Hatyai can consider food and shopping paradise for most Malaysian & Singaporean.

Just after you stamp your Passport at Sadao Immigration, you can have a lots of fun. From food, massage, shopping, and many more.

Dannok :
my recommendation is Water View Lake Side Restaurant (but abit pricey) .. just about environment than food.. hehehe...
Meanwhile for shopping, not much you can get at dannok. Tesco Lotus somewhere after KPK Hotel. Other than that is on your way back from Hatyai, you can drop by Dannok Market. Opposite the market you can bought those Thai's Product like noodle, rice, peanuts, medicated oil and so on. All on MYR. Meanwhile for hotel, I prefer Siamthana Hotel and Satit Grandview Hotel, both are below MYR100. And massage at Satit Grand View also not bad around MYR30 for 1hr45m Thai Massage.

Hatyai & Songkhla :
on your way from dannok, you will pass by a temple on your left hand side. It call Wat Thanon. With huge Buddha Statues. can stop and pray, take photo there. driving from dannok to hatyai takes around 45 min (bored journey, as not much things to do along the journey). but there is a nice Chicken Rice stall (Khao Mahn Gai) along the journey, somewhere around the first railway gate.
Upon reaching Hatyai, you wil found a huge Home Decor Complex call (HOMEPRO) on your left hand side, you should pay a visit there. Concept like IKEA, but nicer.

Shopping :
- Lee Garden, Diana Shopping Centre, Central, Robinson
- road side stall
- Talad Kim Yoong (Kim Yoong Market)
- Purt Thai Night Market (nearby Hatyai Bus Station), a lots of cheap stuff there
- Khlong Hae Floating Market (during weekend only) start  4:30pm onwards
* remember to bargain for best price, if you are clever, u can get a very nice price..enjoy..

Food :
- Sky buffet at Lee Garden (make sure go early, otherwise very pack)
- Shabushi Buffet Steamboat & Sushi @ Lee Garden
- Rurn Pert Moo-Ka-Ta (BBQ Pork & Steamboat) - 89baht/pax excluding drinks (somewhere around the road to Paragon, BIX, Sotus Pub)
- Beef Noodle  (beside New Season Hotel)
- Wan Tan Mee (at see kim yoong nearby daiiichi hotel) at night, operated a chinese-thai, very famous and nice...(must try)
- Samila beach @ Songkhla.. a lots of seafood reastaurant there..dine on the beach..
- Ama Dim Sum
- Chok Dee Dim Sum
- Deep Fried Kuey Teow with Steam fish (located at Thung Sao) ->> must try very nice
Interesting Place :
- Hatyai Municipal Park
- Ice Dome
- Hatyai Chang Puak Camp (Elephant Farm)
- Songkhla Aquarium
- Songkhla Zoo
- Samila Beach (Mermaid, Mouse & Cat, etc)
- Wat Hatyai Nai
- Siang Thng Temple (Phra Phom - 4 Face Buddha & donate coffin for needed)
- Wat Pak Khor (on the way to Phattalung)
*if you go with a group of 8-10 pax, you can get a luxury VIP with driver for 2000-2500bath, no need worry about driving and lost.

Entertainment :
- Kiss Channel (singer performance, sexy show, clubbing) - popular among Malaysian & Singaporean
- Kiss Lounge - karaoke (located at Garden Home Chic Hotel) -- abit pricey but VIP la..hehehe
- Paragon Disco (loud-music lover) , beside Sotus Pub, Barberry, BIX
- Fuji Karaoke (2nd Floor Sakura Grand View Hotel) - karaoke with PR
- Sugarbeat (chilling with friend)
and there is alots of those liveband concept also. but standby some small change for tips (20baths)

Accomodation :
there is a lots of choice (Hotel, Apartment/Mansion, Resort)
- Golden Crown Plaza (Hatyai Town) - ard 1000bt
- Sakura Grand View - ard 1000bt
- Lee Garden Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- Grand Plaza Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- Centara Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- New Seasons Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- Mayflower Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- Regency Hotel (Hatyai Town)
- Garden Home Chic Hotel
- Be My Guest (budget motel)
- Sakol Hotel (budget)
- Chudchada Place, Thung Sao (abit far from Town) but cheap at 490bt .. also available for long stay at around 6500bt per month include electricity/water
--- Welcome to Amazing Thailand ---

hi guys,

this is regarding a fatal accident in bangkok recently, involving one dead biker from subang jaya..
and in the matter of insurance claiming, it was rejected since he doesn't have international license.

* so guys, please take note on this matter.

because all this while we are comfortable with the insurance that we purchase at the border,
without knowing the real claiming procedure which requires international license.

p/s: u can apply for it at any jpj counter, requires 2 license photos, RM 150 (valid for 1 year) and a valid license.. (duhh!)

stimix bro, i wonder how many times u travel per annum??? Haha...*thumbs*

The food in Hatyai nothing great and infact If u are M'sian fior sure prepare to be slaughtered! RM10 for fried rice is usual there!! & sharkfin RM50/ small wok for 2!! I can get similar portion in Bangkok Chinatown for RM25 only!! ..Normal wantan mee or noodle is ~THB50 or RM5 ..that's more expensive than KL!!

The prices of items no longer cheaper in Hatyai compare to 15yrs ago....Abit dissapointed fo rthe past 5 years as I hv been to Hatyai almost every CNY except this Year...! ..Even their foot massage is more expensive than KL or Bangkok at RM25 when u can get RM20 in KL & RM12-RM15 in BKK 

But going thru the many shopping alleys in Hatyai is no doubt interesting especially most of activities happening at side lane & back lanes...similar to Bangkok Chinatown   

perhaps u r not the regular customer?

my uncles aunties went Hatyai twice a year...sometimes more  than that....
they got whole body massage for only rm 26 or rm30.
definitely u can get nice food, if u know where. 

i jz went there once...

Try to take a body massage at pink lady and thai girl show.

Pink Lady is a big no-no for me ... How about getting a massage in Aladdin ?

---

Added on March 4, 2008, 10:08 pmThanks for a the inputs ... Been 5 years since I step my foot on Hatyai.

I am still looking for a nice temple to pray

Hatyai except for chicks ... there is no more tourist attractions ?

As what i know, Bangkok has a IT shopping center, got many kind of stuff there plus quite cheap. I'll try to find out the name of the place.

Yeap nothing much ecept the five foot way & backlane shoppings..On temples, there are few...1 is the gigantic Laughing Buddha not far from Tesco (Behind Tesco)...There is a sleeping Buddha & etc..but not to my interest after seeing those 700-900 years old temples at Chieng Mai..

U can also drive to Songkla which is one quiet village town wth leftover walled city + the mermaid statue & cat & mouse island...nothing much actually.

BTW, forgotten to add....in order to avoid kena slaughter by those eateries shops, u can actually drive to nearby Tesco & eat there..cheaper. food prices start from thb25 only...try the fried oyster (~thb50)..delicious...+ on TESCO, I always like to buy the followings which are cheaper than Malaysia:

1) Siam fragrant Rice as cheap as thb80/5kg or thb160/10kg (Max 10kg per pax to Malaysia) - I always import in 30Kg 
2) Pork or chicken meat!! - It's cheap there..Pork - 1kg only RM8
3) Sundries such as shampoos & etc...since most of M'sian sundries imported from Thailand..

For clothing almost similar to M'sia..sometime KL cheaper! - electronics is a no-no too pricey!

How far is the temple from haytai town ?
Guess this is going to be a boring trip.

Any pubs to recommend ?

The beach tghere is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful...and lots of people selling porn DVD.I bought last time but not that good la....

Aik..Hatyai mana ada beach??  ..The nearest is at Songkla which is about 25KM away & that beach so-so only..water also not clear ...except the main attraction..The little mermaid 

Sa wa dee kup , try Chao Pra Ya 4 , buang all your bad luck there. 

As what i know, Bangkok has a IT shopping center, got many kind of stuff there plus quite cheap. I'll try to find out the name of the place.

Hi! I'm a noob here.

Planning to spend my Xmas in Hat Yai, and have booked 4 nights @ Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel (any comments?).

Have been pondering on the mode of travel. Since there’s no direct flight to Hat Yai from Kuala Lumpur, I guess I will have to make it there by land. These are my options: -

• Train
• Bus
• Self-drive

I’ve been told the train trip will take longer and it’s tiring. Traveling by bus is faster. Alternatively I could also drive all the way to Hat Yai, or drive to Penang and take the shuttle from Butterworth to Hat Yai.

Since I’ll be traveling with my family (wife & son), which mode of land travel would be best, and most comfortable?

Thanks in advance.

Dun even interested in the temples..So I din visit any temples there  ..but for sure u can see the new big fat Buddha at the back of Tesco..which is not far away from Hatyai Centre. Anyway tesco is located on the eastern side of the city ~2 or 3KM away from Lee Garden junction

Pubs..not my taste also but u can find more pubs, agogo bars in Danok which is walking distance from Bkt Kayu Hitam rather than Hatyai...It seemd like all the chicken farms hv relocated closer to M'sian border!!   ....Danok from a small Shanty village in early 90' now is the triving town wth lotsa of niteclubs, bars & chicken...probably to cater for day Ah Pek from Kedah...

danok got any decent massage?

you should also know that nowadays, the  shop owners in southern thailand is more "lansi" already. Nowadays, you have to buy things at "thier" price. Not "ours". Negotiating skill is pretty much useless.

hatyai has any good place to get car parts and stuff ???

planning to go there next week....maybe wanna try the shooting range and fishing spot at there.....

any comments about these ?
maybe will try their 'chicks' too...hahaha

pray & get cha to kam back lah : )

any other good activities to do ? place to go ? in hatyai ?

wanna ask something...

if i want to drive my car to hat yai, what documents needed so i can bring my car in to thailand??

U need atleast a photocopy of the registration card (2copies incase of contingency) and the car belongs to u, if not, u need to ask the owner to authorise you to bring the car to Thailand.

Thereafter stop at any of the parking lots around Changloon just b4 Bkt Kayu Hitam & buy the Thai Insurance for a week (RM18 way bck in 2007)...drive in to bkt kayu hitam imigration. After your pasport scanned, drive to the Thai side of the border & park at the back of the Thai Danok imigration complex. walk & get your passport stamped (Remember to give RM1 donation to the Thai immigration ) Thereafter walk to another counter to fill in your Temporary import permit for the car by giving them the copy of reg card & insurance, your passport. They will give u a copy of the import permit. Thereafter go bck to your car & drive out from the complex..now u are in Thaialnd and u can drive till Bangkok!! or even Chiangmai!!

so, i dont have to bring the original geran kereta???

coz i got a copy of it, not sure need to approve first or not or can use that or not to go in thai...

i think the safest is going to hatyai..

if u wanna go to hatyai u can go by KTM train, drive urself or by bus or by plane..

bring RM1k and hope u will be treat like king? can dream on je la bro.. let say if want to book ayam (the good 1) almost cost u 2000 bath (=RM200).. if u are lucky enough u can bring her back to ur hotel room (that will cost u double).. & for good hotel the price is same like it in our country. thailand is not that cheap..

but if u wanna hang around experience something "different".. hatyai can be a so called destinasi bajet.. can ayat some local girl & bring her to ur lousy hotel (RM30 per day).. try siam girl.. haha.. minum there also not very cheap.

i suggest u LABUAN!! haha its heaven..

2 / 3 star hotal only RM50
3 / 4 star hotel only RM80 - 100

RM1000 is good enough to be a king there for 3 days.
but made sure you are not being slaughtered.

I oso feel like going hatyai.
Anyone can recommend me any nice shopping center?
got creative label or thai designer label one is better.

Any nice club where all the hatyai local youngster hang out?

Thx ya

i dont think hatyai have good shooping center wich have good local brand,as for sure,imitate or pirated product is widely sell there. Lack of quality but still can buy.Go to central shopping centre in front of lee garden hotels,they do sell good stuff and branded,but make sure u come when it sale time la. But i still donno where is a good n popular place for taking photos of hatyai city in hatyai eventhough ive been there many times.anyone here can tell me pls?

hi guys,have anyone been to hattyai,thailand b4?
mind to share your experiences?
cos my friend and i plan to go there in june 2009.
so,wanna know about the place there b4 we travel there.

Hi, I plan to goto Hatyai in nov with my friends. I have asked around, they suggest we take the bus ekspress from Puduraya to Hatyai. My question are :

1) The journey is ard 13 hours  from KL- Hatyai?
2) Coz we are planning to goto hatyai for shopping . eg. household stuff (zebra brand), towel and etc . It is really can get a very cheap price  compare with KL's price?
3) If I buy few zebra's pot/ wok, what is the tax look like? very expensive?

Thanks

I will drive myself to Hat Yai next weekend,
Can i know which toll to enter Hat Yai at Alor Setar?

I will drive myself to Hat Yai next weekend,
Can i know which toll to enter Hat Yai at Alor Setar?

hi guys,

Anyone here have any idea what's the estimated cost for transportation Penang <--> Hatyai in one day trip?

we will be in a group of 17 ppl.. 

Is Hat Yai safe to travel?
Heard got boomed near it?

Konsortium bus express bcos I saw their office right in front of Lee Garden & pink Lady

no idea on the service...& do search onb their accident records..One of the high risk express bus companies