EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

HAT YAI , the transport axis of the region, is a concrete mess, but attracts half a million tourists a year, nearly all of them Malaysians who nip across the border to shop and get laid. It's only 50km from the border with Malaysia, and you can get to many destinations from here by direct share taxis, air-con minibuses (tickets available from any Hat Yai travel agent) and trains. The train station , on the west side of the centre at the end of Thanon Thamnoon Vithi, has a useful left-luggage office (daily 6am-7pm with an unpredictable break for lunch; B5-10 per piece per day); the bus terminal is far to the southeast of town on Thanon Kanchanawanit, but most buses make a stop at the Plaza Cinema on Thanon Petchkasem, on the north side of the centre. Share taxis and air-con minibuses have different ranks around town. Regular flights connect Hat Yai with Johor Baru, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore; the airport is 12km from town and served by Thai Airways minibuses, whose office is at 190/6 Thanon Niphat Uthit 2 (tel 074/233433). The TAT office is at 1/1 Soi 2, Tha Niphat Uthit 3 (tel 074/243747) and the tourist police have offices at Thanon Sripoovanart on the south side of town (tel 074/230972), and near the Odean department store on Niphat Uthit 3; the immigration office is on Thanon Petchkasem (tel 074/233760). There is an Internet office on the corner of Soi 2, Thanon Nipat Uthit 3, next to TAT.