Hat Yai

[TravelFrog]

I have never been before... Is it worth going? What are the beaches / nightlife like? Any comments / tips?

Cheers,

T

[igotworms]

Hatyai is like Bangkok, without the excitement. The nearest beach is 45 minutes away in Songkhla Town, which is a quiet little town that shuts down at 10 pm. The beach itself is average.

Hatyai has some decent shopping, bars and southern thai cuisine. The people are very friendly. But, I wouldn't recommend going out of the way to visit Hatyai....there are other places more worthy of a visit.

[fatter than harry]

Igots is right, the beach is pretty average, the nightlife is erm...interesting.

I lived there quite happily for a year but the place is mainly set up for inter Asian tourists, mainly the Malays who yahoo it over the border on weekends.

West side saloon is a great watering hole, five gives you ten that the same band are still belting out eagles covers!

Not too many farang in Hat Yai, if you go to Big C be prepared to be stared at for the freaks that we are.

[jackr]

Featureless city (Auckland springs to mind - but without the harbour), but not as bad as the first replies were making out. Don't stay in Hat Yai too long, though. Mainly a shopping town for hordes of Malays and Chinese. Bars-wise: The Pub and Post Laser Disc - the latter being a bit dated and worn nowadays; the former - a lot glitzier and expensive.

Better off staying in Songkhla. Pavillion Hotel - 700-900 baht; BP Samila hotel (best choice) - 1000 baht. Say your with an oil company, Halliburton, you'll get a discount. Loads of ex-pats here (east of Hat Yai: bus - 14baht; minivan - 18baht; taxi - 150baht); main base for the oil companies drilling in the Gulf (Thai Gulf).

The beach in Songkhla isn't the best but stretches for about 3kms and yes, the beach restaurants shut early but the town certainly doesn't shut at 10pm. One of the few places that still stays open til 2, so I believe. Head for the Darkside (Thanon Sadao) for your bars and down Thanon Srisuda. The Cheeky Bar (Thanon Saket) stays open til 6am ish and has great food as well.

Some great seafood restaurants in and around Songkhla. Go to the island, Koh Yo, in the nearby lake. There are some excellent seafood restaurants here.

[igotworms]

I found myself very bored in Hatyai/Songkhla. If boredom is what you're after, well, tally-ho...to Hatyai you go!

p.s.

Hatyai was voted "Thailand's smelliest city" by me.

[igotworms]

Ah yes, the Post......a bar with a great owner/manager who'll never forget your name. However, the live band charges their amps to sonic jet level, "Let it be" at 150 DBs isn't exactly music for the ears.

FTH is correct, the West Side Saloon is pure entertainment. Especially the closet-sized men's bathroom with an attendant hording over your space who gave me quite a jolt the first time I was there. As I ventured off to hang a rat, some guy pops out of nowhere and starts massaging me, perhaps encouraging a greater stream of urination. I wasn't prepared for such things, and nearly clocked the guy...until I saw the towel over is arm, and various other signs that pointed to his position.

What sir? No...I would not like the happy ending....is that what the towel is for?...nevermind. Thanks for the cologne though, and by god man, find a bigger toilet to take up residence in.

Edited October 21, 2004 by igotworms

[Patong Bob]

I like Hat Yai. After Patong it is great to walk down the street without being accosted by massage girls or Indian Tailors. Also prices are marked on everything and it works out a lot cheaper than Patong. A pub called Brown Sugar is right in the centre and is clean, cheap and a great place to watch the world go by. Pink Lady bar has girls much like the Patong/ Bangkok scene, but it's a hassle to get in, and frankly not worth it.