Hat Yai

Introducing Hat Yai

Songkhla’s liveliest town is a fun, if slightly dodgy, place with a bit of a buzz to it. The main pastime here seems to be eating critters from the sea. There are literally hundreds of restaurants serving great seafood, prepared either in Chinese, Muslim or Thai style, and every street seems to be packed with shops and street stalls. Markets are also plentiful and several large, air-con shopping malls offer a chilly respite from the heat. The nightlife scene buzzes nightly and you can hang out in some cosy pubs or dance the night away before heading off to the surrounding region.

Most travellers only visit Hat Yai while in transit to Malaysia, but since terrorists started targeting it for bombings within the last few years it's seeing fewer and fewer folks passing through; many people are choosing to fly straight on to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore rather than do the traditional overland route through Thailand’s Deep South. Violence comes in spurts, however, so it might very well be quiet again by the time you read this. If you do visit, just be vigilant about your surroundings and stay away from large demonstrations or crowded spaces, which are more likely to be targets, but don’t worry too much.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009