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Phil.UK.Net > Phil.UK.Net Site Map > Hat Yai Visitor's Guide > Hat Yai Site Map > Nature
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Thai Cultural Behaviour Tip Thais don't have quite the same 'Take only photos, leave only footprints' mentality as Westerners when in natural environments. It may be a little disturbing to see locals going into a wetlands reserve and returning with bunches of lotus flowers destined for the cooking pot. Remember that as a foreigner, you can't change things in Thailand. |
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Places of natural beauty around Hat Yai
Soon I hope to leave for a quieter, prettier location where the traffic isn't as bad and driving is more civilised. Until that time comes, I will continue to feel a frequent need to escape the mayhem by escaping as often as I come. Where do I go? The first thing to note is that although Hat Yai is considered to be a large provincial city, it is actually quite small - especially when compared to Bangkok. The chaos is actually confined to quite small area and you don't have to go far to get away.
You can join in a free aerobics session, or you can find people doing other activities, for example Tai Chi or fan dancing. The university campus is a safe environment where you will find lots of polite, educated middle-class Thais. It is very different compared to the markets and downtown areas where rude shopkeepers and taxi drivers are only interested in ripping off tourists.
Travelling further along Karnchanawanich Road heading north, the Rubber Research Centre has some areas open to the public and then there is Kor Hong (Swan's neck) golf course and Hat Yai municipal park. The park is very well maintained and although the animal exhibits have now all gone it is still a good place to relax.
From central Hat Yai you can actually walk to Mor Or but failing that there are lots of Bt10 sawng-thaews that will take you to all these places. You can board a sawng-thaew anywhere along Phetkasem Road but makes sure it turns the right way at Kor Hong. You need to turn right for Mor Or and the Rubber Research Centre but left for the golf course and park. This is one of my favourite escapes. The setting is great, the grounds are kept beautifully, and the animals all look fairly contented. The only problem is that it's a little tricky getting to - and a little tricky getting around inside the zoo - if you don't have a car. For more details see: Things To Do Page 2
You can choose from Samila Beach, Tangkuan Hill, the harbour area or the old part of town depending on how you feel. The aquarium and Kao Seng Muslim fishing village provide other options. Nowhere is easier to get to from Hat Yai than Songkhla with scores of buses and minivans travelling between the two places every day. For more details see: Songkhla About 26km from Hat Yai this seven-tiered waterfall is right in a jungly area and it is a popular swimming and picnic area with the locals. Nearby is the Hat Yai Resort & Golf Club if you want to play golf. Sawng-thaews go to the waterfall from Hat Yai but you are better off going with a tour bus or your own car. Any one of the many travel agents in Hat Yai can help you with tours or car rental. For more details see: Things To Do Page 3
Visiting the main town is like experiencing a time machine. You see Thailand how it has always been and not the facsimile of Western places that many tourist locations have turned into these days. There are lots of rice fields and an enormous number of wild birds. Everywhere you look there are large, white egrets and many other species. From Hat Yai it only takes 90 minutes to get there by minivan, about two hours by bus, or you can take a train for some very scenic views but the journey could take three hours or more.
It is located right on the northern part of Songkhla Lake and when the lotus flowers open in the morning they completely carpet the lake in some areas. The birdlife is quite spectacular with a new species to Thailand even being recorded there in February 2001 - the Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus). Accommodation is available at the visitor centre and there are also a number of private guest houses. Sawng-thaews heading to Thale Noi leave Phattalung main town fairly regularly and the journey takes about 45 minutes. For more details see: Thale Noi Regarding the transliteration of this place and all other Thai locations, I don't like the inaccurate way that Thai place names are rendered in English but I will stick to the standard transliterations. If you pronounce 'Khu Khut' in a way that rhymes with the English 'you put' you will be close. As you can see, transliteration systems use the same English vowel for completely different vowel sounds. If you can read Thai the problem disappears instantly. This is another birdwatching and nature spot which is located on the east coast of Songkhla Lake in Songkhla province. It has the birds but not the lotus flowers of Thale Noi due to the salinity of the water which varies in different parts of the lake. In some respects the birdlife is better. I have seen lots more large Purple Herons here and there is one spot that is home to dozens of Brahminy Kites. If you go at the right time when they are all flying around looking for fish it is quite a wonderful site. To get there drive out of Hat Yai towards Songkhla and take route 408 through Yo island towards Nakhon Sri Thammarat. The park is located just before Sathing Phra and it is signposted.
This pretty park is located on route 4184 in Satun province quite near the Malaysian border. To be honest, I am not sure how you would get there without a car. Even with a car it can be difficult to locate due to the absence of road signs. I was very grateful for my GPS when I went, otherwise I think I would have had some major problems. It's not that big and I didn't see any birds but there is accommodation available within the park. If you are looking for birds and stay overnight you might have some success early in the morning. As with all National Parks in Thailand (and several other visitor attractions) the practice of dual pricing exists. The foreign visitor price is written in English and the Thai price, which is 1/10 of the foreign visitor price, is written in Thai with Thai numerals. This practice is a disgrace but it is something you can't escape from in Thailand. If you live in Thailand, speak and read some Thai, and have some form of Thai ID you can sometimes negotiate the Thai price. It's not right and it's not fair but this goes on everywhere in Thailand. Due to the parks location in the deep south and proximity to the Malaysian border, there have been a few warnings about insurgency problems there. I didn't experience anything. The entire staff appear to be Muslim and they were all very friendly, as is usually the case with Thai Muslims. Accommodation is available within the park. The distance from Hat Yai is only about 60km but there is no direct road and the driving distance is about 100km.
I was also given a phone number for Thale Ban but I'm not sure whose number it is or how proficient their English is - +66 (0)83 533 1770. I am a great fan of Songkhla Lake which is located in both Songkhla and Phattalung provinces. There are beautiful spots all round the lake and I have mentioned a couple already. Close to Phattalung main town is a small area transliterated as Lum Pum, Lam Pam, or Lampam but a more accurate rendering would be Lum Bpum. There's not much there but you can stay at the Lampam Resort & Hotel to relax for a night or two. The hotel was flooded three times between November 2010 and January 2011 but it is now open again to receive guests. The hotel has a restaurant and you can hire kayaks or bikes. Room rates vary between Bt500 and Bt1,200. The road around the lake is very pretty with lots of birwatching opportunities and Thale Noi isn't very far away.
Tel: +66 (0)74 604525
Getting there is very easy if you have your own transport. Alternatively you could take a bus or minivan to the big intersection between Hat Yai and Songkhla and then take a sawng-thaew or motorbike taxi towards Yo island.
The park is located just before the first bridge on the left. It's open every day and entrance is free. Bicycles can be rented for Bt20 an hour. The park consists of landscaped gardens with several expanses of water. Bird lovers will appreciate the many cormorants and egrets that nest here as the park is close to a bountiful supply of fish in Songkhla Lake.
There are many saalaas and other places to rest or have a picnic. However, there doesn't appear to be any food or drink for sale within the park. You need to take your own. On the last Sunday of each month there is a special 'Music in the Park' event from 4pm to 8pm. I haven't been, therefore I'm not sure what type of music is played. After living in Hat Yai for too long, trips to places like this are very welcome. I don't know why Thailand doesn't improve the quality of its cities. The bigger cities are dirty, noisy, crowded places and the peaceful areas are all well outside. Many big cities in other countries have 'lungs', that is, areas of greenery within cities that allow the city to breathe. But not Thailand. |
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