[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Hatyai, Thailand (合艾，泰国) 2019

Despite the dip in currency, Thailand remains as one of the popular travel destinations for Malaysians. The Southern-most city of Thailand- Hatyai... is just a mere 2.5 hour-drive away from Penang and is still a preferred destination for a short getaway. My previous entry for Hatyai was in 2017; many new places have popped up since then... we could also see that they have embraced the cafe-culture well enough, with plenty of exciting and Instagrammable places waiting to be explored. This post seeks to give you a glimpse on some of the highlights during our trip.

This Post is brought to you by Tourism Authority of Thailand.

1) Maimoke Restaurant

Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: The Pru Wittaya, Tambon Sadao, 90120, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 10 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: +66 74 411 996
Maimoke Restaurant Facebook Page

Kheng Som Cat Fish (200 THB)

Stir Fried Petai and Prawns with Shrimp Paste (180 THB)

Stir Fried Sweet Leaves with Egg (150 THB)

Spicy Curry Seafood Omelette (180 THB)

Chicken Soup with Turmeric (150 THB)

Fried Seabass with Mango Salad (230 THB)

Stir Fried Paku-Pakis with Coconut Milk (150 THB)

A short drive from the Thai-Malaysia border, Maimoke Restaurant can be found at Sadao district... the Thai restaurant is popular amongst travelers driving from Malaysia to Hatyai, as a pit-stop for meal. The restaurant is surrounded by greens, allowing diners to enjoy their meal amidst nature; every corner of the place is picturesque. The menu is not shabby either, with plethora of Thai dishes to choose from. The Spicy Curry Seafood Omelette is one of the most-praised dishes... with loads of Seafood in a light but eggy Egg foam. Equally good is the Fried Seabass with Mango Salad... with crispy Fish served with tangy Mango Salad with plenty of Thai crunchy elements. The prices are generally more wallet-friendly than most established restaurants in the city... definitely one of the better places to drop by for a meal before hitting the city.

2) Cook Chai Bak Kut Teh and Dim Sum

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 82, Thoongsao 1 Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 6 am to 1 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: +66 81 897 7231

Bak Kut Teh (350 THB)

Fish Koay Teow (360 THB)

Chicken Noodles (320 THB)

Dim Sum (20 THB/ basket)

One of the magical breakfast combinations that can be found at Hatyai is to have Dim Sum and Bak Kut Teh at the same time. There are plenty of options available but Cook Thai Dim Sum is one of the most frequented by locals. While Dim Sum and Bak Kut Teh remain popular here, the signature dishes are in fact, Fish Koay Teow and Chicken Noodles. The former dish features Fried Fish served with thick gravy and to be enjoyed with Deep Fried Koay Teow (with crisp crust); the latter one consists of braised Noodles with Chicken meat. Interesting combinations that you can't really find elsewhere. Like most Dim Sum outlets in Hatyai, the Dim Sum are freshly steamed to orders. The Bak Kut Teh on the other hand, possesses a bolder herbaceous flavor as compared to others. If you would like to avoid the tourist crowd, Cook Thai Dim Sum is a decent option.

3) Alive Cheeweit Cheewa

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 10/10, Poonnakan Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 6 am to 1 pm. Opens Daily.

Contact Number: +66 83 242 6391

Tom Yum Seafood (220 THB)

Stir Fried Sweet Leaves with Egg (150 THB)

Kheng Som Cha Om (180 THB)

Siamese Laksa (150 THB)

Fried Pork Ribs with Garlic and Pepper (150 THB)

Crispy Catfish with Spicy Salad (150 THB)

Jelly Fish Salad (150 THB)

The talk of the town- Alive café has taken social media by storm; ever since its kick-off in early 2018, the place has been under the limelight of avid travellers to Hatyai, Thailand. Visit the place later than 7 pm and you will find yourself trouble in getting a table but the best time to visit would be around 6:30 pm for the sunset view. The unique proposition of the place is its close-to-nature and outdoorsy ambiance… with tables being set at tree top, overlooking the greens. Interestingly, the place offers local, authentic Thai delights… ranging from the quintessential Tom Yum Seafood, Mango Salad to Cha Om with Spicy Soup, Thai Laksa etc. Prices are of standard restaurant level… decent quality but extraordinary dining experience with picturesque dining atmosphere.

4) BP Fried Hor Fun

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 68/1, Sanehanusorn Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 11 am to 10:30 pm. Opens Daily.

Fried Hor Fun with Gravy (65 THB/ with Egg)

Fried Hor Fun (65 THB/ with Egg)

Fresh Orange Juice (30 THB)

A short walk from Lee Garden Plaza is BP Fried Hor Fun, a famous local place for Fried Hor Fun with no English menu. But the menu is pretty straight-forward here... there are only 4 choices available- Fried Hor Fun, Fried Hor Fun with Gravy, Fried Yee Mee and Fried Yee Mee with Gravy. Not something spectacular but we must concur that they have been very generous with the meat and vegetables. Suitable for those travelling on budget yet, would like to taste something very local.

5) Hroy Thai Food

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 4135, Airport Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 10 am to 9 pm. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: +66 98 084 5919
HROY Thai Food Facebook Page

Kheng Som Cat Fish with Potatoes (169 THB)

Tom Yum Seafood (338 THB)

Stir Fried Petai and Prawns with Belacan (159 THB)

Stir Fried Sweet Leaves with Egg (129 THB)

A short drive from Hatyai city, Hroy Thai Food can be found along the way from the city to Hatyai International Airport. The restaurant is run by one of the local Chefs associated with the tourism association and its apparently, a popular restaurant for the locals. Hroy Thai Food is known for its Kheng Som, a type of sour Curry especially loved by Southern Thai. It even markets its own ready-to-make Kheng Som sauce... travelers can now have a taste of Thailand in anywhere and anytime. 

While Kheng Som is the signature dish at Hroy, the restaurant however, dishes out many local Thai delights too. The Tom Yum Seafood is one of the best during our trip... for its bold and heavy spicy punch, with bountiful amount of Seafood. Those with lower spicy tolerance level should avoid eating the Tom Yum and Kheng Som... as they can be too hot for some to handle. Great food with inexpensive price tags... though the setback is the place does not have an English menu.

6) Benjarong Restaurant @ V.L. Hotel Hatyai

Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: V.L. Hotel Hatyai, 1-3-5-7, Niphat Uthit 1 Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 7 am to 12 am. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: +66 74 352 201
V.L. Hotel Hatyai Facebook Page

Southern-styled Fish Curry served with fresh Vegetables and steamed Noodles (180 THB)

Kheng Som Cat Fish (300 THB)

Red Curry Pineapple and Shrimp served with Fried Noodles (200 THB)

Fried Seabass with Thai Salad (350 THB)

Thai-styled Bitter Gourd Salad (200 THB)

Petai Omelette (150 THB)

Housed in V.L. Hotel Hatyai, Bentarong is less-popular than many established Thai restaurants in town. Not only that the restaurant has no clear signage, the place is also a little off the beaten track. But Halal eaters would be glad to know that this restaurant is Halal-certified and its one of the few fully air-conditioned Halal restaurants in town. The menu covers many Thai delights and in fact, some are unique to Bentarong. One of the worth-mentioning dishes would be the Red Curry Pineapple and Shrimp served with Fried Noodles... Hor Fun being deep fried to give a crispy crust and to be enjoyed with tangy, appetizing Pineapple Curry. The acidity of the Curry cuts through the greasiness and offers an addictive tropical touch. Equally delicious is Southern-styled Fish Curry served with fresh Vegetables and steamed Noodles, a spicy concoction of dipping sauce to be enjoyed with steamed Vermicelli Noodles and a variety of fresh greens. Serving speed may be a little slow though but if you would not mind the sluggish service, this is a decent place for Halal choices.

7) Bon Khao Restaurant

Non-Halal

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: 1-9, Karnchanawanich Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand. (Hatyai Municipal Park Area)

Business Hours: 10 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: +66 74 211 929

Steamed Seabass with Chili Lime Juice (400 THB)

Spicy Chicken Soup with Tamarind Juice and Herbs (280 THB)

Green Curry Chicken (250 THB)

Deep Fried Pork Knuckle (400 THB)

Stir Fried Pork with Red Curry paste and Basil Leaves (180 THB)

Famous amongst frequent Hatyai travelers, Bon Khao Restaurant is situated on a hilltop... where diners get to enjoy their dinner while witnessing the beauty of sunset and enjoy the windy outdoorsy atmosphere. The restaurant is accessible from Hatyai Municipal Park and the best time to visit would be around 6 pm in the evening, when you can get both daylight and evening mood. The restaurant serves a great list of Thai dishes, with one of the signature dishes being Deep Fried Pork Knuckle. While we thought the food quality is of standard-average, we do agree that the place has an edge over ambiance due to its scenic view. Prices are slightly on the higher side if you must know.

8) In-Jeol-Mi @ Diana Complex Shopping Center

Pork-Free

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Address: Diana Complex Shopping Center, 55/3, Sripoovanart Road, Hatyai, 90110, Songkhla, Thailand.

Business Hours: 10:30 am to 9 pm. Opens Daily.
Contact Number: +66 74 272 222
In Jeol Mi Facebook Page

Durian Bingsu (229 THB/ Small)

Thai Milk Tea Bingsu (89 THB/ Small)

Not a place that tourist would frequent but Diana Complex, a short drive from Lee Garden area, is one of the large scale shopping centers in Hatyai. While the departmental store is not as exciting as it should be, there are plenty of food eateries around. One of the note worthy ones would be In Jeol Mi, a shop dedicated to serving Korean Bingsu. Amongst the flavors offered, the ones with Thai-influences are more special and uniquely Thai. The Thai Milk Tea Bingsu carries authentic, bold Thai Milk Tea flavor, with a splash of whipped Cream. The shaved ice is fine and together with the condensed milk, the flavor is beyond amazing. Just as you thought it may be a little monotonous, In Jeol Mi surprises you with Bubble Pearls. The Thai Milk Tea Bingsu is good but the limited edition Durian Bingsu is even better. The proprietor loads the shaved ice with a generous amount of fresh Durian, the magical combination of Durian, Bingsu and Glutinous Rice is to die for. Hands down one of the best Bingsus ever.

Hatyai Food Paradise 2019

Opening Speech by the Officials

Food Stalls at the Hatyai Food Paradise 2019

One of the key highlights during our Hatyai trip was the Hatyai Food Paradise 2019. The event is organized by the local tourism players and authorities and its the first of its kind in Hatyai, Thailand. In a joint effort to promote the local food scene, the event organizer gathered a number of food stalls right outside Lee Garden, central Hatyai city. Many signature Thai dishes were made available during the event and it was a success. The food prices were reasonable but the real draw was the convenience of getting everything in one go. We hope the authorities would continue the effort in organizing such events and to promote further to tourists.