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2 days 1 night

From Pattalung downtown, you drive along Highway No 4047 to Lum Pa Beach. Along the way, you’ll find Pattalung Hospital (0-7461-3008) and Piyarak Hospital (0-7462-7146-54) as well as an LPG gas station. Before reaching the beach, you should stop to take photos at a palace of the former Pattalung governor, which is on the right. Inside the palace, there are old and new palaces. Admission fee is only Bt5, open daily from 9am to 4pm. You can then visit Wang Temple about 200 metres away, where you can see beautiful wall paintings and wall carvings.

Box: Kalamae Mae Jit Restaurant is a stall near Wang Temple. It sells spicy and delicious chilly paste and local curry. You can taste Kalamae dessert for free.

Box: Lam Pa Resort (0-7461-1486) offers bungalows at the Lum Pa Beach. Rooms at Bt500-1,200.

After leaving the beach, you will arrive at an intersection, turn right and drive along Sansuk Lam Pa Beach. You then pass Saeng Arun Temple and Pattalung Botany Garden.

Recommended: Nam Ta-le Noi Bird Garden. Here you can take a boat ride to see the pink lotus. The one-and-a-half-hour ride costs Bt300 per passenger.

Tip: You should visit at about 10am as all the lotuses there will abloom, a beautiful sight indeed.

In the afternoon, after leaving Ta-Le Noi Sea, take the old route to drive on a bridge that stretches along the sea. It has beautiful sceneries with birds flying along the beach. Near the foot of the bridge, you will see many restaurants on both sides of the road.

Go straight following the sign of Ranote district, passing Ban Mai health station. When you see an intersection, turn left to Highway No 4083. Turn right to Highway No 408 and go straight for a while until you arrive at the 110 km, opposite PTT petrol station. There you will find an entrance to the Pha Ko Temple, which has beautiful buildings. You should visit and pay respects to Somdet Pha Kho or Luang Pho Thuat Yiap Nam Tha-le Chuet, the most revered monk in the South.

After that, when you arrive at 113 km, you will see Dee Luang health station. Continue on Highway No 408 to pass Sating Phra district. There is an entrance to Ku Kud Bird Garden. You could rent boats from local people to watch birds. Renting fee is Bt250 per boat.

You will pass Sating Pra Hospital (0-7439-7012, 0-7439-7038). When you arrive at Singha Nakhon district, turn right at a three-way intersection to take Highway No 408 to pass Tinsulanond Bridge to Koh Yor.

Tip: You can stop on the bridge to take photos, but you have to park your car on the roadside.

Accommodations in Hat Yai

BOX: Suppant Mansion (Bt450) is a serviced apartment.

In the morning, you should shop at Kim Yong market, where you can find desserts and food, and then take a walk in Hat Yai. In the afternoon, you can spend your money on electrical appliances and fashion products at Santisuk Market. You will enjoy the nightlife in Hat Yai.

Box: Dim Sums at Chokdee Restaurant and don’t miss traditional ice tea in Hat Yai markets.

Accommodation:

– Ta-Le Noi Resort, Pattalung; Tel 08-1189-6193; Bt400-1,000

– JB Hat Yai Hotel; Tel 0-7423-4300-18; Bt1,600-7,000

Restaurants:

– Ruen Chai Buri: Kuan Kanoon, Pattalung; Tel 0-7468-2354, 0-7468-2632

Hospitals:

– Songkhla Hospital: Tel 0-7433-8100

– Hat Yai Hospital: Tel 0-7423-0800-4

Police:

– Pattalung Police: Tel 0-7462-7651

– Songkhla Police: Tel 0-7430-7058, 0-7432-1868

– Hat Yai Police: Tel 0-7425-7333

– Tourism Authority of Thailand (south: Zone 1 Songkhla). Tel 0-7423-1055, 0-7423-8518

– Tourism Authority of Thailand (south: Zone 2); Tel 0-7534-6515-6