10 Rewarding Moments in Hat Yai, Thailand

Hat Yai Kiddos

I had a big opportunity visiting Thailand, the country I just imagined back then. Though, it just for a day, I felt grateful, enthusiastic, and nervous. Entering this country through land border with Malaysia, we (me and Dina) took a minivan as our vehicle from Penang, Malaysia to Hat Yai, Thailand for about 4 hours. I don’t regret anything happen to me while I took a trip to this City. Instead, I got excessively lessons I will not forget. Here, list of 10 unforgettable moments in Hat Yai during my very first (halal) trip with the one and only, Dina.

1. Beautiful women

When passing the immigration gate, I couldn’t blink my eye just for seeing a woman officer inside the immigration counter. She has Asia white skin, proportional face, just like Indonesian artist (wkwkwk). She didn’t ask me anything when I gave my passport with 2 RM inside it (kind of illegal fees) in order to get an Thailand’s stamp. Along street food of Hat Yai in the night, I witness with my eyes, indeed, mostly Thai’s woman have a good body, healthy skin, ideal weight, oval face. Only one bothering me, their voice. Don’t ask me why, you just need to watch drama Thailand. No offense 😉

2. Handsome guys

Hahaha, behind the appearance of beautiful women, there are always handsome, good looking guys. Yeah, I admit it. LOL. Even, several (not all) sellers in street food are charming. Wkwkwk. In campus (I visited Prince of Songkhla University), some guys wore a kind of ‘eksekutif muda’ – young executive clothes or uniform, white shirt and black trousers. The others wore casual outfit. Nevertheless, don’t imagine, all of the guys are resembling what I defined. I just confirmed that handsome guys is really exist there. In fact, I found the contraries, particularly a taxi driver I met who has unfriendly behavior. Overall, I met many good looking guys wherever I went. haha

3. Good people

Asking Thai people in English was difficult. Based on what I found, they just spoke Thai. For some cases, they could speak Malay (which mostly of them are muslim), the rest of them, I had no idea how to communicate with them. I sat beside Hat Yai people in minivan. She was about 40’s in her age. I asked her for the first time in English, but she refused me using hand gesture that she couldn’t speak English. So I started to download Thailand dictionary on smartphone (less preparation). Time by time, I tried to ask her using noun only, started from asking the location of hostel, how I can get there, is it far? , how much standard price of tuk-tuk (public transportation of Thailand), and taraaa we failed to understand each other, communication failed. I didn’t really understand what she said, hand gesture mixed with Thai 😞. However, I truly could feel that she really wanna help us, her eyes spoke a pity to us. I could see She has a beautiful heart and She tried to convince the driver to take a good care to us as long as we were foreigner here. Finally, me and Dina had to be drop off at bus station of Hat Yai. Still, that woman tried to communicate with us. We were separated, however, I will remember you Bu, your kindness. 

4. Affordable price of Songthaew 

Songthaew, public transportation in Hat Yai

We had not done with proper research about Hat Yai, including its public transportation. First time we rode a what we said ‘tuk tuk’ (recently we realized it was not tuk-tuk, but songthaew), the driver offered 10 bath from bus station to what he known as Kim Young (lately we have known Kim Young resembles with Malioboro street in Jogja). It was equal with four thousand rupiahs. We rode songthaew again from Wan Hay Yai Nan to Prince of Songkla University. Asked the driver first before riding it about the route and price. Lately I know that flat price for songthaew was 10 bath, normal price I think. 

5. Expensive sim card

We decided to not bought a sim card. Just asking to the card store in front of bus station (the seller was unfriendly) and we were offered an 1 GB internet packages, equal about fifty thousand rupiah. The new local sim card has not included. What the! I could conclude that Malaysia and Thailand didn’t sell the internet data packages with free sim card. For only one day, I thought it was wasting money if we bought that. Seven Eleven didn’t sell sim card as well. So, we were being wi-fi dependent during trip in Thailand. Fortunately, the hostel has free wi-fi. So, please prepare and make sure if u choose my way (without sim card) to download Thailand map or capture the important location (google maps still the best) and write down on a paper the address you are going to stay at (we browsed via booking.com to get cheaper hostel).

6. Hot weather

I didn’t know was it summer or dry season. I only found that Hat Yai more than hot enough for me who came from tropical country. At first, when I visited university’s canteen, somebody drank using huge size of glass. It was really big glass for only one person. After experienced by myself how hot this city was, I didn’t surprise anymore because me myself felt thirsty so much. So, drinking a lot was becoming a habit. Moreover, I could feel my shirt getting soaked after walking under the sunlight, iuh. The sky that day was extremely bright and clear. Thanks Allah. 

7. Thailand’s characters

I had no idea since the first time I came. Almost all advertisements, directions, store names, announcement boards, etc were written using Thailand characters.  You can imagine now, we nearly lost when we didn’t know our destination since we had not booked any hostels. For about 2 hours we didn’t get certainty where we could go, really lost! Until the songthaew driver asking us ‘where’ only, we rode his vehicle to the unidentified places. Just looking at compass I brought to make sure the direction we went (proud of me learning mapping, haha). I just remember about the relative location between the bus station and hostel area in my mind. To the northwest was the most precise and we did it. Alhamdulillah. Any alphabet though small we use it as a clue. Omg, that day we all nervous, still the weather already hot, it was only rising our body temperature. Luckily many hostels wrote their name in general alphabet and we found our place by it. 

8. Tasty food and beverages

Street food (halal)

university canteen (cafe level)

Just for one night and day I have eaten Tomyam twice. About beverages? Hmm, lezatos! Fresh drinks were the best in Hatyai, plus fruit, that’s perfect!

9. Wat Hat Yai Nai 

That’s a building with gigantic budha statue inside. Located about 3 km from Kim Yong Market, we walked. But not walked anymore in return. Haha. I saw many Buddhist nun arrived and left that place. The clear sky made Wat Hat Yai Nai beautiful and photogenic. The hot weather made us didn’t leave that place.

10. Prince of Songkhla University

Engineering Faculty

Must visit place! Since I am post graduate student, I aspire to visit many campuses everywhere I go. I love this place with big stadion, complete Thailand food, multi culture students. I could find muslimah wore large jilbab, muslimin wore Arab-style shirt, other students with t-shirt and  hotpant, or formal shirt. Halal and non-halal food could be met easily, just find halal logo and you are safe. Any pork? Leave it! move to next store. 😊

Ah, that are so many things I aspire share more. I think for this time, these are enough to remind me about appealing Hat Yai. Nice to visit you. This trip was successful, albeit tiring. May Allah give me courage to visit other countries. Aamiin. Thanks for reading 😘.