🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
When people say "you have to shop in Hat Yai," they really mean several districts that sit very close together. The old town core is almost all walkable, while the big malls are just outside the center but easy to reach by songthaew (shared pickup truck). We'll start with the malls, then head down to the old markets that are the real heart of Hat Yai shopping.
Central Festival Hat Yai — the biggest mall in the South
Central Festival Hat Yai opened in late 2013 and is still the largest mall in southern Thailand. It sits on Kanchanawanit Road in the Kho Hong area, about 3–4 km from the city center. Inside you'll find easy-to-find brands like Uniqlo and H&M, plus a Robinson department store, a supermarket, a cinema, and a top-floor dining zone with nice city views in the early evening. It's a good place to escape the afternoon heat and roll straight into dinner.
- Address — 1518 Kanchanawanit Rd, Kho Hong, Hat Yai, Songkhla
- Getting there — Take a Phetkasem-line songthaew, fare around 10–15 THB. There's a footbridge from the Makro side that leads straight into the mall.
- Good for — Mainstream fashion brands, food court, cinema, plenty of parking
Tip
If you're traveling as a group and have a car, parking at Central is far easier than parking in the old town. Finish the Kim Yong and Santisuk markets before evening, then drive to Central for dinner and a movie.
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.
Lee Gardens Plaza — the landmark tower in the city center
Before Central arrived, Lee Gardens Plaza was the shopping and accommodation hub of Hat Yai. The tall tower is a city-center landmark you can spot from a distance. It's quieter than Central these days, but the location is excellent because it sits right next to the market district — a few steps from the building and you're at Kim Yong and Santisuk. The lower floors still have shops and restaurants, so it works well as a base for shopping the old town on foot.
- Location — Old-town core, on Saneha Nuson / Prachathipat Rd, walkable to the markets
- Why it helps — An easy-to-find meeting point and a starting hub for walking the city
- Good for — People staying nearby who want to shop on foot without taking a songthaew
Kim Yong Market — souvenir and import heaven
If you only have time for one place, make it Kim Yong. This is a two-floor covered market on Niphat Uthit 3 Road that locals and visitors alike rate as Hat Yai's number-one souvenir spot. It's open from morning to evening. The ground floor is food — nuts, dried fruit, Malaysian and Singaporean snacks — while the upper floor has electronics, toys and all sorts of imported goods.
Inside it's divided into several lanes, so your first walk through can feel a little confusing. The trick is to focus on one category at a time: start with dried seafood like squid and dried shrimp, which is usually cheaper than buying at a mall, then move on to nuts and snacks sold by weight, and finish with the imported sweets.
- Dried seafood — Dried squid, dried shrimp, salted fish; better prices than the malls, and you can haggle if you buy a lot
- Nuts and snacks — Cashews, fried beans, sold by weight; several stalls let you taste before you buy
- Imported sweets — Chocolate, biscuits, Malaysian and Singaporean snacks on the second floor, cheaper than in Bangkok
Tips for Kim Yong
For anything sold by weight, compare 2–3 stalls before you stock up — prices vary a little. And ask whether the price is per kilo or per 100 grams (khit), so there are no surprises when you pay.
Santisuk Market — fashion, bags, perfume, bargains
A short walk on from Kim Yong brings you to Santisuk Market, another long-running market that's a legend among shoppers. Its strength is budget fashion and everyday goods — clothes, leather goods, bags, shoes, sunglasses, perfume and cosmetics. There are well over a hundred stalls, and it's open roughly 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Fashion — Clothes, shoulder bags, luggage, leather shoes, with low starting prices
- Beauty — Perfume and cosmetics in many brands, cheaper than a mall counter
- Odds and ends — Hiking gear, flashlights, kids' toys, small electronics
Buy cheap, but stay sharp
With some cheap items the quality matches the price, especially knock-off brands. Check the material and stitching before you pay, and inspect everything as you receive it, because many stalls make returns or exchanges difficult.
Niphat Uthit 1-2-3 — the commercial heart of Hat Yai
Niphat Uthit Roads 1, 2 and 3 are the main arteries of Hat Yai's commercial district. The three run parallel and connect through to one another, and both Kim Yong and Santisuk markets sit within this area. The streets are lined with gold shops, pharmacies, souvenir stores, restaurants and hotels — it's the most enjoyable part of town to explore on foot, and you can find nearly everything by circling these blocks.
Niphat Uthit 1
Gold shops, souvenir stores and pharmacies in old shophouses that are still busy; walks through to Santisuk
Niphat Uthit 2
Restaurants, cafes and hotels; the street where many visitors stay, with plenty of food at night
Niphat Uthit 3
Home of Kim Yong Market, packed with souvenir and import stores the whole length — good for a long shopping stroll
Hat Yai souvenirs worth actually buying
Hat Yai has so many souvenir options it's hard to choose. We've picked only the ones locals genuinely buy and that are easy to carry home, with ballpark prices as of early 2026. Prices shift by shop and season, so use these as a rough guide before you buy.
Rose pastries (Pia Kularb) from Baan Ko Kai
Layered-pastry sweets shaped like rose petals, from a shop famous across Hat Yai. There are several fillings, both traditional and modern, and it makes an impressive yet easy-to-carry gift.
Fried bao buns from Ko Uan
A souvenir that regular Hat Yai visitors know well, with red-pork, salted-egg and taro fillings. Buy them frozen and fry them at home, and the shell crisps up like it was just made.
Cashews (from Kim Yong)
Sold by the kilo in Kim Yong Market, in salted, honey-roasted and sugar-coated versions. Prices beat the malls, and several stalls let you taste before buying.
Salted fish & dried seafood
Salted fish from Songkhla Lake, dried squid and dried shrimp — all available at Kim Yong at good prices. These are Songkhla specialties southern Thais bring home regularly.
Fried beans & snacks by weight
Fried beans, peanuts and a range of snacks at Kim Yong, sold by the kilo. Good for splitting among several people or for snacking on the road.
Malaysian & Singaporean imported snacks
Chocolate, biscuits, dried fruit and jerky on the second floor of Kim Yong, cheaper than in the big cities and full of unusual finds you won't see elsewhere.
Mango leather & candied mango
Processed-fruit sweets with a tart-sweet flavor, sold by several shops in town. Best bought just before you leave, since the fresh kind doesn't keep long.
Southern curry pastes & chili dips
Southern curry pastes and chili dips in vacuum packs, ready to cook southern food at home. Lightweight and they keep for a long time.
Bird's nest
A premium gift, with specialist shops like Thai Arun Bird's Nest in town. Good for gifting to elders; prices start in the hundreds and rise by grade, so ask the staff about quality before buying.
What to buy right before you leave
Buy fresh items like candied mango or frozen bao buns close to departure so they don't spoil while you're out and about. Dried goods like salted fish, nuts and curry paste can be bought any day in advance.
Planning a full shopping day
If you only have a single day but want to cover it all, run it like this: do the old markets in the morning and early afternoon while it's still bearable to walk, then finish in the cool, air-conditioned mall in the evening.
Kim Yong Market + Niphat Uthit
Santisuk Market + Lee Gardens
Central Festival
Want the full Hat Yai travel guide — where to stay, eat and explore?
See the Hat Yai guide →