Hat Yai

Hat Yai is the biggest city in Thailand's far south, a busy trading and shopping town in Songkhla province about an hour's drive from the Malaysian border. People come for the markets and the food, and for day trips to Songkhla's old town and Samila Beach. Hat Yai itself is not on the UK or US lists of areas to avoid, but parts of the region around it are, and this guide explains exactly which.

For visitors from Malaysia and Singapore, Hat Yai is the nearest Thai city and an easy weekend: shopping, Thai food, massages and a change of scene. For travelers coming from Bangkok, it is a transport hub for the deep south, for Satun and the islands, and for the border. It is not a beach town; the beach is at Songkhla, half an hour away.

What UK and US travel advice says about Hat Yai and the deep south

Many travelers are told that "the south is dangerous" and cancel Hat Yai altogether. The official advice is more precise than that, and it differs between governments.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces and to "the districts of Chana, Thepa, Na Thawi and Saba Yoi in southern Songkhla Province". It also advises against all but essential travel "on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces", giving the reason as "regular attacks in the provinces by the border with Malaysia". Hat Yai district and Songkhla town are not on that list. The FCDO notes that martial law is in place in most areas of the affected provinces.

The US State Department rates Thailand as a whole at Level 1, "Exercise Normal Precautions" (updated 6 July 2026). It asks travelers to "exercise increased caution" (Level 2) in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat because of the risk of unrest, and says various districts there remain under an Emergency Decree. Songkhla and Hat Yai are not mentioned. US government employees need special authorization to travel to the three provinces.

In practice, Hat Yai is a normal working city with busy shopping streets and hotels full of weekend visitors. Use the same care you would anywhere: watch your bag in crowded markets, follow local news, and be aware that Chana district begins just south-east of Songkhla town, so do not drive on down the coast road without checking where you are.

Markets and shopping

Shopping is the main reason many people come. Hat Yai's center is compact, with markets, malls and street stalls within a few blocks of each other and of the train station.

Kim Yong Market, in the old center, is the place for dried seafood, nuts, imported snacks, sweets and southern specialties to take home. It is crowded, cheerful and best in the morning before the heat builds. The streets around it are full of shops selling much the same, so compare before you buy.

In the evenings, night markets set up across the city with grilled food, clothes and gadgets; our beginner's guide to night-market eating explains how ordering and paying works. Outside the center, the Khlong Hae floating market sells food from boats on a canal; it is mainly a weekend event, so check the days locally before you go. Large air-conditioned malls cover everything else.

Foreign visitors (not Thai residents) who spend 2,000 baht or more in a shop displaying the VAT Refund for Tourists sign can claim the refund when they fly out of Hat Yai's international airport, which has a refund office; there is no refund when you leave by road or rail; our guide to the VAT refund for tourists explains the P.P.10 form.

What to eat in Hat Yai

Hat Yai's food reflects its mix of Thai, Chinese and Malay-Muslim communities, and eating is as much a reason to come as shopping.

• Hat Yai fried chicken (gai tod Hat Yai): marinated, fried until crisp and topped with fried shallots, usually eaten with sticky rice.
• Dim sum breakfasts: Chinese tea houses serve steamed dumplings and buns early in the morning; go before 09:00.
• Roti and sweet tea: flatbread with curry or condensed milk, at Muslim-run stalls all over town.
• Khao mok gai: southern-style chicken biryani with a sweet-sour sauce.
• Southern curries: fiery yellow and sour curries; ask for "mai phet" (not spicy) if you need to.

Halal food is easy to find, which matters to many Malaysian and Indonesian visitors; our guide to vegetarian and halal food in Thailand covers how to recognize certified restaurants. During Chinese New Year the city's Chinese community celebrates on a large scale, and banks in Songkhla province close for it even though it is not a national holiday; see the page on Chinese New Year in Thailand.

Songkhla, Samila Beach and the old town

Songkhla, the provincial capital, sits on a narrow strip between the Gulf of Thailand and Songkhla Lake, about 33 km from Hat Yai. It is quieter and older than Hat Yai, and a half-day or full-day trip is the best way to balance a shopping weekend.

Samila Beach is Songkhla's town beach, a long strip of sand shaded by casuarina trees. Its best-known sight is the mermaid statue on the rocks, which has become the symbol of the city, and offshore you can see the two small islands known as the Cat and the Mouse (Koh Maeo and Koh Nu). Swimming is possible on calm days, but this is the Gulf coast, and from about October to December the northeast monsoon brings rough sea.

Songkhla's old town, along Nakhon Nai and Nakhon Nok roads near the lake, has Sino-Portuguese shophouses, Chinese shrines, small museums and cafés in restored buildings. In 2024 Thailand added "Songkhla and its Associated Lagoon Settlements" to its UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, which means it is proposed for listing, not inscribed. Khao Tang Kuan, a hill above the town with a chedi at the top, gives the best view over the lake and the sea.

Shared vans and buses run between Hat Yai and Songkhla through the day, and Grab lists "Songkhla-Hat Yai" as a service area, which makes a one-way ride easy to arrange; our guide to using Grab in Thailand explains the app.

Floods: why November matters

Hat Yai lies low, in a basin that collects water from several directions, and it has a long history of floods in November, when the northeast monsoon brings heavy rain to the Gulf side of the south. Major floods struck in 1988, 2000 and 2010. In November 2025 about 630 mm of rain fell in 72 hours, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation counted 243,778 people affected in Hat Yai alone.

That does not mean you should avoid Hat Yai in November, but it does mean you should watch the Thai Meteorological Department's warnings before and during a trip, book a hotel on a higher floor, and keep travel dates flexible. Visits between February and September carry far less flood risk.

Getting to Hat Yai

By air. Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) has frequent flights from both Bangkok airports and some international flights. It is one of five Thai airports with kiosks for the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), but the card is easier to file online, free, within three days before you arrive; see our guide to filling in the TDAC.

By train from Bangkok. Long-distance southern trains leave from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, not Hua Lamphong. The special express trains 31 and 32 run between Bangkok and Hat Yai, and SRT sells tickets for them up to 90 days ahead (30 days for most other trains). Our guide to Thailand's night trains compares the berths.

From Malaysia and Singapore. Hat Yai is the first big Thai city after the border, by bus, van, train or your own car. Citizens of Malaysia and Singapore get 30 days visa-free (October 2026) and are not subject to the limit of two visa-exempt land entries per calendar year that applies to most other nationalities; our guide to the Thai visa exemption has the full rules. The practical details of each crossing are in From Malaysia to Hat Yai by train, bus or car, and the overview of all the Malaysia–Thailand border crossings covers the routes further west and east.

From Hat Yai, minivans also run west towards Satun province and Pak Bara pier for boats to Koh Lipe in season.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hat Yai safe to visit?

As of October 2026, neither the UK nor the US government lists Hat Yai city as an area to avoid. The UK advises against all but essential travel to Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, four southern Songkhla districts (Chana, Thepa, Na Thawi, Saba Yoi) and the Hat Yai–Padang Besar railway. Check the latest advice before you travel.

Is Songkhla on the travel warning list?

Songkhla province as a whole is not. The UK lists only four of its southern districts: Chana, Thepa, Na Thawi and Saba Yoi. Songkhla town and Samila Beach are in Mueang Songkhla district, which is not listed. The US advice does not mention Songkhla at all.

How do I get from Hat Yai to Samila Beach?

Songkhla is about 33 km from Hat Yai. Shared vans and buses run through the day, and taxis and Grab are available for a direct ride of roughly 35 to 45 minutes. Samila Beach and the mermaid statue are on the town's northern shore.

When is the best time to visit Hat Yai?

February to September is the safest period for weather. November is the main flood month, and October to December can bring heavy rain and rough sea on the Gulf coast at Songkhla. Malaysian school holidays and Chinese New Year make the city very busy.

Sources

• UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: warnings and insurance (checked October 2026)
• UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: safety and security (checked October 2026)
• U.S. Department of State – Thailand Travel Advisory (checked October 2026)
• The Nation – Hat Yai floods: a major disaster and a new challenge (DDPM figures) (checked October 2026)
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Thailand: properties and Tentative List (checked October 2026)
• Tourism Authority of Thailand – SRT opens 90-day advance booking (checked October 2026)
• Tourism Authority of Thailand – New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules (checked October 2026)
• Immigration Bureau – TDAC frequently asked questions (checked October 2026)
• Grab Thailand – Transport services and cities (checked October 2026)