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Hat Yai

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View point at Donald Duck Bay at Ko Similan Island in Similans national park, Thailand

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Overview

Welcome to the urban hub of southern Thailand where shopping malls mingle with wafts of Cantonese street eats and curry from the eclectic range of busy street-food stalls, as old Chinese men sit and watch the world go by on rickety chairs outside junk shops. It's a mix of busy city and laid-back tropics and the town's tourism scene is still predominantly Malaysian mixed with a few Western expats. Come evenings, Hat Yai's cosy pubs and bouncing clubs come into their own.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Hat Yai Municipal Park

    Hat Yai Municipal Park

    Hat Yai

    Located 7km northeast of Hat Yai, this huge, green oasis of hilly, landscaped gardens is home to several stunning temples, an observatory, southern…

  • Khlong Hae Floating Market

    Khlong Hae Floating Market

    Hat Yai

    Túk-túk drivers and tour operators all over Hat Yai will offer tours to this vibrant and colourful weekend floating market that straddles the river Mae…

  • Hat Yai Cable Car

    Hat Yai Cable Car

    Hat Yai

    High up on the hills overlooking Hat Yai in the municipal park this cable car offers stunning panoramic views over Songkhla Province as it climbs from the…

  • Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj

    Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj

    Hat Yai

    At a height of 25m, southern Thailand's tallest Buddha is truly a sight to behold. The immense golden statue, weighing 200 tonnes, casts its serene eyes…

  • Central Mosque of Songkhla Province

    Central Mosque of Songkhla Province

    Hat Yai

    Rising up like an Indo-Asian mirage, the Central Mosque of Songkhla Province – dubbed Thailand's Taj Mahal – is a commanding nod to the region's historic…

  • Masjid Sahe Pakistan

    Masjid Sahe Pakistan

    Hat Yai

    The most curious and beautiful of the mosques in Hat Yai, this green and purple monument echoes the Mughal-style of the Subcontinent with its onion domes…

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