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Driving to SongKhla/Hat Yai/Phuket

Kelpie

By Kelpie,
in Travel & Road Trips

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Nephilim

Nephilim

1st Gear

You mean there is more than one custom beside padang besar at Perlis?

 

Regards,

 

The busier custom (where the long-distance coaches go) is the Bukit Kayu Hitam-Sadao crossing at Kedah.

 

Should you take this route, do check its opening hours. I'm not sure if it's 24-hrs now but it closes midnight-6am (I think) when I used to cross there on a few occasions a couple of years ago.

 

Found this info on our local bike forum too.

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Nephilim

Nephilim

1st Gear

I think better to get a paid Thailand map for my GPS. Who knows sekali addicted liao and I stay in Thailand for weeks. I may need a Thai SIM card then, since my GTS needs SIM cards to operate.

 

How is traffic condition within Hat Yai and Songkhla, is it convenient and safe to drive around and go places on wheels within the cities?

 

Regards,

 

The horrors of Bangkok aside, I like driving in Thailand. The main roads are wide (but dusty this time of the year) and the drivers are friendly.

 

Big trucks in front will even signal left/right to tell you if it's safe/unsafe to overtake. (I've forgotten the 'code' though [:p] )

 

But take care not to veer off course between Hat Yai and Songkhla and end up in Pattani, Yala i.e. all the insurgents zone [sweatdrop]

 

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

The horrors of Bangkok aside, I like driving in Thailand. The main roads are wide (but dusty this time of the year) and the drivers are friendly.

 

Big trucks in front will even signal left/right to tell you if it's safe/unsafe to overtake. (I've forgotten the 'code' though [:p] )

 

But take care not to veer off course between Hat Yai and Songkhla and end up in Pattani, Yala i.e. all the insurgents zone [sweatdrop]

 

Seem good to me [thumbsup]. Land of the thousand smiles [:)] !

 

Regards,

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

Hatyai city central is very small. You can park at the hotel, walk around or take a tuk-tuk.

 

Which hotel do you recommend?

 

Regards,

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Kb27

Kb27

Supersonic

Tourist class hotel is like Grand Plaza. But it's a little old now.

Lee Gardens and Diamond Plaza are newer and more expensive, but I haven't tried them.

Regency is also not too bad, slightly more ex than Grand Plaza, but also quite old already.

 

These hotels are just about 200m of each other and a few shopping centres and coffeshops for meals.

 

Very convenient to stay around here.

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
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Tourist class hotel is like Grand Plaza. But it's a little old now.

Lee Gardens and Diamond Plaza are newer and more expensive, but I haven't tried them.

Regency is also not too bad, slightly more ex than Grand Plaza, but also quite old already.

 

These hotels are just about 200m of each other and a few shopping centres and coffeshops for meals.

 

Very convenient to stay around here.

 

Thanks! I'm likely to pick Novotel Hat Yai, it looks good from on the web review. Departmental store is just downstairs and it serves great buffet. Plan to stay there for 2 nights. Still hesitating about drivin there from JB within a day without stopping over at Penang. Alternatively, may consider Langkawi for a night stay. I need some planning to find the sweet spot in crossing the Thai border.

 

Thought of going up there for 2 nights then proceed either to KL/Genting for a night then back to JB.

 

Regards,

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Poortraveller

Poortraveller

1st Gear

and forgot to add, if u plan to go further in thai and u see army/police stop, just wind down ur window 1/2 way and show them your red passport and your best smile :D , they will usually just wave you thru without stopping you

 

 

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Poortraveller

Poortraveller

1st Gear

Thank you for the pictures. A picture tells a thousand words.

 

Now the concern, so Hat Yai is really a "nothing to do" place? Should I skip it instead? How about SongKhla, a smaller place? Bascially, wanted to visit some places of interest, do some shopping and find authentic thai food to savour.

 

By the way, do they still practice the $1 thingy where you put it inside your passport?

Regards,

 

i'm not sure so sure now ... but u can still check with those ppl Qing up for the custom or maybe bors here can advice ...

 

men + family = nothing much to do but shopping ... but when u alone, u got lots of things to do [sly] haha

 

for the food ... actually i always go to their MK, to me, its one of their best Thai food ... haha

 

 

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

i stayed @ novetel, what i can say is that u'll not regret [thumbsup]

 

security guard station in the basement carpark... shopping & eatry all within walking distance ...

 

Great! Nice to hear that MCF forumer has lodged in Novotel before. Ok, will go ahead and book 2 nights.

 

Thank you for the recommendation [nod].

 

Regards,

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

and forgot to add, if u plan to go further in thai and u see army/police stop, just wind down ur window 1/2 way and show them your red passport and your best smile :D , they will usually just wave you thru without stopping you

 

Thank you for the tip. Will bear that in mind [wave].

 

Regards,

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

yes, u can cross to thailand from 2 my custom ... but the other one is not tat convinence but there are some tourist attraction there ...

 

Which is the one that is less convenient but close to tourist attractions?

 

Regards,

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

i'm not sure so sure now ... but u can still check with those ppl Qing up for the custom or maybe bors here can advice ...

 

men + family = nothing much to do but shopping ... but when u alone, u got lots of things to do [sly] haha

 

for the food ... actually i always go to their MK, to me, its one of their best Thai food ... haha

 

No worry, I enjoy driving. Shopping and makan are for the family. It will be a bonus if there are nice tourist attraction in Hat Yai. MK right? Ok, will dine there and try their food [thumbsup] .

 

Judging from your experience, is driving around Hat Yai feasible?

 

Regards,

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Kb27

Kb27

Supersonic

Novotel Centara looks good.

 

If you go to their tour agencies, when in Hatyai and buy hotel vouchers, it might be cheaper.

Although I'm not sure if you can buy it for Novotel.

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Kelpie

Kelpie

2nd Gear
  • Author

Novotel Centara looks good.

 

If you go to their tour agencies, when in Hatyai and buy hotel vouchers, it might be cheaper.

Although I'm not sure if you can buy it for Novotel.

 

Thanks. looking forwards to it now.

 

Decided to spend a night in Penang prior to hitting Hat Yai. Any good class hotel to recommend?

 

Regards,

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Forte

Forte

Neutral Newbie

M Hotel not bad in Penang.

 

BTW, I read somewhere about the RM1 in the passport, its their official admin fee per head count, not kopi money. Collect me if I'm wrong.

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