Category: Songkhla Holiday Destination

towers at Khuan Ron hills

Khuan Ron Hills (ควนหรนฮิลล์)

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Khuan Ron Hills (ควนหรนฮิลล์) is located in Sathon, Na Thawee District, Songkhla. This is one of the newest places to go to for a day trip or for camping. In your map app, copy ควนหรนฮิลล์ for direction; typing the English translation is not recognized by google map as of now.

Day Trip

If you’re going there for a day trip, I strongly recommend arriving there really early in the morning. If possible before sunrise, this way, you’d be able to witness the sea of mist around the hills. Beyond this time, the mist would have dissipated as the temperature rises. Then, you’ll feast your eyes on the greeneries that surround the tower. It’s pretty scenic, though I saw a few brown patches on the hills, which I hope would be reforested as the occurrence of mist is heavily dependent on the number of trees around. The tower is quite high above the ground, and certainly not for people with acrophobia. On a lighter note though, the path is made of steel (not glass) with tiny gaps in between. So, the distance is not immediately apparent.

Camping

If you’d like to stay overnight this is certainly possible. Camping is allowed, and it has a designated place. You can park your car near the campsite. There are pitched tents to rent (450THB) or you could bring your own. If you’re uncomfortable with tents, you could rent out one of the tiniest and cutest hut straw bungalows for 500 THB (15USD) a night. It’s good for two people only. Restrooms/bathrooms are communal, and certainly not the hotel bathroom type.

Recently as of the writing of this blog, camping is discontinued. The management had closed down the camping site in favor of developing the area and building a hotel.

Important notes

  • Entrance fee 20THB per person
  • Parking fee 20THB
  • Bring proof that you’ve been vaccinated (hardcopy or digital)

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stainless steel temple

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol: Stainless Steel Temple

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol is located up on a hill (Khao Kho Hong) behind Prince of Songkhla University in Hatyai City, Thailand. A chartered/private vehicle is the best way to come here. The already paved winding road is narrow, and traffic going up would have to yield to cars moving down.

I found this pagoda really fascinating. Hanging around are metals that chime as the wind breezes around. Together with the natural sound of the forest around, the overall ambience is that of calm and tranquility. Totally peaceful! A great place for meditation.

Here’s a short clip of Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol. Watch this before you go to have an idea of what’s in store.

Phra Maha Chedi Tripob Trimongkol

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Koh yai grand canyon park swimming pool

Koh Yai Grand Canyon Park: Krasaesin Songkhla Thailand

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Koh Yai Grand Canyon Park is another great place to create memories with family and friends. It’s a refreshing recreational place amidst the greens of Krasaesin District Songkhla. It is quite and peaceful. From Songkhla City, Koh Yai Grand Canyon is an hour and twenty minute drive by private car. In your GPS or Google map just type in the name Koh Yai Grand Canyon or เกาะใหญ่แกรนด์แคนยอน, you’ll have no problem locating it.

We visited the park two years into the CoViD-19 pandemic. There were only a few visitors, and it seems like we had the whole place to ourselves. By the way admission is free! You get to enjoy nature at no cost at all.

Accommodation

The park has accommodations for guests who wish to stay overnight. It is quite big, and perfect for families and group of friends. There aren’t many of them, though we observed that constructions are still going on. So by the time when the world is totally free to move around, Koh Yai Grand Canyon Park would be more than ready to accommodate us.

Recreational Activities

Paddle Boat. One of the prominent feature of the park is its huge pond. So it’s but right to have paddle boating here, and feed the fish as you pedal the boat around. We wanted to do this but it seemed like they haven’t opened this to comply with the government’s CoViD 19 protocols.

Outdoor pool. Kids and adults alike could enjoy a good late afternoon lounging in their outdoor swimming pool. It’s not big though, but it has a medium size swimming pool slide that would surely draw attention. Our kids were thrilled but unfortunately due to social distancing they weren’t able to swim. There were group of friends who were already there when we arrived. One useful tip on travelling during the CoVid-19 pandemic is to keep our distance. Instead, we head on to the park’s restaurant and had a late lunch.

Koh yai grand canyon park swimming pool
Koh Yai Grand Canyon Songkhla

Restaurant

The park’s two-storey restaurant has got both airconditioned and al fresco options. It also has lounging structures made of woven ropes, and these literally are the only ones holding you from falling down into the pond. Honestly, it’s quite exciting but surely not for people with acrophobia.

If you’d like to know how Koh Yai Grand Canyon looks now, and if you’d like to have an idea of what it is for future travel, have a glimpse of it through our experience in this short clip.

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ibis styles ao nang krabi hotel for family staycation

Krabi

Many businesses have closed down over these years, and we’re just glad Ibis Styles Ao Nang Krabi is still open. We’re the type of customers who prefer something that we already know, and are comfortable with for our 2021 family staycation.

Asian Cultural Village Sadao Thailand

Songkhla

The Asian Cultural Village is a theme park that consists of 5 different parks namely- Dinosaur park, Farm Animals, Rabbit Garden, Futuristic Park, and the Water Fun park

Chiang Rai

Zipline for the first time, and it is the most exhilarating outdoor activity we have done to date. That moment you realize “HOLY MOLLY I’M HANGING HERE” and that there’s no going back.

hotel landscape

Phattalung Thailand

Longkang Chomdaw Resort is a hotel by the river. The bungalows along the river are the best.

Asian Cultural Village Sadao Thailand

Asian Cultural Village: Sadao Thailand/ Dannok Malaysia

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Let’s watch the 5 Amazing Parks in this video

Asian Cultural Village is conveniently located in Sadao, Thailand/ Dannok Malaysia. This huge and amazing tourist destination is something you don’t want to miss when visiting the South of Thailand. It has so much in store for all it’s visitors, not only it has accomodations and restaurants to choose from, but it also has 5 different, amazing theme parks.

Dinosaur Theme Park is arguably the most visited of the five. It is a favorite among children and of course those who are kids-at-heart. This place always makes to the list of places for school field trips, science club exploration, or Dinosaur enthusiasts getaways. Speaking of Dinosaurs, this park has life-size dinosaurs of different species. Together with each display is a detail information about them They roar and move! Recently additional features were added like the dark cave with velociraptors and super huge dinosaur eggs, and the dinosaur mascot! Kids just go nuts; they love to touch it, poke it, and even cling on to it. Well, not all though, little ones cry their wits out. Dinosaur park is not only a fun haven to bond with families and friends, it is also educational and informative.

Dinosaur Theme Park

Farm Animals theme park is popular among animal lovers. Here, you’ll find plenty of farm animals from the most common to the rarest, huge to the tiniest, and from the ordinary to the most exotic looking ones. Like the dinosaur park, animal farms is also vast, with ponds, cages, lush trees, benches, and a hanging bridge. Animal enthusiasts would definitely have a great time here.

Rabbit Garden theme park is next in the list, from the name, it has a lots and lots of rabbits. In a gated garden, rabbits are free to roam around, and visitors are also allowed to play with them. Aside from rabbits, this park also has other equally fascinating animals – turtle, fish, otter, and variety of reptile species. Although, we were not able to play the rabbits when we visited, we had a blast with the giant iquanas and snakes.

Futuristic Park may just be the place for Avengers fanatics and enthusiasts. It got giant replicas of The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Thanos, and so much more. And what’s so interesting about this replicas is that they are all cleverly made using scrap metals. The best time to visit is at dusk to early evening when the colorful lights are on as they are open from 9AM to 9PM. There are so many superhero replicas that visitors might run out of poses for their instagram photos.

Water Fun Park is one of the most visited theme parks in the Asian Cultural Village. Aside from the fact that it is located near the entrance, the enormous fountains are just too magnificent to ignore. They are as if calling very eager children to come and have fun. It also has a large water tank elevated and built high up on the main pool that splashes water into the pool. Children wait happily as the tank fills up and splashes water unto them; they would then giggle and laugh their hearts out. This place is indeed a fun park.

Have you gone here? Please do share your experience on the comment section.

For more information visit their facebook page Asian Cultural Village亚洲文化村

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Songkhla Night Market: $10 Feeds a Family of Four

Posted on by Ms. Elle

If you’re on a budget travel to Thailand , one important thing to plan is where to eat. This touristy country certainly has so many restaurants to choose from but one sure place to get super affordable food is the Night Market.

Please watch this short video to find out where you could get the best value for your money.

Night Market is the place to go. Night markets or night bazaars are street markets, which apparently opens at night. It is certainly cheaper than regular restaurants, or fastfood chains. Aside from this, the night market is the best place to experience Thai food and delicacies at an affordable price. Also, most night markets promote local traditions like the Thai puppet show, folk songs and dances, so this is the place to go to feel authentic Thai vibes.

a boy holding strawberry smoothie at the night market
Derick and Summer Thailand @the night market

As seen in the video, 10USD has bought a family of four enough food for dinner. And below are the food they bought in the night market.

  1. Fried rice with vegetables and salted fish.
  2. Bamboo shoot spring rolls
  3. Roasted pork
  4. Deep fried chicken
  5. Crispy fried seafood with vegetables
  6. Local french fries
  7. Strawberry shake
  8. Crispy pancakes
  9. Bottled water

It is a tradition and certainly a great one. Going to a night market, especially in big cities is like one-stop shopping as it also has shops for Thai souvenirs and memorabilia. Definitely the best place to go if you are on a budget travel to Thailand or to any Asian country.

One downside though, which by the way is being looked at for solution, is the amount of plastics used.

Have you ever been to a night market?

If you are looking for an affordable place and at the same time loaded with so much fun to visit with your family, you might want to consider going to the most affordable aquarium in Thailand.

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11 Things to Enjoy in Samila Beach, Thailand

Posted on by Ryan

Samila Beach is one of the two beaches in Songkhla Province in Thailand, the land of smile. It is famous to locals and tourists alike; one’s visit to Songkhla is never complete without stopping by Samila Beach. It’s a 2 kilometers stretch of beige sand, from the mermaid statue at the south end, near PB Samila Hotel, to the northern end where the magnificent sculpture of Nag the serpent is.

It is a major stop over for tourists coming to Songkhla from Malaysia, Singapore, or nearby provinces. A tour of Songkhla is incomplete without coming here, after all the symbol of Songkhla is found here.  For now, let me share with you some of the things that you could enjoy in Samila Beach.

Here are list of things you can do when in Samila Beach

1. Frolic in the beach, and the best time to do this is late afternoon, when the sun is still out; it’s warm, but not scorching hot. The water is low and calm; it is safe for children, and a perfect time for swimming and sunbathing. In terms of swimwear, there are no rules. Wear whichever you are comfortable in. People are tolerant, courteous, and generally are just minding their own business.

2. Picnic or read a book. A large portion of Laem Samila is shaded by canopies of tall Pine trees. Benches are available, lounging at one of them with your favorite read is another awesome way to relax at Samila beach. If you are with friends be sure to bring a picnic mattress and some snacks from the nearby 7-11 or local food stalls, lie down, relax and gaze up at the blue skies, feel the cool sea breeze, and “chat the noon away.”

3. Enjoy local snacks. Along Laem Son Rod, there are variety of places where you could grab something to eat. As mentioned there’s 7-11 just outside BP Samila Hotel near the roundabout. There’s an Amazon Cafe for coffee aficionados, which is right in front of the beach, on the hillside. And there are plenty of local food stalls along the road selling variety of street food, deep-fried hotdogs, deep-fried shrimp-pancakes, papaya salad, grilled meats, variety of local drinks, and Thai ice cream.

4. Play bubbles. This one is for the kids and kids at heart.  There is no need for you to make your own bubble concoction, you can rent it there for 30 baht (0.91USD or 3.81RM).

5. Horse riding. Yes, you read it correctly. For 150 baht (4.55USD or 19.07RM) you can go on a horse ride, and gallop the whole stretch of Samila beach. I know what you’re thinking, horse manure. Of course, horses do their thing there (they can’t help it ^_^), but it’s owners look after this and see to it that their horse is not soiling the beach. So what they do is they use tissue paper to collect the manure, and place this in a plastic bag (yep plastic bag), and dispose of properly in a bin.

6. Fly a kite. The beach is a nice place to fly a kite. There is no shortage of space and wind. In the afternoon when the water is low, it exposes a vast area of the beach, a totally great place to enjoy kite flying.

7. Beach volleyball. Samila beach has been a regular venue for Beach Volleyball competition which includes the Asian Beach Volleyball Championships and  the AVC Asia Beach Volleyball Championships. Next year, June 19 to 23, 2019  Samila Beach will host the 2019 edition of the men’s and women’s FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships.

8. Take a photo with Samila mermaid statue. One of the most photographed part of Samila Beach is the Bronze Mermaid Statue.  It had been the symbol of Songkhla for over 50 years. Sculpted in 1966, this blackened bronze statuette was the work of master Jitr Buabut who was honored as a national artist and awarded a visual arts award in 2002. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 100.

Another prominent statue found in Samila beach are the Cat and Mouse which represents Songkhla and the Island in front of Samila Beach respectively. There is a bit of wonderful history behind these statues which I will be sharing in the next post.

9. Sunset photography, Wedding photography or selfie. Samila beach can be a sight to behold especially during sunset. Visitors could not help take photos of the beach or take a selfie with the sunset, or the long stretch of khaki sand, or the bright azure sky, or the lush green, shady Pine trees, or mermaid statue at the background.

10. Walk and feel the sand. During the late afternoon when the water is low, it exposes a long, off-white powdery sand, a perfect time and place to re-connect with Earth; ditch your footwear, walk, and feel it. After a days work or a long, cold stay in a conference room, or after long hours of being cramped up in a vehicle, wake your senses up and get your daily dose of vitamin D and “sea” by hanging out on the beach.

11. Dine. And after all these, it is time to fill your growling tummy with fresh, yummylicious seafood or any Thai cuisine of your choice. You don’t have to look far, as there are several seafood restaurants along Laem Son Road just outside the beach shore.

So there you go. I will keep this post updated for what’s up and what’s new with Samila beach.

If you have comments, suggestions, and questions please leave them at the comment section below or you could send me a message at my Facebook page which you could find at the right side bar of the post. Thanks.

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