Life outside the Ring Road

Can I get some of your expert opinions on living in the general Ban Luam area?
Or perhaps after reading my long winded post someone may have a better idea for me.

I am doing some ground work for my upcoming move to Udon, I have lived in Phuket for 16 years and have visited Udon many times so I have a pretty good idea of the general layout of the area (I know where all of the pubs are)
I will be buying a house to be our permanent residence so I want to get it right, perhaps even renting in the general area before purchasing.
I am looking at the Ban Luam area as I like to golf, ride my motorcycles into the country side, ride my bicycle for exercise and road trip in my 4x4, so everything to the West of Udon looks like good adventuring country.
I don't want to live too far out in the sticks but I don't want to be in town, the in-laws live in Phen so I will going there on occassion, but I don't want to be too close to there.
So what I am looking for is a quiet area that is a fairly easy trip into town on some evenings, close to golf and easy to escape from Udon to the West and North.
I also know that the Englishman's Retreat and the BB resort are in the area and well regarded by the local expats.
So what do you think, where should I go???
I know I am asking to cop some abuse with a question like that but I can take it (water off a duck's back, mate )

Well it sure sounds like it would meet all your needs. Like any place, its a good idea to rent in the area.

I live in that area, and think you described it to a tee. The only thing I could add, is that its also not far from food shopping on the ring road and the park is not far, and the same for the airport, but not really in their flight path.

If being near to a golf course is a factor, I would discount the Army course at Nongsamrong, which unfortunately is the area your looking at. Other golf course in Udon are 15 minutes away, with the only 18 hole course in the area, Victory Park, being about 45 minutes away.

Cheers Galee,
Is that the one just down the road from the BB resort?
I have heard that the small courses around udon are slightly sub standard but i have not played any of the 9 holers.
I did play Victory park about 6 months ago and it was quite nice, for where it is, I had the place all to myself.
I have played in every corner of the country on alot of the top ranked courses, but a bad day on the golf course is always better than a good day at work.
Besides Victory Park, in what order would you rank the other Udon courses?
I have heard they have recently opened a very nice course in KK, but I can't recall the name of it at the moment.

Sri Thani is the best local course, followed by Wing 23 near the town centre. 18K is another 9 hole course on the way to Nong Bua Lam Phu.
Khon Kaen has some good 18 hole courses. The new one, Singha Park being the best, followed by Ubolratna Dam and Dancoon golf course.
If interested, have a look at the Udon Golf Society topic and send me a PM if you think it's the type of thing you would be interested in.

Ok, thanks for that Galee
Yes, Singha Park is the one that I am thinking of.....
When I get settled in Udon the golf society will be one of the first things I will look into, I am currently a member of PEGS
( phuket expat golf society ) and Pattaya Sports club so next will be Udon Golf Society.

Back to topic ( sort of ) what type of transport might one use from the Ban Luam area and back if I was going downtown some evening and would be leaving the car at home, where it would behave itself?
Just for an example, how long would it take to get from the BB Resort to the Irish Clock in a tuk tuk and what might they charge?

what type of transport might one use from the Ban Luam area and back if I was going downtown some evening and would be leaving the car at home, where it would behave itself?

You will be had pressed to find a tuk tuk here, you would need to know one and call for pickup.

Just for an example, how long would it take to get from the BB Resort to the Irish Clock in a tuk tuk

A wild guess say around 7PM, maybe 20 mins and cost would depend, 100 to 200 baht and up. A few years ago, got one to bus terminal near complex, called someone to pick us up, cost I think 100 baht. Return trip, think cost 200 baht. We now have taxies, maybe someone has posted cost, somewhere on forum.

Thanks for that, I guess anywhere outside the ring road it would take some amount of effort to get yourself back and forth if you have a big night out downtown, no matter as my big nights out are alot fewer than they used to be.
In Phuket on the rare occasion that I go to town ( patong ) I ride the chicken masher over there and get a cheap hotel for the night.
Mind you a 'cheap' hotel in patong means 700 baht in low season, uh sorry, they call it 'Summer Season' now.
That would certainly be an option in Udon, 400 baht for a room or 200 - 300 baht for a round trip taxi.
How about in Ban Luam, are there many restaraunts / pubs besides BB resort and E Retreat?
What about the large bodies of water (lakes, ponds,reservoirs????) to the West of BB Resort area,do they have walking / bicycle paths and restaraunts and such?

" like to golf, ride my motorcycles into the country side, ride my bicycle for exercise and road trip in my 4x4, so everything to the West of Udon looks like good adventuring country."

There's a 9hole golf course at kilo 18 and lots of scenic countryside (ups/downs/trails) along the Udon-Loei Highway. If you want mountains, there's Phufoilim and Phuchoifa just off either side of the highway. The divided highway all the way to Nongbualamphu is nearly complete....making trips into the city a breeze. No bars, no falang restaurants.....a plus or minus depending on your state of mind. The main reservoir serving Udon is off the highway at Kilo 16.
I've seen the Udon taxis out this way, but have no idea what it'd cost to take one.

T Bone wrote:How about in Ban Luam, are there many restaraunts / pubs besides BB resort and E Retreat?

Tons of what I call “Soup Stands” and “Beer Stands” in the area, really need to go out to ring road for thai restaurants and into town for falang restaurants. Harry’s bar is not far, once you get to ring road. Tried one time on bicycle to find the Englishmen’s Retreat, but by the map it looked closer to ring road, I guess its closer to the golf course and down a side soi.

T Bone wrote:What about the large bodies of water (lakes, ponds,reservoirs????) …..do they have walking / bicycle paths and restaraunts and such?

A short bicycle ride from where I am is a large reservoir, see people fishing with poles, been meaning to try for a couple of years now. Its more a nature scene, so in the middle of nowhere. If it has a path, it could be for snakes, not people.

BanLeum is more poor laborers up to middle class teachers, all mixed together. Depending on what you are looking for, you might want to look at the Nongsamrong area, which is where the Englishmen’s Retreat and golf course are located. In that area there is a lot of really big expensive houses. I would guess that BanLeum is the otherside of the tracks.