Since I moved to Hat Yai at the start of June I haven’t really explored the area at all! Henry, my chinese friend who I met in Spain 2 years ago came to visit for my birthday, also decided to stay a while in Hat Yai so I thought it was a good reason to start being a tourist!
One evening we tried to catch the sunset by going on my scooter to Hat Yai Municipal Park, which is along the main scary road but really not far from my place. We ate an early dinner then rushed to get there. Once we reached the park we went up the mountain around windy steep roads until we found the cable car site. We got a bit lost and couldn’t find a good view point, but instead found this 3 headed elephant statue.
After talking/motioning to some Thais they pointed us in the direction of where we wanted to go, and so we continued on our bikes to the viewpoint overlooking Hat Yai city. This is also where a standing gold buddha statue is and a planetarium. It was dark by the time we got there, with just a tiny hint of red in the sky but it was so pretty! It was nice to look at the city and work out where my place is.
By the time we left it was dark and the hills going back down were pretty steep too, another hairy ride on a scooter whose brakes aren’t the best!
The following evening after school we went to Greenway market, which is also nearby to where I live. It’s a night market that sells clothes, new and secondhand, toys, beauty stuff, sunglasses and jewellery and most things. It also has alto of food stalls at the back and to the right, with plastic chairs and tables to sit. It’s quite well organised so that everyone can get all different foods from the stalls then sit together. I usually get the same thing, a banana shake (25THB, so 50p) and Duck and rice (40THB so 80p) but this time next to the duck lady was a man selling barbecued chicken with satay sauce, toast and salad. I fancied some bread so I got that for 60THB (£1.20 but was 10 pieces of skewered chicken!) and it was the yummiest satay I have ever tasted!
Also at the back to the left are some little stalls that are pop up shop style, and behind these are where the pets are sold. For sale were bunnies in tutus, (not sure if you go the tutu too) baby squirrels, ducklings, tonns of hamsters, kittens, puppies and I’m sure if you wanted anything else she probably would have found it for you! I played with a baby albino hedgehog, after trying ages to pick him up without getting pricked. The prices are pretty low and I’m sure if I were staying in Hat Yai longer I would have taken something home!
On Saturday we went sightseeing near the big Tesco area. There was a Chinese temple and a big Buddha that we wanted to get close to and we found a whole area that had chinese statues and a cemetery. Henry was able to talk to the Monks there (women aren’t allowed) and found out that there was a university to train as a Monk on the grounds too. Later in the day it was too hot so we went to the cinema to watch Wolverine and get blasted by air con!
Two statues outside the chinese temple
In the evening 5 of us went to the Sky buffet. It’s in Lee Gardens Plaza at the top, supposedly on the 33rd floor. However when we got there it was under refurbishment so it was moved to the 10th floor. Luckily there were still floor to ceiling windows and we sat near them so we had a good view! It costs 160THB (£3.50) for all you can eat thai buffet, including salad, fruit, rice, different curries etc and coffee and icecream and jelly puddings. The only downside was that there is only water to drink with the meal but everyone still enjoyed themselves!
Karen with the view!
ZoZo the Adventurer 