THEGUIDE
udon thani
142
FAHTHAI
1 _
WHAT WE
RECOMMEND
You won’t find it in
many guidebooks, but
Udon Thani is home to
a horse-racing track that
makes for an exciting
day out. Every Saturday
afternoon, punters gather
at Intergames Park to
bet on one of the few
events where it’s allowed.
(
intergamespark.com)
2 _
KNOW THE
NUMBER
47 – the distance in km
from Udon Thani city to
the UNESCO-listed Ban
Chiang archaeological site
3 _
SPA CENVAREE
It might be moving up in
the world, but Udon Thani
still has a preponderance
of sleaze (much of it a
hangover from the city
hosting an American air
force base in the late
’60s). Save yourself
the trouble and book a
treatment at this high-end,
no-funny-business spa.
(spacenvaree.com)
COUNTRY
CODE
+66
EXCHANGE
RATE
THB30 = US$1
FREQUENCY
3 flights per day
WILD SIDE
The Isaan
countryside
makes for a
gorgeous retreat
C O U N T R Y C O O L
Top 3
insider
travel tips
Rest Your Head
BODHI VILLA
Udon Thani isn’t known for its
spectacular array of hotels. But
that’s what makes this smart
five-room boutique place such
a find. It’s a bit out of town, but
complimentary airport transfers
make it a snap to get here.
(bodhi-villa.com)
GECKO VILLA
Surrounded by rice paddies,
fruit orchards, fish ponds and
a walled garden, Gecko Villa
offers the chance to live like a
Thai aristocrat. All meals are
cooked up by host (and ex-chef)
Ten and his family, with profits
ploughed back into the local
community.
(geckovilla.com)
Top Tables
BOOKHOUSE
Udon Thani’s expats hail
this restaurant as the best
in town and it’s not hard to
see why. Bookhouse sets
the bar high with sterling
service, a great menu of
Thai and Western favourites
and a picturesque location
overlooking Nong Sim Lake. As
the name suggests, Bookhouse
also has books for sale.
(thebookhouseandcoffeeshop.
com)
Bottoms Up
EDDIE’S SPORTS BAR
North-east of Udon Thani city,
close to the Laos border, sits
the sleepy settlement of Ban
Dung. While it might seem like
there’s not a lot going on here,
in fact the town is home to three
decent Western-style bars – the
best known (and best) of which
is Eddie’s Sports Bar.
(eddiesbar.bandunglife.info)
Stop to Shop
CENTRAL PLAZA UDON
THANI
Quite simply, this is the biggest
shopping centre in Isaan
(Thailand's north-eastern
region). Central Plaza has
everything you’d expect of a
mega mall (and more): 10-pin
bowling, a cineplex, Robinson
department store, Asia Books
and a Tops Market.
(centralplaza.co.th/udonthani)
Udon Thani
TEXT: SIMON OSTHEIMER; PHOTO: DAVID TERRAZAS
