Hat Yai as a holiday destination, has very little to interest the adventurous tourist or culture seeker. It is really nothing more than a shopper's haven. At least Malaysian shoppers anyway, who come in droves at the weekends and public holidays, crossing the border from the northern Malaysian state of Kedah through the customs checkpoint at Bukit Kayu Hitam.
The drive from the border to the centre of Hat Yai takes approximately 45 minutes, and the journey is fairly non-descript. Hat Yai itself is a bustling town in Songkhla, the Southern region of Thailand. The town is well laid out and its fairly easy to find your way around even if you can't read the signboards in Thai script.
All along the streets you will find row upon row of street vendors nestled against the pavement selling everything from cashewnuts to fake 'versace' belts. Should anything catch your eye, always remember to bargain at least 50% off the stated price and if you play hard to get you are bound to get a good deal.
Aside from the street markets, there are also several departmental stores which carry well known brands of clothing and accessories for a reasonable price. A good hotel to stay at whilst in Hat Yai is the Central Sukhonta Hotel, located right next to the Central department store and handy for shoppers. Room rates are very reasonable at 30 pounds a night.
Aside from shopping, once in Hat Yai, your stay would not be complete without a meal or two at a seafood restaurant. There is an excellent open-air restaurant 5 minutes away from the Sukhonta Hotel, which serves the best seafood I have had in a while. On the night I was there, my host ordered grilled 'cotton' fish stuffed with black pepper and garlic to start with. We then had Thai style squid and baked sea snails. This was followed by grilled lobster, the most succulent I have ever had and later I had to merely pick at my baked crab, being too full from the delicious meal. Nearly all Thai seafood meals are served with a special and very spicy Thai sauce accompanied by fresh coriander leaves and slices of cucumber and spring onions. This brings out the taste of the sauce and cleanses the palate between courses.
If you do wish to venture out of Hat Yai, the seaside resort of Songkhla is only 40 minutes away by car and the views of the town as you drive in are rather spectacular. Songkhla has an extended piece of land similar to a peninsular only accessible by bridge or ferry. It is a fairly quiet town and one of the top most tourist attractions is a statue of a mermaid similar to the one in Copenhagen, along the main part of the beach front.
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Well written and helpful, sounds like a part of the world you are well-informed on. Thanks.
From_The_Continent 16.03.2001 20:29
Two very good travel ops on Malaysia, better than the one on Joburg which I also read. I see these are your first ops after a longer absence. Hope you stay and write more. I love to read and write travel ops and will look out for yours.
elspeth334 16.03.2001 19:39
Sounds like my kind of place-----If theres shops I love it Cheers Elspeth
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