Day 02 - Hat Yai Free and Easy

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer..." - Anonymous

(A neat presentation for breakfast)

Day 02: 10 Aug 26 (Monday)
Activity: Hat Yai Free and Easy
Hotel: Golden Crown Hotel Hat Yai

Today was meant to be a free-and-easy day, with no particular plans or must-see places on our list. We simply wanted to take things slowly, enjoy some good food and do a little shopping.

Our morning started with a very filling breakfast at Dimsum Chabura Hatyai, one of Hat Yai’s well-known halal dim sum restaurants. The place is especially popular with locals and Malaysian visitors. It was already bustling with families and groups, with an impressive selection of dim sum served in small plates. The service was quick, and before long our table was filled with enough food to keep us satisfied for most of the morning.

(A popular halal dim sum restaurant in Hatyai)

(A worthwhile breakfast, though a little pricey)

(A spread of mouth-watering food)

After breakfast, we drove to Makro Hat Yai, a huge wholesale supermarket and warehouse popular for its wide range of groceries, fresh produce, snacks and household items. This was our first time shopping at Makro in Thailand, and we were curious to see what it had to offer. It is particularly popular with Malaysians because of the wide selection of halal-certified products. We ended up buying quite a few things. Another bonus for Malaysian visitors is the free parking, we only had to show our passports.

(A trolley full of goods from Makro)

By the time we drove to Central Hatyai, formerly known as CentralFestival Hatyai, the rain had become quite heavy. The shopping complex is one of the largest lifestyle and entertainment centres in Southern Thailand, with a huge variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment options. We were particularly interested in the lower-ground food court, which has plenty of halal choices. And, once again, Malaysian visitors enjoy free parking - a welcome bonus.

(Central Hatyai SHopping Mall)

(A wide array of halal food on the Lower Ground)

Later in the afternoon, we walked to Kim Yong Market, one of the busiest and most colourful parts of Hat Yai. The market is a lively maze of indoor stalls and surrounding street vendors, selling everything from imported snacks and roasted chestnuts to local produce and assorted goods at bargain prices. It is one of those places where you can wander without really knowing what you might discover next.

(The long queue at the popular Kaitod Meena stall)

For lunch, we stopped at Kaitod Meena, located around the Kim Yong Market area and famous for its Hat Yai-style fried chicken. The chicken was wonderfully crispy on the outside, juicy and well-marinated inside, and generously topped with crispy fried onions. It was simple street food, but absolutely delicious.

(A Halal eatery in Kim Yong Market)

(Hatyai famous Nasi Komok)

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing what travellers sometimes need most, a good nap.

In the evening, we walked to the Lee Gardens Night Market, where I bought a pair of trousers and picked up some food for dinner. Back in our hotel room, we tucked into egg banana pancakes and pulut durian from the night market.

There was, however, one small problem. The smell of the durian was very strong! Our hotel had a strict rule prohibiting guests from bringing durian into the rooms, with penalties for those caught doing so. So, as we enjoyed our dessert, we could not help wondering whether we would wake up to a complaint or worse, a reprimand!

(Pulut durian and banana pancake for dinner)

Hopefully, by morning, the unmistakable durian aroma would have disappeared.

Worrying aside, we were exhausted and completely out of energy after a relaxed but surprisingly full day. I fell asleep soundly that night, leaving tomorrow’s adventure for tomorrow.