Anyone flown from BKK to Hat Yai?

We saw a great fare on airasia and wonder if it's a good base to visit Langkawi & Koh Tarutao? Plan on flying down and then ambling back via car, train or bus to BKK via Hua Hin for a couple of weeks in December 2005. James A? Anyone? Thanks for any input!

Hi, Lyndie!

I've been to Hat Yai once in my life and don't want to do it again. Bustling city, rather charmless. Understood that the men from Malaysia would go over the border regularly because Muslim law wouldn't allow them to have all their needs met - if you understand what I mean. Hotel staff was indifferent, taxi driver rude; in fact, the whole experience of Hat Yai was about as un-Thai-like as it could get.

Maybe others have had better experiences than we did.

Happy travels!

I believe the Hat Yai area is also where there has been a lot of violence lately, so you may not want to go there. I have also been to Hat Yai once and it doesn't stand out in my mind as being anything special or worth visiting again.

Hat Yai has (IMHO) all the charm of a brick outhouse. Been once, would not bother again. Busy, bustling, dusty, rude people and no redeaming features. Think of a service town in your home country and that will give you an idea of what Hat Yai is like.

Base yourself in Langkawi or up the coast somewhere like Koh Phi Phi. Much more redeaming locations.

Also as has been noted, there are some civil disturbances going on in the countryside around that part of Thailand as well recently.

Steve

Thanks everyone! I think we'll just fly in and get out fast. Flight arrives Hat Yai 13.35 so gives us time to hop a bus to Satun for a boat to Langkawi or a bus to Trang.

Hat Yai is a busy Thai provincial city. There is little to interest tourists as it is a Thai city, though it does attract a lot of visitors from Malaysia.

How can anyone say a major Thai city is 'un-Thai' I cannot understand at all, what should a Thai city be like if not like Hat Yai, Udon Thai, Khon Kaen etc..

I would fly into Trang or if you want to pick up a car then Krabi and do it that way.

There's a train from Hat Yai across to connect with the service to Butterworth(Penang).

The boat from Satun to Langkawi takes something like 1.5 hrs and is easy.

James: maybe "un-Thai-like" was not a good choice of words.

I just meant that in Hat Yai we did not meet with the usual soft-spoken and courteous Thai people that we met elsewhere over much of Thailand.

Maybe you will have a better word for it.

I kinda liked kiwi_acct's description: "all the charm of a brick outhouse" - LOL!

Funny, all these people have been to Hat Yai, which I have to agree is severly lacking in the charm department, yet apparently none of them have taken the 30 minute drive to Songkhla. The provincial capital is over-flowing with charm, from its very Chinese styled governor's residence -- now a museum -- to its fishing pier to its wild beach and monkey infested hills.

But as to the original question, I have to agree that Hat Yai is no place to base yourself for what you want to see. It's a 2 hour drive to Satun, then another 1.5 hours by boat to Langkawi.

I would suggest that you start in Penang. Hang out in Georgetown for a couple of days, then take the boat to Langkawi and work your way north to Satun, Tarutao, Trang, etc.

Thanks again, for the input, everyone. Much appreciated. Some great ideas so we'll re-think our plans. All the best!

Just an update on Hat Yai. Looks like Hat Yai on air asia for 799 baht was a great idea for us.

We can get to Langkawi quite cheaply (most important!) and easily by bus to Satun then ferry to Langkawi. Also there is a new ferry service from Langkawi to Koh Lipe in the Tarutao National Park so we did the right thing after all. I Hope!