Hat Yai Night Market Guide: Where to Eat, Shop and Go

Quick answer: which Hat Yai night market to pick

Hat Yai has several night markets, and none is "the" night market. Match the market to your priority. Hours come from a 2023 shopping roundup and a traveler's account, and they conflict in places, so confirm them on Google Maps before you go.

• Food first: Lee Garden Night Market & Walking Street, around Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel. Its food is described as halal, with seafood, large oysters and fried chicken.
• Cheap clothes plus halal food: Asean Night Bazaar at 76 Chotevittayakul 3 Rd, with a halal upstairs food court.
• General shopping: Greenway Night Market at 1406/3 Karnjanavanit Rd, with indoor and outdoor sections.
• Street snacks near a hostel: Florida Night Market, described by one traveler as a short walk from central Hat Yai lodging.

Hat Yai night markets compared

This table puts the four markets side by side. Every hour is a published figure from a single source, so treat cells marked "check before you go" as unconfirmed. Kim Yong Market is a daytime market, so it is not listed here.

What to eat at a Hat Yai night market

Start with Hat Yai fried chicken. Stalls serve it with fried shallots, sweet chilli sauce and rice, and it suits anyone who wants a cheap main. Grilled chicken skewers and fried quail eggs on a stick suit light grazers. Som tam, the spicy papaya salad, suits travelers who like heat. Banana roti is the sweet finish, and a roti stand was the first stall one traveler met at Florida Night Market, with Grab delivery drivers in the queue. Iced coffee helps in the evening heat.

Lee Garden adds fresh seafood, including large oysters, which suits seafood fans. Hat Yai's wider food scene is covered in our Hat Yai food guide. For a sit-down meal, see restaurants worth booking.

How much a night market dinner costs

Here is one older receipt, not a current price list. A traveler spent ฿193 of a ฿210 budget on dinner for two at Florida Night Market. The post's date is unclear, so expect different prices today. Carry small cash, since stalls are cash-heavy. At Asean Night Bazaar, ฿100 price tags are common on clothing.

Opening hours and best time to go

Plan to arrive early. Asean Night Bazaar is listed as open 4:30pm to 10:00pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Greenway is listed from 5:00pm to 10:00pm and closed Mondays. Lee Garden is listed from 4:00pm to 12:00am daily. One source words Asean's days two ways, so Monday is the day to double-check. Allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours per market as an editorial estimate.

Evenings are hot, and one traveler noted around 30°C even at night. Sudden rain happens, so pack a poncho or umbrella. Check forecasts with the Thai Meteorological Department. Seasonal patterns are in our month-by-month Hat Yai weather guide.

Getting there and back at night

Asean Night Bazaar sits two blocks from Bus Station 1. Taxis and songthaews gather at its front entrance. Greenway has a songthaew queue out front, but the 2023 author took a taxi back to her hotel. Walking between Asean and Greenway is a poor idea, because the main street is busy with traffic and the two sit several blocks apart. Lee Garden is the easiest to walk to if you sleep at a nearby hotel. After 9:00pm, line up a taxi or Grab before you leave your accommodation. More options are in our local transport guide.

A realistic evening plan

Pick one of three plans. Each assumes you arrive by about 4:30pm. Visiting Asean and Greenway in one night is feasible per the source. The trade-off is a taxi hop and a rushed second stop. For more late-night options, see after-dark activities in Hat Yai.

• Food first: arrive at Lee Garden around 5:00pm, eat seafood and fried chicken, then browse the sidewalk stalls. Budget about 2 hours.
• Shopping first: start at Asean Night Bazaar at 4:30pm, then take a taxi to Greenway. Budget about 3.5 hours with the transfer.
• Halal-friendly: eat in the Asean food court upstairs, then browse the two levels below. Budget about 2 hours.

Where to stay near the night markets

Hotel fit depends on the market. One source stayed at Lee Gardens Plaza Hotel or across the street at the Centara Hotel Hat Yai, both close to Lee Garden. Asean Night Bazaar is near Bus Station 1, which suits arrivals by bus. Greenway needs a taxi from most areas. Compare areas in our Hat Yai accommodation guide.

Mistakes to avoid

Most problems come from assumptions.

• Assuming Monday is open: Asean and Greenway are both listed as closed Mondays.
• Treating one market as the only one: the choices differ on food, shopping and halal options.
• Skipping small cash: stalls sell items from ฿10 to ฿45.
• Expecting changing rooms: Asean may not have fitting rooms.
• Walking between distant markets: Asean to Greenway means busy roads.
• Arriving late for food: Asean closes at 10:00pm.
• Going to Kim Yong at night: it is listed as open 10:00am to 6:00pm, so it works as a daytime add-on.
• Planning a weekend trip: Khlong Hae's weekend market runs Friday to Sunday, 2:00pm to 9:00pm.