هات ياي

The city can be visited all year. The drier months are usually easier for sightseeing, while the rainy season brings heavy showers and occasional floods.

• Buddha Statue is a large Buddha statue east of the city.
• Wat Hat Yai Nai is a temple known for a large reclining Buddha.
• Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum is a natural history museum in the city.
• Ban Phru Floating Market is a floating market that runs on Saturday evenings.
• Khlong Hae Floating Market is another floating market in the area.

• Floating markets: Eat and shop at a weekend market.
• Temple visits: See large Buddha statues.
• Street food: Try southern dishes.
• Shopping: Browse markets and malls.

• Songkhla: a coastal city to the east.
• Waterfalls: Ton Nga Chang is west of the city.
• Malaysian border: reachable by road or train.

• Khao Nam Khang National Park is a national park to the south.
• Krabi is on the Andaman coast.

• By air: Hat Yai airport has flights from Bangkok.
• By train: The southern railway line stops here.
• By bus or minivan: Services run across the south.

• Tuk-tuks and taxis: Easy to find.
• Songthaews: Cheap but less clear.
• Walking: Central areas are walkable.

• Is a car worth it?: Helpful for waterfalls and outlying sights.
• Driving side: Traffic drives on the left.
• Roads: Traffic is busy in the city.

Southern Thai food is spicy and rich, with curries, seafood and fried chicken. Night markets are lively.

• Traffic: Cross roads carefully.
• Floods: Heavy rain can flood parts of the city.
• Travel advice: Check current advice for the far south.
• Royal family: Do not speak or write badly about the monarchy. It is a serious crime in Thailand.

Hat Yai grew as a railway and trade center, and it remains the main commercial city of the south.

Quick practical facts for Thailand at a glance: