Join us on a journey to Songkhla, a tranquil town nestled in the south of Thailand. In this travel blog article, we’ll explore the essence of a weekend that took us to this city (landing in Hat Yai) for what was initially a cultural experience—an employee’s wedding celebration at his wife’s family house in the Hat Yai countryside. As we planned a 3 days trip, we decided to discover the are but we chose to avoid Hat Yai, which I remembered as a large city without much charm. We headed instead to Songkhla, another district, but it’s just half an hour away, and a quaint seaside destination with a rich history.
Located in southern Thailand along the border with Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand, the Songkhla Province is not the most frequented by Western tourists, but many Malaysian tourists do come to visit it. If Hat Yai is the largest city in the South, and serves as a prominent travel hub and a bustling shopping destination, Songkhla city is its capital city (Thai provinces are often names after their main city, it’s sometimes confusing) and has been historically important for centuries as a harbour, and fishing town, right at the opening of the Songkhla Lake to the Gulf of Thailand.
I have to say I was expecting Songkhla city to be more Muslim as Islam is the main religion in the Southern provinces, but Songkhla is actually very much Buddhist and on this regard is very Thai, with the usual food and temples you would see anywhere else, with a Southern touch.
Arriving in Hat Yai, direction the beach
As Bangkokians, we never miss an opportunity to get to the beach, so right after arriving at the Hat Yai airport (1h30 flight from Bangkok), we got our rented car and drove to the beach north of Songkhla.
A beach front resort with bungalows in a vast garden, German owner. Not luxury, a mid range resort with a small swimming pool and a beach restaurant, the main attraction is the beach. Actually one of the only resorts on this very long stroll of sand, the beach is wide and nice to swim. 1500-200 THB/ per night.
A morning and lunch around the Songkhla lake
The strip of land where we stayed the first night is actually between the sea and a huge lake, divided in several parts, the Songkhla Lake, most of it being half the salinity of the sea. It goes up to the Patthalung province, in which there’s also a smaller fresh water lake, Thale Noi (smaller but still one of the biggest in South-East Asia) where we still haven’t been and we didn’t have time to go on that week-end, but that is definitely on our to-do list. It’s a natural park and famous for its lotus blooming season.
We drove from the beach resort to Koh Yo, an island on the southern part of Songkhla lake and connected through bridges with the beach strip north and Songkhla city south. We took a leisurely drive around the island to soak in the stunning views of the lake, it’s very local with fishing villages, and seafood restaurants, but lately some fancier cafés/restaurants opened. We chose a bit randomly the Sinyorrista and it was a nice choice, with wooden decks around a tree growing in the water. It was quite crowded with Chinese and Thai tourists, and I guess it’s very busy in the evening. It was super hot that day so most people were in the aircon avoiding the sun, but with a fan, the lakeside terrace was bearable.
A restaurant on Koh Yo, an island on the southern part of Songkhla lake, with wooden decks around a tree growing in the water. Crowded with Chinese and Thai tourists, and I guess very busy in the evening. It was super hot that day so most people were in the aircon avoiding the sun, but with a fan, the lakeside terrace was bearable.
Songkhla city, a charming historic city
We stayed in a old fashioned hotel walking distance from the Old Town. I was greatly surprised by Songkhla city which has rich history and a outstanding location between the sea and lake. There are various influences as Songkhla has been a harbour since ages, and trading post for Chinese, Indian and Arab merchants. The French tried to settle there in the 17th century. Many Chinese immigrants came to live here in the 18th century, became wealthy and influential, and built some of the nicest houses of the Old Town. The governor of Songkhla post stayed in a Chinese family for a century and actually their house is not the Songkhla National Museum.
Located within a short 5-minute walk of Songkhla Old Town’s main streets, with dining establishments and coffee shops, this refined but inexpensive hotel was established in 1946, and boasts traditional Chinese design elements, historic furniture, intricate lanterns and decorative vases. It’s renovated but not the most confortable and a bit noisy at night (you can hear neighbours and pipes sounds), but it’s an interesting stay to sleep in this old-fashioned Chinese style house. It’s also quite inexpensive.
The style of the old town reminded me of Chantaburi, a city on the other side of the Gulf of Thailand (the province in which Koh Chang can be found), with its old Chinese style shophouses, but Songkhla has be better restored in my opinion.
A charming and historically rich district in the town center, basically a few streets with some shops facing the Songkhla lake. It’s a well-preserved area that boasts an array of traditional wooden houses, temples, and unique shophouses that reflect the town’s centuries-old heritage. Strolling through its narrow streets, you’ll discover a captivating blend of Thai, Chinese, and Malay influences, which have shaped the town’s culture and architecture.
History Museum and the best views from a hilltop
A bit to the North of the few streets that for the Old Town, the National Museum, with collection about the city’s history since prehistoric times, is a must-see.
This well-curated museum used to be the house of the province governors for a century, it showcases a diverse collection of artifacts, including ancient pottery, traditional costumes, and historical relics, shedding light on the area’s multicultural roots, interplay of Thai, Malay, and Chinese influences. The building itself is already very iconic, this museum’s own architecture is a testament to the past, it is a beautifully preserved colonial-era building, reflecting a blend of Thai and Chinese architectural influences. Free entrance.
I then took a motorbike taxi to the Tangkuan Hill, motivated to hike to the top, but the driver actually brought me to the funicular and discouraged me to walk up, mentioning monkey attacks. I already had some adventures with macaques tribes before, in Petchaburi for example, so I preferred to follow his advice and pay the 30 THB round way.
A highlight of Sangkhla is the Tangkuan Hill, on the northern part of the city. The viewpoint can be reached with a 3 minute vehicular lift to the top of the hill, or by hiking but the trail seemed unclear, and I was warned of the monkeys. From the top, you can see both the whole Songkhla Town, the lake and the sea, the view is definitely memorable and 360 degrees. There is a Pagoda temple up there as well.
Lakeside dining
After walking through the Old Town again in evening, we ate at a nice restaurant.
A charming restaurant in Songkhla Old Town that complements the historical beauty of this district, presents a fusion of Thai and Western cuisine, complemented by an on-site art gallery corner. This quaint cafe on the Old Town main street is actually also a restaurant when you venture further, including an extended wooden jetty to eat outside with panoramic views on the lake. Cozy ambiance, good Thai food and of course fresh seafood, along with a variety of international beer choices. It’s slightly more expensive for the town but still cheap, and one of the only restaurants that stays open late in the area.
A Southern wedding the next morning
The married couple was very busy organizing the ceremony, decorating the bride’s parents house, so we only met them on the Monday morning. The day was chosen after the recommendations of Buddhist monks, it needs to be an auspicious date (it’s more related to astrology than religion), even if it means you have to do it on a Monday. It happened in the bride’s village which is half an hour South of Hat Yai and it seems the area is 100% Buddhist. So the wedding was a Buddhist ceremony and if some aspects were local, like the costume styles, overall the day was quite similar to our own wedding in Isaan years ago.
Procession of the groom and his family
In the intricate tapestry of Thai wedding customs, the procession of the groom and his family takes center stage. The purpose is to bring special engagement items on meticulously arranged trays, to present to the bride’s family. While in days gone by, this procession would set off from the groom’s residence, modern life has led to a slight alteration in the tradition. Nowadays, it usually commences just around the corner from the bride’s house. In our case, the groom hails from the French Reunion Island in the southeast of Africa, so the entire family didn’t traverse the distance, village guests and ourselves helped the groom’s family to form a lively procession, accompanied by musicians playing drums. When the procession arrived at the bride’s doorstep, her family made the groom go through symbolic gates, with a dose of laughter and light-hearted teasing, at the groom’s expense.
Paying Homage and Merit-Making
On this momentous day, two significant ceremonies took place: paying homage to the bride’s ancestors and the act of making merit. Honoring ancestors is a time-honored Thai tradition, and making merit holds great importance in Buddhism, especially during special occasions such as weddings. The couple first payed their respects to the bride’s elders and forebears in the house’s living room. Then we moved to an outdoor tent for the ceremony that ensures the accumulation of merit, lead by Buddhist monks in orange robes. Candles were lit for the Buddha, and everyone did the wai gesture (hands joined) as the monks began their rhythmic chanting. The monks held a white string in between their hands, which was wrapped around a candle that dripped wax into a bowl of holy water. Eventually the monks sprinkled the holy water onto each person in the audience.
Ceremonial Feast
Of course as in any Thai ceremony and any wedding anywhere I guess, it ended up with a lunch.
Points of Interest
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