Hat Yai

Hat Yai is a rail, bus and flight junction in southern Thailand, known for night markets and street food, and a common stop on the way to Malaysia.

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Hat Yai is the largest city in southern Thailand, in Songkhla Province close to the Malaysian border. Trains, buses and flights all meet here, so many travelers stop on the way to Malaysia or to the islands on the Andaman and Gulf coasts. The city is known for its night markets and street food, where Chinese-Thai and Malay influences show up in the cooking. A large Buddha statue on a hill above the city is worth a visit if you have time.

Plan for one or two nights, depending on where you go next. Hat Yai works well for food and onward connections, and a long sightseeing stay is not needed. Check the weather before you go. The wettest months are roughly October to December, and heavy rain can flood roads and disrupt transport. Rain is less likely outside those months.

Hat Yai in five

Use Hat Yai as a connection, not a destinationThe city is a transport hub with flights, trains and buses. Plan one night for the night markets and food, then move on to the coast, Trang or Malaysia.
Check your government's advice for the far southSeveral provinces near the Malaysian border are covered by travel advice from many governments. Hat Yai itself is a regular transit point, but read your own country's current guidance before going further south.
Connect to Ko Lipe via Pak BaraBoats to Ko Lipe and Ko Tarutao leave from Pak Bara pier, roughly an hour or more by road from Hat Yai, and run in the dry season. Check the operator's season and times before you book onward.Ko Tarutao Marine National Park
Entering from Malaysia? Check the TDAC ruleIf you are crossing by land at Padang Besar or Sadao, look up whether the Thailand Digital Arrival Card applies to your crossing and keep your passport and exit proof ready.Thailand entry rules
Avoid November and December without a planThe southeast coast has its heaviest rain at the end of the year and Hat Yai has a history of floods. Leave slack in your schedule if you travel then.

Things to do in Hat Yai

See all attractions in Hat Yai

Park · Hat YaiHatyai City Municipal Park

Mosque · Hat YaiThe Central Mosque of Songkhla

Market · Hat YaiKhlong Hae Floating MarketCome after 3 PM, because only a few stalls are open earlier in the afternoon.

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to Hat YaiPut the places you like in Hat Yai on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Hat Yai International (HDY), about 15 to 20 min to the center
Getting there: Flights from Bangkok; overnight trains; buses from the Andaman coast
Getting around: Tuk-tuks, songthaews, taxis and ride apps
Best base: Near the train station and night markets
Time needed: 1 night, or a few hours between connections

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryRain15 rainy daysHigh30°Low22°Dry, warm
FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh31°Low22°Dry
MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh33°Low23°Dry, hot
AprilRain21 rainy daysHigh34°Low24°Hot, Songkran
MayRain26 rainy daysHigh32°Low25°Hot, showers
JuneRain21 rainy daysHigh32°Low24°Some rain
JulyRain20 rainy daysHigh32°Low24°Some rain
AugustRain21 rainy daysHigh32°Low24°Some rain
SeptemberRain22 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Rain
OctoberRain27 rainy daysHigh31°Low24°Wetter
NovemberRain28 rainy daysHigh29°Low23°Heavy rain, floods
DecemberRain21 rainy daysHigh29°Low23°Rain, flood risk

Average daily high and low in Hat Yai, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Hat Yai

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 29°
Humidity: 93%
Wind: 4 km/h
Chance of rain: 100%

Hat Yai

03:37 AM

Tuesday, November 3

GMT+7

Today29°22°100%Tuesday: Rain. High 29°, Low 22°. Chance of rain 100%.
Wed31°23°100%Wednesday: Rain. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 100%.
Thu31°23°96%Thursday: Thunderstorms. High 31°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 96%.
Fri29°23°98%Friday: Thunderstorms. High 29°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 98%.
Sat30°23°97%Saturday: Thunderstorms. High 30°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 97%.
Sun28°23°96%Sunday: Drizzle. High 28°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 96%.

Updated 03:33 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 33.76 THB

Amount

Converted to

THB · Thai Baht

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Songkhlaabout 30 to 40 min by roadAn old-town and street-art city on the coast with a seaside promenade.
Ko Lipe via Pak Baraabout 1 hour to the pier, then boatTurquoise water in the dry season; not a day-trip distance.Read the guide
Trang islandsabout 3 hours by roadQuieter beaches and snorkeling on the Andaman side.Read the guide

Before you go to Hat Yai

Rental car in the southReach Pak Bara and the coast by roadCompare rental cars

A night in Hat YaiNear the station and food streetsCheck availability

eSIM for the borderThai and Malaysian networksRead the guide

Cover for transit daysMissed connections and flood delaysRead the guide

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Rules for Hat Yai, checked

Many nationalities can enter Thailand visa-free for a set stay. Check entry rules on the Thai immigration website before you book.Source
Submit the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before you arrive. Check the immigration site for the current form and steps.
Dial 191 for police, 1669 for an ambulance or 199 for fire anywhere in Thailand. Tourist Police can be reached on 1155.
Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes before entering temples. Hat Yai has a large Muslim community, so dress modestly outside tourist areas.
Thai drug laws are strict, and cannabis rules have changed. Check current rules before you travel.

Plan around Hat Yai

All of Thailand

Regions, islands, entry rules and the season map

Read the guide Ko Lipe

The far-south island, reached via Pak Bara

Read the guide Ko Tarutao Marine Park

Remote islands in the far south

Read the guide Trang Beaches and Islands

Quieter islands north of Satun

Read the guide Krabi

The Andaman coast, half a day north-west

Read the guide Getting around Thailand

Rail, buses and flights compared

Read the guide Thailand entry rules

The 30-day exemption and the TDAC

Read the guide

Hat Yai FAQ

Is Hat Yai worth visiting?

As a stopover, yes: it has a good night food scene, markets and an easy base for onward travel. It is not a beach or heritage destination, so do not build a trip around it.

How do you get from Hat Yai to Ko Lipe?

By road to Pak Bara pier, then a boat. The boat season is roughly November to May, so check the operator's schedule before you travel. In the rainy months boats may not run.

Is Hat Yai safe for tourists?

It is a major transit city used by many visitors, but several nearby border provinces have government travel warnings. Read your own country's advice before traveling south, and keep to the busy parts of town at night.

How many days do you need in Hat Yai?

One night is enough for the food and markets. A second day only helps if you want to visit Songkhla's old town and seafront.

When is the best time to visit Hat Yai?

January to April is the driest stretch. November and December have the heaviest rain and flood risk, so allow slack in your schedule if you travel then.