In the span of your travels here and there from incredible mountain tops to the depths of the ocean, have you ever heard of an amazing city called Hat Yai? If not, then it’s never too late to change that, treat yourself on a vacation to Hat Yai. A big city located near the border of Malaysia, Hat Yai offers tons of activities for just about any traveler. In case you originally wanted to stay in Kuala Lumpur and only Kuala Lumpur, take a bus from KL to Hatyai. We urge you to visit Hat Yai since travelling there is quite easy and transportation is incredibly accessible.
Of course travelers have other transportation options aside from a bus; people can take a plane, train and minivan. As far as activities go, there’s more to the city than just shopping centers and museums.
What to do in Hat Yai
- Hat Yai Ice Dome – this is located close to the entrance of Hat Yai Park. Seasonal displays include gorgeous ice sculptors by talented Chinese sculptors. The Hat Yai Ice Dome is open from 9:00 to 21:00 on a daily basis. Adults are charged 300 baht and children only pay about 150 baht.
- Hat Yai Lantern – these are located near the Hat Yai Park. The Hat Yai Lantern Festival is an annual event that occurs during the start of the year.
- Hat Yai Municipal Park – otherwise known as Hat Yai Park, this is located at Kanchanawanit Road and about 6 km for the city center. Not only do the tourists and travelers love this area, but local also turn to Hat Yai Park for their recreational activities. Hat Yai Park is filled with alluring flowering plants, there’s also a pavilion at the middle of the pond and food stalls for everyone to enjoy.
Taking a Bus to and from Kuala Lumpur
Numerous bus companies in Malaysia offer a ride to and from Kuala Lumpur for those who want to enjoy Hat Yai. Tickets are available at the bus company shop itself as well as official tour agents, ticket prices vary depending on the time of the trip as well as the company that offers it.
- Konsortium Bas Ekspress Semenanjung – this company has 5 available buses that travel every day. Trips from Hat Yai towards Kuala Lumpur depart at 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 12:00 and 19:00. On the other hand, Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai departs at 9:10, 22:00, 22:30, 23:00 and 23:30. Tickets would cost about 520 baht, it is a 10 hour ride at maximum; the 10 hours would include all typical stopovers, meal stops, waiting in immigration and traffic.
- Alisan Golden Coach Express – with only 3 buses available on a daily basis, buses leave from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur at 09:00, 11:00 and 19:00. Tickets typically cost about 400 baht for the 10 hour journey if we add the overall waiting time at the immigrations, the usual meal stop and traffic.