Khon Kaen city is in the Isaan heartlands and is on a low lying plain that is some way from any nearby cities.

Khon Kaen is a fairly large provincial city and is considered in the heart of Isaan. There are a few things for the typical tourist to see but most are not in the city itself. A few expats make Khon Kaen there home, having married and settled down with thai wives.
The local language here is both Isaan (Laotion) and Thai. In Khon Kaen it is spoken as much as the Thai language is.
The inhabitants of this city are by far and away vastly different to the Bangkokians. One example being that the care-free and relaxed pace (even for a city) is a sharp difference to the live-fast, devil-may-care attitude in Bangkok.
Khon Kaen has a history stretching back to the 17th Century. A feature that stands out are the few temples that are scattered about the city. The cost of food and drink is about the same as Chiang Mai although alcohol is slightly cheaper.
The traffic is typical for that of a provincial city, it is much less congested than the capital. The Air quality is pretty decent too.

The Friendship Highway runs through the city but traffic is well managed thanks to a decent set of bypasses that run around the city.

Khon Kaen has a history going back 150 years or so. The city is entirely modern with no obvious signs of a distant past.
Nightlife is a small scale affair with a few discos in the larger hotels and a sprinkling of kareoke bars spread out across the city.

Bars and nightclubs catering to the tourists are in short supply but a few small nightmarkets give it a small-town-in-the-city feel. An expats bar is located in the center-west region of Khon Kaen.

On the south side of the city and East of the Friendship highway, there is a beautiful lake—Bueng Kaen Nakhon, with a diverse range of places for entertainment. The lake offers paddle boats for rent on the Northwest side and at night there is a lively night market buzzing with activity where one can buy an assortment of food, clothing and various souvenirs. The lake has a paved running path, which many people use during the evening.

 

Khon Kaen Facts

Founded: circa 1850 A.D

Population: 145,000 (Approx)

Size (Metropolitan): 6 Sq. Miles

Distance from Capital by Air: 236 miles

Distance from Capital by Road: 280 miles

Typical Visa Run Destination: Nong Khai

Seasons and Weather.

Khon Kaen is in the heart of Isaan and the north-east of Thailand. The heat is a sharp contrast to the rain during the monsoon season. The temperature hits a peak in April. The wettest is normally September and the coldest is usually November.

Cool Season - October to February. Avg Temp - 24 C

Hot Season - March to May. Avg Temp - 31 C

Wet Season - June to September. Avg Temp - 28 C.