in town as they have some chain restaurants from Bangkok such as S&P, Sifa, PizzaHut, etc. Some of these restaurants also serve generally well known Isan foods like Papaya salad, Lab Kai, etc.

It would be nicer to dine at a local individual restaurant but hard to find. There are lots of cafes with karaoke I noticed.

Be warned when you go to an authentic traditional Isan restaurant unless you are happy to try something like Oxtail, buffalos dicks, Cows guts, etc. You never know you may like it, but certainly not for me !.

Quote |

We spend hours sucking on Isaan dicks...why would anyone not like a buffalo dick?...bigger and juicier I would imagine

Quote |

Arrived at Khon Kaen airport and collected a hire car. Straightforward 15 minute drive into town. Stayed at the Sofitel, 50% reduction on rack rates. It’s right in the centre of town but then so are a couple of other good hotels. Club Gik in the basement of the Sofitel is pretty dead.

The best, and certainly gayest club, was Zolid, in the basement of the Charoen Thani Hotel(for that reason I would probably stay there next time). Live music and fun show alternates with techno music. It’s huge(the biggest in Isaan?) and a significant gay presence there.

When that closes you can go on to Party House which is an open air group of restaurants with music, good food and more to drink. A very social atmosphere, mixed ages, with table hopping the norm, and open until dawn.

A late night alternative, with a young crowd, is Say Hi, near Big C, which has karaoke and dancing, again until dawn.

Ko Tho, close to Sofitel, is a bit more upmarket and intimate than the other venues, but good atmosphere and excellent live bands, with very cute and friendly singers.

There is a plaza, 200 yards from the Sofitel, name forgotten, which is the Isaan version of Panthip Plaza, and possibly bigger.

The Beach Sauna was unimpressive, in presentation or clientele.

It was a fun trip, and great to see some new venues

Quote |

Thai guy quotes ,

***
The worst thing about travelling in Isan, for me anyway, is that it is hard to find a good restaurant

***
As a semi vegetarian , travelling in Khon Kean was fun .

There are 2 vegetalian eateries near FAIRY PLAZA , one near my hotel ( Number ONE ) and another one near Chroeng Thani hotel ( all of them are not air-con though )
Must be some more in the city .
Some of them DO serve vegetarian Isarn foods like " LARB JE " .

But if you are Muslim , it will be like ALL DAY ALL YEAR RAMADAN

Muslim restaurant is no existence in this modern Isarn city .
( I just remembered Dreamorph will take his Muslim Malaysian friend to Thailand for holiday )

Fairy Plaza's food court has " KAO MOK KAI " shop ???

Quote |

Hey Ninja.....u sure u r a semi vegetarian? You must've been taking more sausages than anyone else here!!
Anyway, thanks for all your postings. Always enjoyed reading your sexial adventures!

Quote |

Dear Zippo ,


They are not sausages .
THEY ARE MATSUTAKE MUSHROOMS !
That's why it makes me a vegetarian .

By the way , I have found Thai Air Asia's ( FD ) special one way fare to BKK from KL was just 499 Bhats ++ for Nov.
I guess U already know about this .

Quote |

Very interesting - planing a Visa Trip is January, February cold ?

Quote |

February is not cold but last week was very cool.
Visited Khon Kaen's Dolphins Sauna and Massage(walking distance from Sofitel/Kosa/Charoen). It's similar to Mail Box in Rama 2. But they have massage boys who are good but don't initiate sex although it's there for the asking. The boss, Phae is very welcoming and the reception lad is cute. Most visitors on Friday/Saturday. I was there last Monday and fondled every other customer(4) because all were attractive to me. Bht100 entrance and Bht400 massage.

Boy Boy karaoke host bar in Ubon Thani has moved to a wider, quieter soi. Come out of Robinsons, turn right and then immediately left at the junction and then take the first soi on the right and Boy Boy is up there on the left. Few boys there but worth a look on weekends. Found a cute lad outside Robinsons trying to start his bike, but had electrical problems so i took him to a repair shop to get someone to help him. I had no expectations of anything but when the bike was running again he asked me if he could come to my hotel as i had helped him. He had a huge, thick and throbbing dick that sprayed my chest and face while his bum held my penis pinned to my stomach.

Quote |

Yannawa - your posts on Isarn were great. Do you have any updates as you are/were a regular visitor? Will be making a week's trip around the region soon.

Quote |

I am sorry I don't really have anything new. I have a jungle house now in Ubon province and usually go only to Ubon city in transit. I have met some fine lads in Ubon recently but via gayromeo and not by cruising anywhere. But I would always recommend Khon Kaen as a base and then branch out from there. Udon is close by and there is always a load of potential in Mahasarakham...two big universities there and SermThai Plaza in the city on the klong, is a spot where I have met some lads in term time. Search cities in Thailand with "maha" and you will find a few...even one boy currently there looking for a threesome!

Quote |