I stayed there for two nights (Tuesday and Wednesday) and managed to visit all the famous nightclubs and bars. It's not that difficult, as you will see they are almost all within a small area.
Where to Party in Khon Kaen?
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Khon Kaen is a medium-sized Thai city about 1 hour away from Udon Thani. There are few tourist attractions there, but it is a pleasant town with great street food and very cheap accommodation. It also has a small, but fun nightlife, which is dominated by young clubbers (students make up a quarter of the population).
What I really enjoyed about Khon Kaen nightlife is that almost all the bars and clubs are located within a small area. Even better, within just a few streets, you will find a mix of different types of venues, including expat bars, student cafés, sports bars and live music clubs. You can try several of them in one night without ever using a taxi or walking too much.
Pracha Samran Road
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As you can see on the map, the busiest street for bars is Pracha Samran Road. It is lively from 7PM up to 3AM with mostly bars for Thai people. Here are the current happening places in 2017:
99 Vintage
The most crowded venue on the street. It is actually a small complex that consists of the Vintage pub and the 99 Vintage nightclub. It is full of students around 18-22 years old, including an impressive number of hot Thai girls. They have either a live Thai band or EDM/Trap DJs. I didn't see other foreigners so you should attract attention. It is not particularly stylish but it is fun and messy. The service is horrible though, I never managed to get any drinks and I left after 20 minutes. It closes at 3AM. Lots of gays and lesbians.
I shot this video inside:
Full Frame
This is one of my favorite bars in Khon Kaen. It is just 100 meters from 99 Vintage but with a more upmarket/adult crowd. They also have live music, not too loud, and plenty of pretty girls around. Closes at 2AM.
Monroe Club by Rads
Part of the Rads complex, this is a gentlemen's club with sexy coyote girls/hostesses (including Lao girls). They wear kinky outfits and they'll perform some erotic dancing. If you want a girl to keep you company, you'll need to pay at least 350THB. There is not sex involved unless you make a deal with her (or seduce her). It was completely empty around 9PM, but when I went again at 1AM there were around 15 guys. It closes at 3AM.
In the same complex, you also have Home Gastro Pub and Beer Factory. I went to neither of them but from outside I could see they had a few customers, seemingly upper class Thai.
Deep by Rads
Next to Monroe, Deep has the particularity of staying open until 5AM. This means that starting 2-3AM, you will see a lot of clubbers going there to finish their night out.
Street Café by Rads
Beer garden and restaurant with old-style/country-style Thai music. Older crowd.
The Koon
Small student bar. Hipster/alternative vibe. Live acoustic music.
Wine 22
Large beer garden with also an indoor area. Not too crowded. English/Thai live music, usually soft-rock and pop bands. Serves food. Good for dating.
Degree
Laid-back, open-air beer garden with Live Thai pop music. Huge screen for watching sports.
Pracha Samran Road
As you can see on the map, the busiest street for bars is Pracha Samran Road. It is lively from 7PM up to 3AM with mostly bars for Thai people. Here are the current happening places in 2017:
99 Vintage
The most crowded venue on the street. It is actually a small complex that consists of the Vintage pub and the 99 Vintage nightclub. It is full of students around 18-22 years old, including an impressive number of hot Thai girls. They have either a live Thai band or EDM/Trap DJs. I didn't see other foreigners so you should attract attention. It is not particularly stylish but it is fun and messy. The service is horrible though, I never managed to get any drinks and I left after 20 minutes. It closes at 3AM. Lots of gays and lesbians.
I shot this video inside:
Full Frame
This is one of my favorite bars in Khon Kaen. It is just 100 meters from 99 Vintage but with a more upmarket/adult crowd. They also have live music, not too loud, and plenty of pretty girls around. Closes at 2AM.
Monroe Club by Rads
Part of the Rads complex, this is a gentlemen's club with sexy coyote girls/hostesses (including Lao girls). They wear kinky outfits and they'll perform some erotic dancing. If you want a girl to keep you company, you'll need to pay at least 350THB. There is not sex involved unless you make a deal with her (or seduce her). It was completely empty around 9PM, but when I went again at 1AM there were around 15 guys. It closes at 3AM.
In the same complex, you also have Home Gastro Pub and Beer Factory. I went to neither of them but from outside I could see they had a few customers, seemingly upper class Thai.
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| Topless coyote girls show in Rads (now Monroe Club) |
Next to Monroe, Deep has the particularity of staying open until 5AM. This means that starting 2-3AM, you will see a lot of clubbers going there to finish their night out.
Street Café by Rads
Beer garden and restaurant with old-style/country-style Thai music. Older crowd.
The Koon
Small student bar. Hipster/alternative vibe. Live acoustic music.
Wine 22
Large beer garden with also an indoor area. Not too crowded. English/Thai live music, usually soft-rock and pop bands. Serves food. Good for dating.
Degree
Laid-back, open-air beer garden with Live Thai pop music. Huge screen for watching sports.
Top West
A restaurant and bar with a Western saloon theme just across the street from 99 Vintage. It is quite kitsch, attracting a mix of older Thai and foreigners. A little bit dirty. 110THB for a large Chang beer. The live bands play Thai country music. Depending on the songs, you may have some people who start dancing.
A restaurant and bar with a Western saloon theme just across the street from 99 Vintage. It is quite kitsch, attracting a mix of older Thai and foreigners. A little bit dirty. 110THB for a large Chang beer. The live bands play Thai country music. Depending on the songs, you may have some people who start dancing.
Didines
More a restaurant than a bar, it serves the best Western food on the street. You should be able to meet some foreigners there (also in the bar next door but I forgot its name). Owned by a Swiss-Canadian.
Blues Bar
This bar was closed for the two nights I was in Khon Kaen. I'm not sure if this is permanent or not. It is an expat-owned beer bar with Indian food, pool tables and some bargirls.
Levels Up
Similar to Full Frame: An open-air bar with live music and a Thai crowd. Close at 1AM.
Wine Blah Bar
This is quite a unique place. It is a bit hidden from the street and features both a live music bar and karaoke rooms. Some very pretty lady companions.
Pretty Relax Karaoké
I didn't visit it but you can see some girls wearing sexy dresses trying to lure customers inside.
Around Pullman Hotel
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As you walk closer from the Pullman Hotel, most of the bars you'll see are much smaller, less sophisticated, and they target foreigners. They'll always have a few working girls, but honestly not very pretty ones. If you are half decent-looking, I advise you to find a girl on ThaiFriendly or ThaiCupid instead.
Yokotai
A restaurant/bar, popular with expat regulars with excellent fusion food. Owned by a Dutch man.
My Bar Sports Bar
The most lively bar in the area. Several prostitutes. Pool tables. 90's pop/rock music.
Eric's Bar, Happy Times and Tiki Tiki are just in front of My Bar. They are pretty much identical.
Chillin' and 4AM are microscopic bars with a couple of waitresses each and cheap beers.
U-Bar
Nightclub with DJ (EDM) or live music. Older and more stylish crowd compared to 99 Vintage (but not as busy). Some pretty girls (including prostitutes) who will make eye contact as there aren't many foreigners. 120THB for a small Carlsberg. 1,000THB for the cheapest whisky bottle. Non smoking. There is a small beer garden in the back. Close at 3AM.
The Underground
It is a German pub and restaurant located in the basement of the Pullman Hotel. I didn't visit it. They serve Kronen Brauhaus Beer. In the same hotel, they also have a lounge called Cleo's Palace and a karaoke.
Bee-Gin
Another open-air beer bar with live music. Not many people were there.
Elsewhere in Khon Kaen
All the bars and clubs I've listed above can be visited by walking. If you manage to find a tuk-tuk or a taxi (not so easy in Khon Kaen), you can also try a few more venues:
Bangru or Ban Gru Nightclub
This Thai disco is located just beside Khon Kaen Hotel. Surprisingly, the music was not EDM but Deep House (maybe because it was still early). They also have live bands singing in Thai. The crowd was mid-20. Opened from 7PM to 2AM. Outside there is a beer garden with a giant screen for watching sports.
Harem Club
A gentlemen's club part of Khon Kaen Hotel. Similar to the Monroe Club = You have hot thai girls dancing and you can invite them to your table to accompany you.
Tawandang
Another branch from the popular Tawandang chain. If you have never tried, they are an institution in Thailand. They have live shows all night long from comedians to singers (folk songs in Isaan language). The crowd is usually above 30-40.
Kloud 37 Rooftop
Recently opened, this modern rooftop bar and restaurant is the highest in the whole Isaan region.
Supan's in the City
A very popular beer garden among trendy/artsy students. Music not too loud.
More a restaurant than a bar, it serves the best Western food on the street. You should be able to meet some foreigners there (also in the bar next door but I forgot its name). Owned by a Swiss-Canadian.
Blues Bar
This bar was closed for the two nights I was in Khon Kaen. I'm not sure if this is permanent or not. It is an expat-owned beer bar with Indian food, pool tables and some bargirls.
Levels Up
Similar to Full Frame: An open-air bar with live music and a Thai crowd. Close at 1AM.
Wine Blah Bar
This is quite a unique place. It is a bit hidden from the street and features both a live music bar and karaoke rooms. Some very pretty lady companions.
Pretty Relax Karaoké
I didn't visit it but you can see some girls wearing sexy dresses trying to lure customers inside.
Around Pullman Hotel
Yokotai
A restaurant/bar, popular with expat regulars with excellent fusion food. Owned by a Dutch man.
My Bar Sports Bar
The most lively bar in the area. Several prostitutes. Pool tables. 90's pop/rock music.
Eric's Bar, Happy Times and Tiki Tiki are just in front of My Bar. They are pretty much identical.
Chillin' and 4AM are microscopic bars with a couple of waitresses each and cheap beers.
U-Bar
Nightclub with DJ (EDM) or live music. Older and more stylish crowd compared to 99 Vintage (but not as busy). Some pretty girls (including prostitutes) who will make eye contact as there aren't many foreigners. 120THB for a small Carlsberg. 1,000THB for the cheapest whisky bottle. Non smoking. There is a small beer garden in the back. Close at 3AM.
The Underground
It is a German pub and restaurant located in the basement of the Pullman Hotel. I didn't visit it. They serve Kronen Brauhaus Beer. In the same hotel, they also have a lounge called Cleo's Palace and a karaoke.
Bee-Gin
Another open-air beer bar with live music. Not many people were there.
Elsewhere in Khon Kaen
All the bars and clubs I've listed above can be visited by walking. If you manage to find a tuk-tuk or a taxi (not so easy in Khon Kaen), you can also try a few more venues:
Bangru or Ban Gru Nightclub
This Thai disco is located just beside Khon Kaen Hotel. Surprisingly, the music was not EDM but Deep House (maybe because it was still early). They also have live bands singing in Thai. The crowd was mid-20. Opened from 7PM to 2AM. Outside there is a beer garden with a giant screen for watching sports.
Harem Club
A gentlemen's club part of Khon Kaen Hotel. Similar to the Monroe Club = You have hot thai girls dancing and you can invite them to your table to accompany you.
Tawandang
Another branch from the popular Tawandang chain. If you have never tried, they are an institution in Thailand. They have live shows all night long from comedians to singers (folk songs in Isaan language). The crowd is usually above 30-40.
Kloud 37 Rooftop
Recently opened, this modern rooftop bar and restaurant is the highest in the whole Isaan region.
Supan's in the City
A very popular beer garden among trendy/artsy students. Music not too loud.
Best Hotels Near the Nightlife
Khon Kaen offers some of the best value accommodation you'll find in Thailand. I was paying only 12$ for a clean double room with AC just 200 meters from the bars (the name of the hotel is Bann Vor Serviced Apartments).
If your budget allows you to spend around 50$, then don't hesitate to book either the Glacier Hotel or the Pullman Hotel. They are right in the middle of the nightlife area and they are both rated above 8/10 on Agoda.
You can also book a hotel that has a spa plus plus/soapy massage parlor within its walls. The best choice for that would be the Charoen Thani Hotel. It is 300 meters from the Pullman, and inside you have a soapy massage parlor called New Lily's (about 2,000THB for one session). Another famous massage parlor (soapie) is Caesar's (see position on map below) but there aren't any hotels very nearby.
Finally, while the Khon Kaen Hotel is not rated very high (only 7.6/10 on Agoda), it is cheap (30$ per night) and next to Ban Gru/Harem Club.
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| Harem Club in Khon Kaen Hotel |
Khon Kaen offers some of the best value accommodation you'll find in Thailand. I was paying only 12$ for a clean double room with AC just 200 meters from the bars (the name of the hotel is Bann Vor Serviced Apartments).
If your budget allows you to spend around 50$, then don't hesitate to book either the Glacier Hotel or the Pullman Hotel. They are right in the middle of the nightlife area and they are both rated above 8/10 on Agoda.
You can also book a hotel that has a spa plus plus/soapy massage parlor within its walls. The best choice for that would be the Charoen Thani Hotel. It is 300 meters from the Pullman, and inside you have a soapy massage parlor called New Lily's (about 2,000THB for one session). Another famous massage parlor (soapie) is Caesar's (see position on map below) but there aren't any hotels very nearby.
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| Massage room in Caesar's Spa |
Meeting Normal Thai Girls in Khon Kaen
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Since there aren't many foreigners in Khon Kaen (and especially younger ones), it is fairly easy to meet girls in nightclubs or bars. The only issue you will have is to find a way to approach them as they are often within a small group of friends. I think it's better to talk the guys first, and wait until they introduce you to the girls.
The best venues to meet normal girls in Khon Kaen are 99 Vintage, Ban Gru, U-Bar, Full Frame and Top West.
You can also plan a few dates ahead of your visit by chatting with girls online. The best sites for that are ThaiFriendly and ThaiCupid. Both are free but they work much better if you pay the 25$ premium membership (you can cancel after 1 month).
Khon Kaen Nightlife Map
This map features all the nightclubs, bars and massage parlor mentioned in this review:
The best venues to meet normal girls in Khon Kaen are 99 Vintage, Ban Gru, U-Bar, Full Frame and Top West.
You can also plan a few dates ahead of your visit by chatting with girls online. The best sites for that are ThaiFriendly and ThaiCupid. Both are free but they work much better if you pay the 25$ premium membership (you can cancel after 1 month).
Khon Kaen Nightlife Map
This map features all the nightclubs, bars and massage parlor mentioned in this review: