🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
Hat Yai is in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province, and serves as the main hub of Thailand's lower south. Most of the sights cluster within about 30 minutes of the city centre, so with one or two days you can cover them comfortably. For in-town spots like the park and Kim Yong Market, a motorbike taxi or Grab works fine. The waterfall and floating market sit a bit outside town, so renting a car or hiring a driver gives you more freedom.
Overview — What There Is to Do in Hat Yai
Roughly grouped, Hat Yai has four kinds of attractions: hilltop viewpoints (the park + cable car + the Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj statue), markets and shopping (Kim Yong, Khlong Hae, Asean Night Bazaar), temples (Wat Hat Yai Nai), and nature (Ton Nga Chang Waterfall). Mix and match based on how much time you have. Below is a quick overview before we go through each spot in detail.
Municipal Park + Cable Car
A viewpoint over Hat Yai from atop Khao Kho Hong. Ride Thailand's first aerial cable car and pay respects to the Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj and the Brahma shrine.
Kim Yong Market
A central souvenir market — nuts, sweets, dried fruit and imported goods, with room to bargain. Easy to walk to from the main hotel area.
Khlong Hae Floating Market
The south's first floating market, with young Nora dancers and vendors paddling boats of food along the canal. Open Friday–Sunday afternoons.
Wat Hat Yai Nai
A 35-metre reclining Buddha, one of the longest in the south. You can walk through a passage beneath the base to make a wish. Free entry.
Ton Nga Chang Waterfall
A seven-tier waterfall inside a wildlife sanctuary, about a 40-minute drive from the city. You can swim at the lower tiers.
Want more out of Hat Yai? Book tours & activities
Booking online ahead on Klook or GetYourGuide is usually cheaper than the gate and skips the queue. Pick only the experiences you actually want — prices and availability are shown live on each site.
Hat Yai Municipal Park + Cable Car
The attraction that defines Hat Yai right now is the aerial cable car on Khao Kho Hong, inside Hat Yai Municipal Park. The park sits on a low hill, with a road leading up to the Phra Buddha Mongkol Maharaj (a large golden Buddha image), a Brahma shrine and a Guanyin statue to pay respects to. From the top you can see all of Hat Yai laid out below, and in the late afternoon when it cools down it's a popular spot for photos.
The cable car is Thailand's first aerial gondola, running about 525 metres and linking three stations on the hill. Each car holds eight people, and one trip takes roughly 2–3 minutes. As you ride you get a full view of the city and the park below.
- Opening hours — the cable car runs Tuesday–Sunday (closed Monday), roughly 9am–8pm. The park itself is open for walking every day.
- Cable car fare — around 100 THB for Thai adults, 50 THB for children/students/uniformed officials, and 200 THB for foreign visitors.
- Getting up the hill — there's a tram service to the top, or you can drive or ride a motorbike up yourself.
- Best time — late afternoon into evening, when it's cooler and you catch the city as the lights come on.
Tip
The cable car is closed every Monday, so if you're in Hat Yai early in the week, check first — a lot of people miss this. If you come on a Monday and still want to go up the hill, you can pay respects at the shrines and enjoy the view; you just won't get to ride the gondola.
Kim Yong Market — Souvenirs in the City Centre
When it comes to Hat Yai souvenirs, locals think of Kim Yong Market first. It's an old market in the city centre, near the main hotel area and within walking distance of plenty of accommodation. The standouts are nuts and seeds — cashews, pistachios, almonds, macadamias — along with sweets, dried fruit, preserved plums, seaweed, chocolate and imported goods from Malaysia.
The market is open daily, roughly 7am–6pm. Before 10am the fresh produce section is busiest; as the morning goes on it shifts into a full snack-and-souvenir zone. Prices here are negotiable, so it pays to ask a few shops and compare before you buy.
- Popular buys — roasted cashews, mixed nuts, dried fruit, Chinese pastries, fish snacks.
- Bargaining works — especially if you buy several items or in larger quantities. Try asking for a discount or a freebie.
- Nearby — Santisuk Market and the central food district, all within an easy walk.
Khlong Hae Floating Market — The South's First
Khlong Hae Floating Market sits about 10 kilometres outside Hat Yai and was the first floating market in southern Thailand. What sets it apart from other floating markets is the mix of vendors paddling boats of food along the canal and shops lining a long walkway on land. You'll find authentic southern food, traditional local sweets, and Nora dance performances — including the young Nora dancers who are a highlight here.
Nearby you can stop at Wat Khlong Hae and the merit bridge. The vibe is an evening market beside the canal, best for strolling and snacking once the sun softens. Food is cheap, and you pay either with coupons or cash depending on the stall.
- Open only — Friday, Saturday and Sunday, roughly 1pm–9pm (closed on weekdays).
- Highlights — young Nora dancers, vendors paddling boats of food, southern dishes and local sweets.
- Getting there — about 10 km from the city centre; a Grab or a rental car is the easiest way.
Tip
Khlong Hae Floating Market is only open Friday–Sunday, so if you're planning a midweek trip to Hat Yai you might miss it — check the day before you set your itinerary. Saturday evening is the busiest; come around 3–4pm and it's easier to get around.
Wat Hat Yai Nai — A 35-Metre Reclining Buddha
Wat Hat Yai Nai (Wat Mahattamangkalaram) sits beside the U Tapao Canal in Khuan Lang subdistrict. It's home to a large reclining Buddha called Phra Buddha Mahattamongkol, about 35 metres long and 15 metres high — one of the longest reclining Buddhas in the south. The popular feature is the passage built beneath the base, where you can walk through to pay respects and make a wish inside.
Entry is free, and walking around takes about an hour. It's a good stop on your way in or out of the city. Dress modestly, as you would at any temple.
- Highlight — the 35-metre reclining Buddha; walk through the passage beneath the base to pay respects and make a wish.
- Entry — free (donations welcome).
- Time needed — about an hour, good for a short stop along the way.
Ton Nga Chang Waterfall — Nature Near the City
If you want to get out of town and into nature, Ton Nga Chang Waterfall is the closest option. It's inside the Ton Nga Chang Wildlife Sanctuary in Thung Tam Sao subdistrict, about a 40-minute drive from central Hat Yai. It's a multi-tier waterfall (around seven tiers), with the lower tiers easy to reach and good for swimming, while the upper ones require a steady hike up — better suited to people who like to walk.
The water is fullest and most beautiful after the rainy season, around late in the year to early the next, while in the dry season the flow drops. Entry for Thais is in the tens of baht (around 20 THB for adults, 10 THB for children) plus parking, while foreign visitors are charged separately at the standard sanctuary rate.
- Opening hours — roughly 8am–5pm; head back down before late afternoon.
- Entry — around 20 THB for Thai adults, 10 THB for children, plus parking; foreign visitors charged separately.
- What to bring — wear non-slip shoes, as the wet rock is slippery, and carry drinking water if you plan to hike to the upper tiers.
- Best time — after the rainy season, when the water is plentiful and clear; the dry season runs low.
Tip
The rock around the waterfall is very slippery, especially when the water is high. Walk slowly and keep an eye on small children. If you want to swim, pick a tier where the current isn't strong and where other people are around.
Extra In-Town Spots If You Have Time to Spare
If you've covered the main sights and still have time, there's more to wander in central Hat Yai — good to slot in during the evening or before you head home.
Asean Night Bazaar
A large open-air market on Chotiwitthayakul Road near the bus station, with clothes, fashion goods and a food court on the second floor.
Hat Yai Sign / Street Art
Photo spots around the old town with murals on the buildings. Easy to wander and shoot photos through the central district.
Santisuk Market
A central food market right next to Kim Yong, within easy walking distance — a good spot for an evening bite.
How to Plan a Hat Yai Trip That's Worth It
The in-town spots (the park, cable car, Kim Yong, Asean Night Bazaar) can all be grouped into a single day since they're close together. Ton Nga Chang Waterfall and Khlong Hae Floating Market are out of town, so set aside another half-day to a full day for them. And don't forget that Khlong Hae Floating Market is only open Friday–Sunday and the cable car is closed on Mondays — line up your days right so you don't miss out.
- 1-day trip — focus on town: the park + cable car in the late afternoon, then shop for souvenirs at Kim Yong and stroll the Asean Night Bazaar.
- 2-day trip — first day in town, second day out to Ton Nga Chang Waterfall in the morning then Khlong Hae Floating Market in the afternoon (if it falls on Friday–Sunday).
- Getting around town — Grab, motorbike taxi or on foot; for out-of-town spots, a rental car or hired driver is the most flexible.
Read the full Hat Yai travel guide and plan both the eating and the sightseeing.
See the Hat Yai guide →