Azizan YunusWhether coming from Malaysia or continuing your travels in that direction, Hat Yai is an ideal stopover. Hat Yai, is in effect South Thailand’s major city, it is commercial, shopping and entertainment center. Located in the Songkhla province, 947km from Bangkok and about 50km north of the Malaysian border, Hat Yai is also the region’s communication hub and is easily accessible by road, rail and air.
Hat Yai is actually a district of the Songkhla province. Many people living here are of Chinese decent but there is a sizeable Muslim population as well. You will frequently hear people speaking in Mandarin, and it is easy to imagine that you aren’t in Thailand at all
- The amazing speedy tuk tuk
“Tuk-Tuk” driver waiting for passengers. You will see plenty of Tuk-Tuks whizzing around Hat Yai; these are often ideal for making it through traffic jams. You can just flag an empty Tuk-Tuk if you see one on the street. They will often be parked outside of hotels and in tourist areas. It is always advisable to negotiate the price before you commence with your journey.
- From dusk to dawn, a bustling city
Motorcylist crossing town. Another means of public transportation in Hat Yai is the motorcycle-taxi. You can tell the motorcycl- taxi by the yellow, orange or red vests with numbers which the drivers wear.
There are some great deals to be found in Hat Yai. In fact there are many people who make regular trips from Malaysia to do some Hat Yai shopping and pick up some bargains. The city has plenty of markets where you can pick up cheap clothes and various kinds of food. You will also find plenty of large department stores where you can get your money’s worth.
CJMY
Jimmy Tan
