Hatyai 2D1N - Day 1

Hi everyone, it's been so long I didn't update here. Huhu. So yeah, it's been a month plus since I'm back from Hat Yai as my short escape vacation with my fellow friends. Really close since we were at university life. I could say our friendship had already into 12 years, and it's still counting. So back to the topic, my sweet escape was on 04th August 2018 until 05th August 2018.

Hat Yai is a city in Southern Thailand near the Malaysian Border. Located at 7*1'N 100*28'E, it is 946 km (588 mil) South of Bangkok and has a population of 158,218 (2012) in the city itself and about 800,000 in the greater Hat Yai area. Hat Yai is the largest city of Songkhla Province, the largest metropolitan area in the south, and the third largest metropolitan area of the country

So let's begin. Oh yeahhh. It's been a month, and please apologise if I did missed the points.

04/08/2018 - SATURDAY

This plan had been planned by me and my friends, Kak Zai and Nana. We had planned a month before we went there. Nana were in-charge on hotel booking for us. And Kak Zai is more on organize our activities at there. Me? Laying down, be cool lol. Since Kak Zai and Nana was from Kuala Lumpur, so they had to get on ETS from KL Sentral to Padang Besar. They took ticket at 2300, Friday 03/08/2018, and the price if I'm not mistaken was MYR79 one way. You may refer to KTM website about the journey and the price of ticket as well. We were decided to go for backpacker, whereby we were there without any tourist guides. So yeah, meanwhile me myself were from Penang so my journey started on the next itself. For me to grab the first ticket on 04/08/2018, which was on 0530, I wake up early. Luckily I did managed to get Grab on that early morning (MYR16). Everything went well. Not waiting for long, I just hopped into the train on time. The journey took about 2 hours +-. I did managed to arrive at Padang Besar Station about 0730, while at the same time, Kak Zai and Nana already arrived there, waiting for me since 0530. Lol

Captured this on 05/08 - Still valid tho I guess

The counter for the next train from Padang Besar to Hat Yai will operating about 0900. Three of us had decided to not to wait for this train. We can't stayed idle for 2 hours waiting for counter to be operate. Hell no. Lol. So yeah, we went around to ask the railway staff on how to get into Thailand border. It's walking distance from Padang Besar Station to Thailand Border. 15 minutes walking distance I guess. I am cool with that. From the station, you can also get the van to go Thailand Border. Can go with the van from Padang Besar Station to Thai-Malaysia border, got your passport to chop by them, and straight away go to Hat Yai with that van. But if I am not mistaken, the fare quite pricy. It's about 200 THB per pax.

At Border Padang Besar - Hat Yai

Oh yeahhhh

Since we didn't go for that option, so we walked from station to border. Once we got there, there were alot of visitors (or I can say "Malaysians"). We did save our time by walking to border, without went thru via train. We went there, got the chop from Immigration and tadaaaaa, we are in Thailand!! And oh yeah, we also met with a group of 4 girls, who also on their way to Hat Yai Town. To save more money, we were agreed to share among 7 of us, got 1 whole van to bring us to the town. The fare was 800 THB. That means its was 110 THB per pax. The journey from border to Hat Yai Town took us about 4 hours. (It's like Penang to Kuala Lumpur!). As you know, the difference time zone between Thailand and Malaysia was 1 hour. Please alert your time once you were entered Thailand

The van sent the group of 4 at their hotel. Then our turn to hotel. We were arrived on 1100. So Nana did booked at middle of Hat Yai, and the hotel name was "Kosit Hotel". I am not sure the charges in THB, but we booked it for MYR120. MYR40 for each of us. Quite afforadable right? The room was nice and we were comfortable with the bed and all the equipments. Once we had arrived, we tried to check in earlier than the allowed time, and luckily, the room was empty and we were allowed to check in even not at 1400 yet. Lucky us! 

Can only snapped on next day. Lulz

Our next plan was to eat. Too damn hungry on that time, so we're quickly checked in and washed up ourselves. For first place to go, we went to 1 Muslim restaurant where it's not really far from our hotel (forget the name of shop, but the foods nice tho). It's walking distance, and while walking, you can see the face of Hat Yai Town. Really nice tho. Even their face probably like me (Hahaha, BTW I have siamese blood), but yet it's still make me feel like I am not at Malaysia. Maybe due to their language. But don't worry tho. They can also speak in Malay fluently. So to those maybe not really keen in English, you may just talk in Malay with the local. 

1st food once came here. Nice tomyam!

So done with our eating session. We then walked towards Robinson Mall. One of mall inside Hat Yai Town. We really not buying anything there, just well girls right? We went for window shopping. Probably while dreaming to have a rich husband who allowed me to buy anything. Lol. JK.

We were just awhile at that mall, not taking too much time. The mall just same as what we have at Malaysia. After that we moved to go to Hat Yai Railway Station. To snap some good picture, and since three of us never hopped in open air train at Hat Yai.

After having some fun there, again we moved to "Talad Sot". This name been told by Nana. She said that she and her family was calling this market as "Talad Sot". Not sure tho if they got another name for that market. Inside there, I am guarantee that you will definitely wanna buy alot. Three of us being shopaholic all of sudden. Haha. You have to know how to bargain the price with the local. Some of it were selling quite expensive, so yeah. Sharpen more your skill on bargain babe! We just being lucky since Nana with us. And some of her tips really helped us.

MYR was not really performed well, so we were kinda felt the difference between exchange rate. Last time on 2013 and 2014, I did went for Krabi (2013) and Koh Lipe (2014), the difference not really much, but this time I can feel the difference. Sobsss. Hoping MYR can perform well soon. Chaiyok Malaysia!

At Hat Yai, to move to one place to another place, you can get 'Tuk-Tuk", resembles as small van. But kinda open air where you can see more the Hat Yai Town. Normally Tuk Tuk is cheaper, so you need to survey first the price before hopping in. Normally if not mistaken, note by Nana, the price was only about 20 THB to 30 THB (BTW, Nana's mother was originate from Thailand. So she was been here so many times at some place at Thailand).

Oh yeah, about the data or internet connection, Nana did told us that she had the sim (AIS Simcard). So we just need to reload. We were done all the necessary things about sim at Robinson. We went for reload the credit and choose the plan. We had chosen 4GB and open the hotspot so that three of us can share the facility. Its shall enough tho. Some more, at hotel we had free WIFI. The free WIFI was quite nice and okay.

About 1600 we went to Klonghae Floating Market. We went there using Grab. Seriuosly it's much better to use Grab. More comfortable and cheaper than using Taxi or Tuk Tuk. Floating Market, the hot spot that you need to come if you are deciding to come to Hat Yai. There were alot of peoples there. The clothes that they sell was quite cheap and maybe you can again do the bargain skill. Why not. Lol

Actually there was alot pictures that we snapped here, but I don't know why the picture can't went thru PC. I will upload again when available. Really nice place, with nice foods of course. The price? You need to survey, there were cheap and quite expensive. Depends on your taste, friend. At first when we were planned to come to Hat Yai, we did survey 1 restaurant. Viral before we came here. The name was "Klonghae Seafood". Seeing from maps, I can see the distance not really so far, so we were decided to walk to that restaurant. Seem I had a bit knowledge on maps, so both of them just followed me.

Really damn nice foods. Super cheap for me! Because for all these kinds of food, I am pretty sure I can't get this kind of price at Malaysia. There are 2 kinds of packages that you can see. Firstly, for 289 THB, you can go for everything and everywhere. They did served buffet and seafoods. So with 289 THB you can go for both. And of course we went for that packages. We were digged in like pigs! Damn you girls. Lol. The second packages was 279 THB, where you can only enjoyed the buffet side. So just differences of 10 THB, why not we went for the most one?

Am I sleepy or too full? No one knows. LOL

Seriously we was started eating from 1800 until 2000. Especially myself. I was eating too much, and I didn't regretted at all. Due to eating too much, three of us decided not to go to Asean Night Market. We were heard from other travellers that Asean Night Market is quite simple and they asked us just go to Night Market at Lee Garden area. So after eating, we were back to our hotel to keep our shopping bags, got washed up and went out again towards night market at Lee Garden area.

See, how nice their food. Drooling. I am the big fan of prawns. So really Hat Yai is the food heaven for me. You can easily got nice food. Big thanks to Nana tho. Haha. We were literally almost finished our money. Haha. Too crazy offers and alot of peoples to be honest. I did bought Hat Yai t-shirts for my families members. Not forget to Kak Zai and Nana. They bought clothes, shoes and more. Please take note guys, this trip is not budget trip. Unlike some other posts at Facebook where they did promoted how cheap the budget to go to Hat Yai. Three of us had set our minds that we went there, to enjoy and have fun. And yes we are! 

Nearly 2200, I told to Nana and Kak Zai that I am too tired to walk for more. Unlike both of them, they still wanna go for it. Sigh seriously they didn't even tired. Lmao. Actually after our session at Lee Garden's night market, three of us planned to go for massage. (Here, there was some incident happened to me. Sigh. Will tell the whole story after I'm finishing my post about Day 2 at Hat Yai on next post.

So back to our topic, while Kak Zai and Nana continuing their search on buying things. I went to Motor Taxi, for me to back to hotel. Can't afford to walk tho. So with 30THB, he rode his motor to my hotel. Quite scary tho, when he rode fast and go between cars. I really like to ride fast or drive fast, but obviously I'll do that if I'm the one who ride or drive. Hahaha. But yeah, I did arrived to hotel with safe and sound. Its took about 5 min journey only. Quite near but nah, I can't walk for more.

About 2230, Nana and Kak Zai had returned safely to hotel. We decided to go for full body thai massage and the shop just closeby with the hotel. Really convenient tho. We paid 350 THB for 1 hour massage.

So here you are. Day 1 post from me. Will continue on the next post on day 2 at Hat Yai.