🔄 Updated 21 Jun 2026
The first thing to get straight is that Songkhla is the name of the province, and inside it are two towns people visit most — Mueang Songkhla district, the seaside town beside the lake, with its old town on Nang Ngam Road, Samila Beach and Khao Tang Kuan · and Hat Yai district, the commercial hub with the airport, the markets, the dim sum and the fried chicken. The two towns are about 30 km apart, a 30–40 minute drive. Most people fly into Hat Yai airport and then visit both sides. Get this picture clear first and planning gets a lot easier.
Songkhla vs Hat Yai — what's the difference
- Songkhla town — a seaside old town with a slow pace, Nang Ngam Road lined with Sino-Portuguese shophouses and long-running food stalls, Samila Beach with its golden mermaid statue, and Khao Tang Kuan for views over the town. Great if you like wandering, taking photos and eating local.
- Hat Yai — the busier commercial town, with the airport, malls, Kim Yong and Santi Suk markets, morning dim sum, fried chicken and night markets. Great if you like shopping for gifts, eating your fill and moving on easily.
- How far apart are they — the two towns are about 30 km apart, a 30–40 minute drive or ride. Minivans, songthaews and taxis run between them all day, so a day trip back and forth is easy.
The short version
Want the sea, the old town and a chilled-out feel? Lean toward the Songkhla side · Want to shop for gifts, eat dim sum and walk the night markets? Lean toward the Hat Yai side · With a bit of time you can do both, since they're close together.
Book the activities in your Songkhla trip ahead
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.
Getting there — where to land, how to reach town
The fastest way is to fly into Hat Yai International Airport, with several flights a day from Bangkok and a flight time of about 1.5 hours. If you're not in a hurry and want to save money, there's the train or a coach instead.
- Plane — fly into Hat Yai airport (HDY), the most popular and fastest way. The airport sits about 10 km outside Hat Yai town.
- Train — there are services from Bangkok down to Hat Yai station; it's a long overnight ride, good if you enjoy the train and aren't rushing. The station is right in central Hat Yai.
- Coach — Bangkok–Hat Yai coaches run daily, another long overnight haul, and cheaper than flying.
- From the airport into town — a public minibus into Hat Yai town is around 60 THB per person and the cheapest way · a minivan is about 100 THB · taxis and private cars at the airport charge a flat fare and cost more. To head straight to Songkhla town you'll usually need to charter a car, with the price down to negotiation.
If Songkhla town is your destination
The airport is on the Hat Yai side, so if you've booked a stay in Songkhla town, the easiest route is to rent a car and drive yourself from the airport, or charter a car/taxi straight into Songkhla town, about 35–40 minutes · To save money you'd take the minibus into Hat Yai first, then change to a Songkhla–Hat Yai minivan — slower, but cheaper.
Which side to stay on — Songkhla or Hat Yai
This is the question first-timers ask most, and the answer depends on what you most want to do. Both sides have stays at every level, from a few-hundred-THB guesthouse to a few-thousand-THB hotel.
- Stay in Songkhla town — best if you're here for the old town, the sea and photos. There are lovely guesthouses inside the old shophouses around Nang Ngam, so you can step out and wander straight away without a long drive, and the mood is quieter.
- Stay in Hat Yai — best if you're here for shopping, eating and the night markets, and want an easy run back to the airport. There are more hotels, close to the malls and markets, with a wide range of prices.
- Stay in both — with 3 days or more, stay in Songkhla first for the old town and the sea, then move to Hat Yai for the last night to be near the airport for your flight home. It's the most balanced approach if you don't mind switching hotels.
How to get around once you're there
- Rent a car and drive — the most flexible option, since the sights are spread across several zones — the old town, Samila Beach, Ko Yo and Hat Yai · car rental runs around 800–1,200 THB a day, with airport pickup available; you'll need a driving licence.
- Songthaew / minivan — these run between Songkhla and Hat Yai all day, they're cheap and good if you don't drive, but allow time for waiting and changing vehicles.
- Taxi / ride-hailing apps — you can get one around Hat Yai town; in Songkhla town there are fewer cars, so you may need to phone for one or charter a ride.
- On foot — works well only in Songkhla's old town, where Nang Ngam, Nakhon Nok and Nakhon Nai roads sit side by side and you can comfortably walk, shoot photos and eat.
If you can't decide
Coming as a group or family? Renting a car is the best value, since the sights are in different zones · Coming solo or as a couple and staying in the old town? Walking around the neighbourhood plus the odd ride between towns is enough — you don't have to rent a car.
Entry fees and the main sights to know
Most of Songkhla and Hat Yai's sights are cheap or free to enter, so you can save your budget for eating and shopping. Here are the main spots first-timers usually tick off, with the prices worth knowing before you go.
- Khao Tang Kuan — a 360-degree viewpoint over Songkhla town and the lake. There's a lift up, 30 THB for adults and 20 THB for children, running roughly 08:30–17:30, or climb the stairs yourself for free.
- Samila Beach — free to enter, with the golden mermaid statue that's the town's symbol and the cat-and-mouse sculpture. A breezy evening walk along the sand.
- Nang Ngam Road old town — free to walk, with Sino-Portuguese shophouses and street art down the lanes, and long-running food stalls all the way along.
- Ko Yo Folklore Museum — 50 THB for adults, 10 THB for children. Thai-style houses on a hillside with lovely lake views.
- Hat Yai cable car — a cable car in the Hat Yai municipal park, 100 THB for Thai adults and 50 THB for children, 200 THB for foreigners, open roughly 09:00–16:00 (sometimes closed for maintenance, so check before you go).
What first-timers shouldn't miss eating
Food is the main reason so many people fall for Songkhla and Hat Yai. The Hat Yai side is strong on dim sum and fried chicken, while the old town shines for long-running stalls and local sweets. We've picked the ones locals actually eat.
Hat Yai dim sum
Big, well-stuffed dim sum is the town's legendary breakfast — order it alongside a hot bowl of bak kut teh. At the popular places you take a table number and pick dim sum off the trolleys as they come round. Old favourites like Chok Dee Tae Tiam open very early.
Ko Yo waterfront seafood
Lake sea bass, fresh prawns, crab and shellfish, eaten beside the lake with the breeze coming in. Popular spots like Nam Kiang Din and The Lagoon have waterfront tables with great views. Priced by weight, so ask the per-kilo rate before you order.
Hat Yai fried chicken
Chicken marinated in spices and fried crisp, topped with crunchy fried shallots — a Hat Yai staple. Eat it on its own or with sticky rice. You'll find it all over the market area.
Ong (clay-pot) ice cream, Nang Ngam Road
An old-school coconut-milk ice cream from Nang Ngam Road, scooped cold from an earthenware pot — a signature that everyone who visits the old town tries. Just a few baht a cup.
Pa Mon charcoal-baked egg cakes
Butter-filled egg cakes baked over charcoal, an original Songkhla treat — fragrant from the charcoal and best eaten warm right at the stall. The well-known stand on Nang Ngam Road sells out fast.
Songkhla khao stew
Rice topped with Songkhla-style stew, with a broth that goes down easy and tender braised beef or pork. It's a breakfast-to-lunch dish locals have eaten for generations, and the flavour isn't like stew anywhere else.
Songkhla tao kua
A local Songkhla-style salad of rice noodles, fried tofu, boiled egg and vegetables under a sweet-and-sour sauce — bold and distinctly local. You'll find it in Songkhla town.
Khao yam & bold southern food
Khao yam — rice tossed with budu sauce, herbs and fresh vegetables — plus fish-organ curry (kaeng tai pla) and other punchy southern dishes you'll find in both towns. Hot, fully seasoned and properly southern.
Hat Yai night market
Eat your way through the street food after dark — grilled skewers, fried snacks, sweets and local dishes, all at easygoing prices. It's the graze-as-you-go dinner Hat Yai locals love.
Kim Yong Market gifts
Nuts, cashews, imported snacks, dried goods and southern treats — all in one market. Buy a few things and you'll often get a better price and a freebie thrown in. Open daily.
How many days is enough for Songkhla and Hat Yai
It depends how much you want to see · One day is enough to visit, but you'll have to pick just one zone — say the old town and Samila Beach, or eating your way through Hat Yai alone · 2 days, 1 night is the sweet spot for first-timers, covering the old town, the sea and shopping and eating in Hat Yai — that's the plan we recommend below · 3 days, 2 nights adds Ko Yo and lakeside seafood at an unhurried pace.
Recommended plan for first-timers — 2 days, 1 night
This plan is built specifically for first-timers. Day one covers Songkhla's old town and Samila Beach, the images the town is known for. Day two crosses over to Ko Yo for seafood, then finishes with shopping and eating in Hat Yai before you leave. It's easy on the feet and lets you see all three zones.
Songkhla old town + Khao Tang Kuan + Samila Beach
Day-one tip
The old town and Samila Beach are only a few kilometres apart, a 5–10 minute drive. Plan to walk the old town in the late morning, duck the midday sun in a café, then head out to Khao Tang Kuan and the beach in the late afternoon — you'll get the good views without the worst of the heat.
Ko Yo + shopping and eating in Hat Yai before you leave
Adjust to your energy
This plan leaves room to trim — you don't have to hit every stop · if your flight home is in the evening, you've got time to add the Hat Yai night market · if you genuinely only have one day, cut it down to day one alone and you'll still catch Songkhla's charm.
A few more things worth knowing before you go
- When to go — less rain and the nicest weather runs roughly February to August · late in the year, October to December, is this part of the south's rainy season, with frequent downpours, so if you come then have indoor backups like the museums and cafés.
- Cash — most old-school food stalls and markets take cash, so carry some with you. ATMs are easy to find around Hat Yai town.
- Dress — dress modestly at temples and sacred sites like Khao Tang Kuan, skipping sleeveless tops and very short shorts · at the beach and around town generally, dress however's comfortable.
- Language and people — southerners speak fast and with a regional accent, but they're friendly and helpful, so don't be shy about asking for directions.
Ready to go? See the full Songkhla guide, or line up a well-placed stay before you plan
See the Songkhla travel guide →