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Home Travel (EN) Thailand Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

  • 10/05/2026
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Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla is one of the major provinces in Southern Thailand, and honestly, it has so many different sides that make it far more interesting than many people might expect. Hat Yai is famous for its food scene, especially the kind of local dishes that are both delicious and seriously worth traveling for. Songkhla Old Town has more than ten street-art spots scattered around the neighborhood for us to follow and collect one by one. And of course, the beaches here are no joke either. The sea is beautiful, the water can be wonderfully clear, and Samila Beach has that iconic Golden Mermaid statue that has pretty much become the symbol of Songkhla. With this much to see, eat, and explore, a trip to Southern Thailand really would feel incomplete without Songkhla. So let’s get into this review and follow the route together.

Before we actually start traveling around Songkhla, let’s get to know the province a little better first. Songkhla is one of Southern Thailand’s most important historic cities. It has long been a port town and seaside city since ancient times, and it was once a prosperous center of civilization for several centuries. Because of that, the province has absorbed and blended many cultures, including Thai, Chinese, Muslim, and Western influences. On top of that, Songkhla is home to many archaeological sites and historical objects, which helps explain why today it has the second-largest population in Southern Thailand and the third-largest land area in the region. It is also a province with a very distinctive travel identity. The more you get to know it, the more interesting it becomes.

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19 Recommended Attractions, Restaurants & Cafés in Songkhla

Songkhla Old Town1. Songkhla Old Town
2. Songkhla Old Town Street Art
3. Ban Nakorn Nai Museum
4. Hub Ho Hin Red Rice Mill
5. Praewa Dessert Café
6. Samila Beach
Hat Yai7. Hat Yai Municipal Park + Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat
8. Hat Yai Cable Car + Brahma Shrine
9. Hat Yai Guanyin Temple
10. PSU Heart-Shaped Reservoir
11. Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol, the Stainless Steel Pagoda
12. Songkhla Central Mosque
13. Chokdee Tae Tiam
Ko Yo14. Wat Tai Yo
15. Wat Laem Pho
16. Khao Kuti Monastery
17. Good Mountain Café
18. Ko Yo Viewpoint
19. Nam Kiang Din Restaurant
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Songkhla Old Town

For the first stop in Songkhla, I have to begin with one of the province’s essential landmarks: Songkhla Old Town. This area is packed with character, from old buildings, local restaurants, and cafés to street art that has become one of the town’s signatures. Before this neighborhood became one of Songkhla’s most recognizable travel spots, it had already been carrying more than 200 years of history.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

In the past, the main town of Songkhla was located on the western side of the lake, in an area known as “Songkhla on Laem Son.” Later, the city expanded eastward into the Bo Yang area. Back then, there were two main roads here. Nakhon Nok Road was the outer road running along the lake and served as a pier area for transport and foreign trade. Nakhon Nai Road was the inner road of the town. Later, a third road was built, known as Kao Hong Road or the Kao Hong neighborhood, for the city-pillar celebration. That road is what we now know as Nang Ngam Road.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Because this area was once an important port, Songkhla absorbed influences from many different communities. Those layers of culture still remain today, especially in the architecture. Many buildings in this neighborhood still retain the look of old Chinese Hokkien wooden shophouses. There are also buildings influenced by Art Deco and Art Nouveau, Thai-Muslim houses decorated with carved wooden details, and colonial-style buildings that blend Chinese and local Southern Thai elements together.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Old Town is not just beautiful for its architecture. The food here is also a huge part of its charm. Because the local cuisine has been shaped by Chinese, Muslim, and Western influences, the flavors are really distinctive. If you come to this area, do not miss the local specialties, whether it is ice cream served in clay jars, charcoal-grilled egg sponge cakes, Nang Ngam roti, Ko Thai congee, or traditional Thai desserts. Everything I tried was seriously good, and I can happily vouch for that.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

There are many things to do in Songkhla Old Town. You can follow a food route, walk slowly through the neighborhood, admire the architecture, or hunt down the street-art murals. It really depends on what kind of traveler you are. For me, the main mission was to collect Songkhla’s famous street art, which I had heard about long before coming here.

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Songkhla Old Town Street Art

Some people might wonder what makes Songkhla street art so special that it is worth following around town. My answer is simple: it is genuinely that good. The street art in Songkhla Old Town does not feel like random murals made only for photos. What makes it stand out is that the paintings tell stories of the local community and everyday life here. The people painted on the walls are real local residents, and many of the works were created by local artists. Because of that, the murals carry a very original sense of place and do a beautiful job of reflecting the neighborhood’s identity.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

There are 15 street-art spots in total, scattered around different streets, shops, and corners of the old town. When I visited, I followed this map created by Songkhla City Municipality, which shows exactly where each mural is located. They did such a good job with it. Anyone who wants the larger image can  click this link .

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Looking at the map, you can see that the murals are spread across the three main streets of Songkhla Old Town. Along Nakhon Nok Road, one of the most popular murals is the “pushcart coffee stall.” The coffee stall in the painting is based on Ko Tun, an old local coffee vendor, and the person in the mural is a real member of the community. I really love this piece because it captures the everyday rhythm of Songkhla so well. Imagine waking up in the morning, sitting down with a hot cup of coffee, and catching up with people around you. It is the kind of atmosphere that feels increasingly rare in a time when social media has become such a big part of our lives.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

There are several other murals around Nakhon Nok Road too. One is the “fishing boat” mural, which reflects the old fishing boats of the past in a way that feels incredibly lifelike. Another is the mural of an elderly man handing a helmet through a folding door, painted in front of a helmet shop. Since there are many motorcycle-taxi drivers around this area, the mural tells a small but touching story about care within the community, and about older and younger generations looking out for one another.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Moving on to Nakhon Nai Road, there is a mural that reflects the lifestyle of the Chinese community from decades ago. After closing their shops in the evening, many Chinese residents would sit and relax in front of their homes. Some would even play musical instruments, partly to unwind and partly as a way of remembering the homeland they had left behind. You can see this feeling in the mural of an elderly Chinese woman sitting in front of her house. There is actually a mural of an elderly man too, but I did not manage to photograph it. This may also be why some houses in the area place chairs in front of their buildings, letting people sit, rest, and take photos at the same time.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Around Nang Ngam Road, there is one mural I really like because the concept is cute and a little funny: the “lucky fried noodle” mural. It shows a pushcart fried-noodle stall with customers waiting in line with full concentration. The reason it is called lucky fried noodles is because the stall usually fries everything together in a huge wok, including noodles, tofu, fish balls, and pork. But when the vendor divides it into plates, whoever gets more toppings is basically the lucky one.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Besides the three main roads, smaller streets such as Raman Road, Yarang Road, and Nong Chik Road also have street-art murals on different buildings. You can walk to all of them quite easily because they are not far apart.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

For me, the street art in Songkhla Old Town is incredibly well done. I had such a fun and happy time walking around, collecting murals, and absorbing the atmosphere of the old town while learning about the culture, lifestyle, and warmth of the people here through the paintings. Walking through a place like this lets you see Songkhla from many more dimensions. Honestly, Songkhla Old Town is probably my favorite street-art district that I have seen in Thailand.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Ban Nakorn Nai Museum

Ban Nakorn Nai is a century-old historic house located on Nakhon Nai Road. The complex consists of two connected buildings: one built in traditional Chinese architectural style and another newer white building with a European feel. It has been transformed into a local cultural museum by Krajang Jarupreukphan, a businessman and former Songkhla senator, who wanted this place to tell the story of Songkhla as a once-prosperous port town. The museum also works as a kind of living archive for the history, art, culture, and lifestyle of the people of Songkhla.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Inside, you will find antiques and collectible objects on display, including Chinese vases and ceramics from the Ming and Qing dynasties, traditional Chinese tables and chairs, antique Chinese daybeds, and a section displaying portraits of King Rama IX.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

I think the strongest point of this place is its architecture. Whether it is the Chinese-style building or the European-style section, everything feels beautifully balanced. The interior has the mood of an old private home, and we can walk in to appreciate that atmosphere. When I visited, only some parts were open to the public, but if you have time, it is still worth stopping by. Anyone who comes here will get to see one of the truly traditional house styles of old Songkhla.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Hub Ho Hin Red Rice Mill

Beyond street art, Songkhla Old Town is also home to an old rice mill that is nearly 100 years old. The whole building is painted in a bold red, which is why locals often call it the Red Rice Mill. Today, visitors can walk in and explore the space.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The history of the mill goes back to 1914, when Khun Ratchakitkari, also known as Jun Liang Liewsaowapruk, opened a large rice mill called Hub Ho Hin. At the time, it was considered one of the largest and most modern rice mills in the region. The mill processed rice grown around Songkhla Lake and produced large quantities of milled rice for people in Songkhla, nearby provinces, and neighboring countries.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

In Hokkien Chinese, “Hub Ho Hin” means unity, harmony, and prosperity.

In the past, Songkhla’s economy supported many Chinese families who traded with Penang. That trading network helped drive the establishment of rice mills to process rice from the Songkhla Lake basin.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

If you visit Hub Ho Hin today, you will see that the back of the building feels almost like a small fishing pier. That is because around 1947, smaller rice mills began opening in nearby towns, reducing the amount of unmilled rice coming into Hub Ho Hin. Eventually, the rice-milling business had to close, and the space was used for other purposes, including a small ice factory, a rubber-storage warehouse, and later a small fishing-boat pier.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Even though the site has gone through many different uses, it still remains a symbol of Nakhon Nok Road and one of Songkhla’s best-known attractions. Almost everyone who visits Songkhla Old Town stops here for photos. For me, what makes this place interesting is that it has hardly changed from the past. The descendants of the family have cared for and preserved the red mill beautifully, keeping it in its original condition. It even received an Outstanding Architectural Conservation Award in 2011 in the commercial-building category from the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Today, the space is cared for by the third generation of the family, who have transformed the old rice mill into a permanent exhibition area telling the history of Songkhla Old Town. The back of the mill is still used as a mooring area for local fishing boats. That combination made me feel like this place really shows the full picture of the old town: its economy, its history, and the lifestyle of Songkhla people from the past to the present. You can walk around, take photos, and feel a slightly different side of the old town. It is definitely one of the key landmarks of this neighborhood.

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Praewa Dessert Café

After walking around and taking photos at Hub Ho Hin Red Rice Mill for a while, my body started asking for sugar. Then I saw the big sign for Praewa Dessert Café, and of course I had to stop in, sit down, and recharge with something sweet.

Their recommended menu is “Wat Chet lod chong.” Yes, lod chong from Wat Chet in Songkhla, which sounds a little confusing but works surprisingly well. This is not just the usual lod chong with coconut milk. You can add toppings into the bowl too, and there are plenty to choose from, including taro, cantaloupe, toddy palm seeds, candied sweet potato, and more.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

I ordered the Wat Chet lod chong with coconut ice cream. The lod chong was soft, the ice cream was cold and creamy, and you can pour the coconut milk over it as much as you like. The first bite was pure happiness. The heat and tiredness from walking around earlier just disappeared. Besides lod chong, the shop also serves grass jelly and various drinks.

If you visit Hub Ho Hin Red Rice Mill and want somewhere nearby to sit and cool down, I really recommend Praewa Dessert Café. Come for a sweet dessert and a cold drink; it is refreshing in the best way.

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Samila Beach

People often say that if you come to Songkhla but do not visit Samila Beach, then you have not really arrived. Since I was already in Songkhla, I had to stop by and see what it was like. At first, I did not expect much from Samila Beach, but after seeing it in person, I have to say I was genuinely surprised.

Samila Beach is one of Songkhla’s most important attractions. From here, you can see Ko Nu and Ko Maeo islands, and the sand is fine and white, often described as glass-like sand. What surprised me was the overall atmosphere. It is not exactly the kind of beach where everyone comes only to swim. To me, it feels like a mix between a beach and a public park. The area is very clean and well organized, with zones of tables and seats where visitors can sit, relax, eat, and chat. There is also a seaside walkway, and the whole area is pleasantly shaded. It is one of those places that works so well for a slow, easy break.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The main highlights of Samila Beach are two sculptures in the area: the Golden Mermaid statue and the Cat and Mouse statue. Each one has its own interesting story.

When people talk about Samila Beach, I believe many immediately think of the Golden Mermaid statue, which has already become the landmark of the beach. Almost everyone who visits comes to take a photo with the mermaid.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The Golden Mermaid at Samila Beach was cast in darkened bronze and has been standing here for more than 50 years. The statue was inspired by an old Thai legend recorded by Khun Wichitmatra, also known as Sanga Kanchanakphan. According to the tale, one day a mermaid came ashore and sat on the beach combing her hair with a golden comb. A fisherman saw her, and she was so startled that she fled back into the sea, leaving the golden comb behind. The fisherman kept the comb, hoping to meet her again, but the mermaid never returned. That is the origin story of the Golden Mermaid. Locals even celebrate April 1 each year as the mermaid’s birthday.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The Cat and Mouse statue represents Ko Nu and Ko Maeo, the Mouse Island and Cat Island. The legend tells of a Chinese merchant who often sailed alone to Songkhla to trade. Since he traveled back and forth by himself, he must have been lonely, so one day he bought a dog and a cat to take back to China with him. But the dog and cat missed Songkhla and wanted to return home. They plotted to use a mouse to steal a magic crystal from the merchant, one that would keep them from sinking. After the mouse stole the crystal, it asked to escape with them. The three animals jumped into the sea, with the mouse holding the crystal in its mouth. But then the mouse thought about running away with the crystal because it was afraid the dog and cat would steal it. The cat had the same idea and swam after the mouse. The mouse turned around, got startled, and dropped the crystal into the sea. Without the crystal, the cat and mouse drowned and became Ko Maeo and Ko Nu.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The dog is the saddest part of the story. It almost survived. It struggled and swam all the way toward shore, but it was so exhausted that it collapsed and turned into stone near Tang Kuan Hill by Songkhla Bay. As for the magic crystal that fell into the sea, it shattered into tiny pieces and became the glassy sand on the northern side of Laem Son.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

In summary, Samila Beach is wide, peaceful, and very well managed. I was really impressed by the way everything is organized, from public tables and chairs to landscaped areas, walkways, and even the street-food carts. Everything feels orderly. Samila Beach ended up being one of the places in Songkhla that impressed me the most. If you come to Songkhla, do not skip it.

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Hat Yai

Hat Yai is the largest city in Southern Thailand, and it has a very satisfying mix of things going on. The city is big, the food is ridiculously good, there are plenty of places to visit, and it is also home to Prince of Songkla University. If you have never been to Hat Yai, I really recommend going at least once. Everything about it just works, and one trip will probably not be enough.

For this Hat Yai trip in Songkhla, I spent a full day exploring and stayed overnight in the city. The route below is easy to follow, relaxed, and very doable because the attractions are quite close to one another. Driving around is comfortable and genuinely fun.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Hat Yai Municipal Park + Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat

The first place I visited in Hat Yai was Hat Yai Municipal Park. We drove up to the Khao Kho Hong area, where Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat sits prominently on the hill. This blessing-posture Buddha image is considered the largest of its kind in Southern Thailand, standing 19.9 meters high. It was designed by National Artist Dr. Pinyo Suwankiri, and the name “Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat” was bestowed by King Rama IX. So it is no surprise that this Buddha image is deeply respected and spiritually important to Buddhists in Hat Yai.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

In front of the Buddha image, there is a walkway that leads down toward the Hat Yai Guanyin Bodhisattva statue. From this area, you can also look out over the city of Hat Yai. Unfortunately, when I visited, the haze was really thick, so the view was not as clear as I had hoped. Poor me.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Hat Yai Cable Car + Brahma Shrine

Next to Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat is the Hat Yai Cable Car, which is actually Thailand’s first cable car. You can ride it across to another hilltop where the Brahma Shrine is located. This Brahma Shrine is believed to be the highest-altitude Brahma shrine in Thailand, and it is especially popular with Malaysian visitors who come to pay respects and pray. So if you see many international visitors here, do not be surprised.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The Hat Yai Cable Car costs 100 THB (around US$3) per person for a round trip, which is honestly not expensive compared with cable cars overseas. The distance is not very long, but it is still fun and gives you a nice view of Hat Yai. If you want to visit the Brahma Shrine but do not want to ride the cable car, you can also drive there.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Hat Yai Guanyin Temple

The sacred sites inside Hat Yai Municipal Park do not end there. The hill is also home to Hat Yai Guanyin Temple, where a 9.9-meter-high jade Guanyin statue stands beautifully. It is considered the largest jade Guanyin statue in Thailand, carved by Chinese artisans from Hebei Province and brought directly from China. The statue stands proudly above Hat Yai on what is considered an auspicious feng shui location.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Honestly, the jade Guanyin statue is beautiful, and the city view from the temple is beautiful too. Inside the temple area, there is also a walkway with a golden dragon-mouth entrance, which looks striking in photos. You can pass through this entrance to pay respect and make wishes to Phra Sangkachai. This walkway also connects up to the area of Phra Phuttha Mongkol Maharat, which we had already visited. Anyone who enjoys walking can follow the route through the temple grounds.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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PSU Heart-Shaped Reservoir

If you happen to drive past Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai Campus, and have some free time, I recommend driving inside the campus to visit the Heart-Shaped Reservoir. The reservoir is really beautiful, with water in the foreground and Khao Kho Hong rising behind it. Many students and locals come here to walk, jog, or take photos in the morning and evening. The atmosphere is so good.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

For visitors driving to the PSU Heart-Shaped Reservoir, I recommend parking near the Faculty of Engineering building. There is usually quite a lot of parking behind the building. From there, you can walk to the reservoir, because outside visitors are not allowed to drive directly into the reservoir area without permission.

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Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol, the Stainless Steel Pagoda

On another side of Khao Kho Hong, there is a temple I really like: the Stainless Steel Pagoda, officially called Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol. The chedi itself is built with a stainless-steel structure, while its base is made of brick and cement painted golden yellow, with coins embedded around the entrance. The doors of the chedi are designed with 14 circular openings framed in stainless steel. Altogether, the pagoda looks both beautiful and unusual, unlike any other temple chedi in Thailand. This stainless-steel identity is exactly why I ended up liking this place so much.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

You can walk inside the chedi too. On the first level, the circular doorways are divided according to birth days, and the signs inside tell visitors to exit through the circle matching their day of birth. Inside, there are Buddha images and benjarong ceramics on display, and there is also a staircase leading up to the second floor, where you can see the stainless-steel structure of the pagoda more clearly. It is unusual, beautiful, and definitely worth visiting.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Songkhla Central Mosque

A little outside Hat Yai city, we continued to Songkhla Central Mosque, which many people call the “Taj Mahal of Thailand.” The nickname comes from the long reflecting pool in front of the mosque, stretching more than 200 meters, which gives the whole scene a Taj Mahal-like composition. Personally, I cannot say whether it truly resembles the Taj Mahal because I have not been to India yet. But when it comes to beauty, Songkhla Central Mosque is absolutely beautiful. The reflecting pool out front is incredibly chill too, and many people come here to walk, jog, and relax. That makes the atmosphere feel easygoing, and it became another place in Songkhla that I really liked.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

If you visit Songkhla Central Mosque, I recommend coming in the evening around sunset. When the sky is clear, this spot is stunning because the sun sets slightly behind the mosque. That is why so many photography lovers come here in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, when I visited, the sky was completely overcast, so I missed the chance to see that beautiful sunset scene.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Chokdee Tae Tiam

Let’s end this Hat Yai section with food. I’m taking you to try dim sum at what many people say is the most delicious dim sum restaurant in Hat Yai: Chokdee Tae Tiam. The shop has a huge variety of dim sum to choose from, but the things I especially recommend are the shumai, particularly the shrimp shumai, the salted-egg lava buns, and the bak kut teh. Overall, the food lives up to the reputation, the prices are not too intense, and I left very full and very happy. It is another recommended shop that I think is worth trying.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside CharmSongkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Ko Yo

Ko Yo in Songkhla is a small, peaceful island located in Songkhla Lake. Even though the island is small, it has quite a lot to explore, from Buddhist temples that are more than 200 years old to cafés, restaurants, and beautiful viewpoints. With this much good stuff on the island, how could we visit Songkhla and skip Ko Yo? Let’s follow the route together. This Ko Yo itinerary can be done easily in one relaxed day.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Wat Tai Yo

The first place on Ko Yo is Wat Tai Yo, located at the far end of the island. The temple dates back to the late Ayutthaya period, around 1768. From then until now, Wat Tai Yo has become the oldest temple on Ko Yo and is more than 200 years old. It is considered one of the important temples of Songkhla.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The highlight of Wat Tai Yo is its traditional Thai-style monk residence with a pan-ya roof, built more than 200 years ago. The architecture blends Southern Thai and Chinese styles, resulting in the beautiful structure we see today. The building is still used as living quarters for monks.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

If you have extra time, you can climb up to see Khao Pehan Chedi, a Lanka-style bell-shaped chedi that is also more than 200 years old. If you do not feel like walking, you can drive up too, though the road can be a little steep. I did not go up this time, but I did walk out to the pavilion in front of Wat Tai Yo instead. The pavilion has a bridge extending out over Songkhla Lake, giving a lovely view of the water.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

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Wat Laem Pho / Reclining Buddha Temple

Next is another old temple on Ko Yo: Wat Laem Pho, also known as the reclining Buddha temple. It was built in the early Rattanakosin period around 1817, during the reign of King Rama II. The temple was established by Phra Khru Thip Wasi from Wat Tai Yo, and its name comes from its location on a cape of Ko Yo where many pho trees once grew.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

The main thing to see and pay respect to at Wat Laem Pho is the reclining Buddha, considered the largest reclining Buddha image in Thailand. If you drive across Tinsulanonda Bridge from the Hat Yai side, you can already spot the reclining Buddha from the road. But if you want to see it up close and in full scale, you have to come into the temple. It is genuinely huge and impressive.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Khao Kuti Monastery

From Wat Laem Pho, I continued to the highest point of Ko Yo: Khao Kuti Monastery. Located on top of Khao Kuti, this spot gives panoramic views in every direction, including both the inner sea, meaning Songkhla Lake, and the outer sea, meaning the Gulf of Thailand. Besides the view, the monastery is also home to four revered monk statues, including Somdet Chao Ko Yo, who is deeply respected by people in Songkhla.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Khao Kuti Monastery has existed for more than 100 years, yet the temple area is still preserved beautifully. If you come up the hill to Good Mountain Café or I Am Cake, do not forget to stop by this monastery too, because it is very close.

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Good Mountain Café

Just a little further from Khao Kuti Monastery, there is a café called Good Mountain Café. I really recommend it if you are visiting Ko Yo. The café is located on a hill, and from here you can look out over a small bay on the edge of Ko Yo, with local fishing houses lining the water. You can also see across toward the Hat Yai mainland. Personally, I think this café has one of the best, most scenic views on Ko Yo. Truly.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

For food, you can just come for coffee or cake, but if you are hungry, Good Mountain Café also serves meals. From what I tried, the food was good, tasty, and very reasonably priced. Personally, I actually liked the food more than the coffee and drinks. The dishes I recommend are the stir-fried pork with chili and cured egg over rice for 89 THB (around US$2.50), and the sea bass with tamarind sauce over rice for 109 THB (around US$3). If you are hungry, come here for lunch and enjoy the view of Songkhla at the same time.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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Ko Yo Viewpoint

If you love watching sunsets, the left side of Ko Yo is one of the most beautiful sunset areas around. If you are lucky enough to visit when the sky is clear and not clouded over like the day I went, the photos I have seen from others are unbelievably beautiful. It is one of the things you should not miss when visiting Ko Yo.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

If you do not feel like looking for a restaurant or café to sit and watch the sunset, Ko Yo has a free public viewpoint pavilion at the far end of the island. You can sit there and enjoy the sunset view without spending anything. This spot is also really beautiful because the sun sets right in front of you.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

To get to this pavilion, just search for “Ko Yo Viewpoint” on Google Maps and follow the route. It is located a little past Wat Tai Yo. The sunset on Ko Yo is truly something not to miss.

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Nam Kiang Din Restaurant

For dinner, I went to Nam Kiang Din Restaurant. I chose this place because someone I know in Hat Yai recommended it and said the food was good. When I checked the reviews on Google Maps, the rating was strong too, so I decided to go for it. The location is convenient, right by the main road, and if you sit upstairs, you can see the bridge stretching toward Songkhla city. Unfortunately, I arrived after dark, so I did not really get to enjoy the view.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

Nam Kiang Din Restaurant is a Thai restaurant where you order several dishes to share. The dishes I really recommend are deep-fried sea bass with fish sauce, stir-fried melinjo leaves with egg, winged bean salad, and Southern sour curry with omelet and cha-om. These were excellent and so delicious.

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm

In summary, I would recommend Nam Kiang Din Restaurant as another good place to eat on Ko Yo. The food prices are mid-range to slightly high, but overall the quality is good and it definitely passed for me.

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That’s a Wrap for Songkhla!

And that wraps up this full Songkhla review, packed with attractions, food, and cafés across Songkhla Old Town, Hat Yai, and Ko Yo. It is the kind of trip that gives you plenty to follow and enough variety to feel really satisfying. For me, Songkhla is a province that left a strong impression because it has so many stories and interesting details. I especially loved the old town because it helped me understand the history of Songkhla and the everyday life of local people much more deeply. Other areas like Hat Yai and Ko Yo were impressive too, with beautiful places to visit and plenty of good food. If you are looking for places to explore in Songkhla, you can follow this route. I am pretty sure you will come away impressed and fall for the charm of Songkhla too.

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ส่วนลดจองโรงแรมจาก Agoda, Expedia, Booking และบัตรสวนสนุก ตั๋วรถไฟ กิจกรรมท่องเที่ยวจาก Klook และ KKday ปี 2025

⚡️ สำหรับใครที่กำลังจะจองที่พักและหาส่วนลดจองโรงแรมอยู่ ลองดูตามลิงค์ด้านล่างได้เลย มีทั้ง Agoda, Expedia, Booking รวมถึง Hotels.com ด้วย ประหยัดไปได้อีกเกือบ 10-20% ใช้ได้กับโรงแรมทั่วโลก

หลายคนอาจจะไม่รู้ว่าเว็บไซต์จองโรงแรมพวกนี้ มีส่วนลดท็อปอัพจากบัตรเครดิตเพิ่มเกือบทุกธนาคาร ไม่ว่าจะเป็นบัตรเครดิต Citibank, KBANK, SCB, Krungsri, KTC, Bangkok Bank, UOB และ TMB หรือแม้แต่ส่วนลดจากค่ายมือถืออย่าง AIS, DTAC หรือ True ซึ่งส่วนลดพวกนี้จะเปลี่ยนตลอดทุกเดือน และเก๊าก็อัพเดทให้ตลอดเวลาเน้อ 🧡

> ส่วนลด Agoda.com (อโกด้า)
> ส่วนลด Booking.com (บุคกิ้ง)
>
  ส่วนลด Expedia (เอ็กซ์พีเดีย)
> ส่วนลด Klook (คลุก)
> ส่วนลด KKday ( เคเคเดย์)

Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
Songkhla Thailand: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Old Town, Street Art & Southern Seaside Charm
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