Things to Do in Hat Yai at Night: 7 Markets, Food & Tips

Featured image: Tonbi ko, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

7 Things to Do in Hat Yai at Night

Start with a covered market, add dinner, then decide whether you have a ride for one out-of-town stop. Every hour listed here comes from 2018 sources and may have changed. Daytime plans are covered in our guide to daytime Hat Yai sights.

• 1. ASEAN Night Bazaar
  • A covered bazaar on Chotevittayakul 5 with fashion, accessories and a food area on the upper level.
  • A 2018 listing gave daily hours of 4pm to 10:30pm, with mostly local shoppers.
  • Best for: clothes shopping and snack grazing.
• 2. Greenway Night Market and Food Station
  • Two sections sit near ASEAN Night Bazaar. The market side sells clothing, crafts and cosmetics, while the food station is a large food court.
  • Listings from 2018 gave Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm to 10pm, for the market and daily 4pm to 9pm for the food station.
  • Best for: a sit-down market dinner before closing.
• 3. Lee Gardens Plaza evening food street
  • Stalls set up outside Lee Gardens Plaza on Prachathipat Road every evening, including halal Malaysian food.
  • Expect queues at popular stalls. A small weekend market was also reported.
  • Best for: a walkable first night with no transport plan.
• 4. Khlong Hae Floating Market
  • Boats sell food, with a small shopping bazaar alongside.
  • A 2018 listing gave Friday to Sunday, 3pm to 9pm, about 20 minutes' drive from the center.
  • Best for: weekend evenings and halal-minded eaters. Skip it on weekdays.
• 5. King Bhumibol Stainless Steel Temple
  • Located at Kho Hong. Colored lights switch on at night.
  • A 2018 source put the drive at 20 minutes or more each way.
  • Best for: arriving late afternoon and waiting for dusk. Confirm night access first.
• 6. Pruksa Park after dark
  • The castle-style park on Prachayindee Road lights up at night, with a carousel.
  • It sits a 10 to 15 minute drive from the center, per a 2018 listing.
  • Best for: families and photos. Current entry rules need checking.
• 7. Late mookata at Rim Rua Kratha Ron
  • A mookata buffet on Supasarnrangsan Road, listed daily 4pm to 12am in 2018.
  • Open-air seating keeps the smoke smell off your clothes.
  • Best for: the latest meal on this list. Confirm it still operates.

Hat Yai night markets compared

ASEAN Night Bazaar is the daily choice, listed at 4pm to 10:30pm. Greenway's market side was listed Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm to 10pm, and its food station daily 4pm to 9pm. Both sit close to Central Festival. Stall-level detail lives in our night market guide, so use this table only to choose where to go.

Floating market and out-of-town evenings

Three evening spots sit outside the center. Khlong Hae is listed at Friday to Sunday, 3pm to 9pm, about 20 minutes by road. Read the details in our Khlong Hae floating market page. Pruksa Park is a 10 to 15 minute drive, and the Stainless Steel Temple takes at least 20 minutes each way. Tuk-tuk drivers have quoted a round trip with waiting time for the temple, so agree the return fare before you leave. Skip these stops if no ride back is arranged.

Evening food: street stalls, late dinner and halal options

Lee Gardens Plaza has the easiest evening food scene, with stalls outside and halal Malaysian dishes in the mix. Khlong Hae was described in 2018 as mostly halal, with Thai Muslim sellers. Rim Rua Kratha Ron stays open to midnight on its listing, which makes it the late option. Central Festival's restaurants were on levels 4 and 5 in 2018. Our Hat Yai street food page goes deeper on dishes. For a sit-down dinner, see these restaurant picks. Confirm halal status with each vendor.

Temples, views and sunset-to-night timing

The hill cable car was listed as open daily from 09:00 to 20:00. Aim for sunset rather than the last ride. Golden Buddha and the Kuan Im statue stand on the same hill. Our Hat Yai temple guide covers both. Evenings feel cooler than the day, so a light layer helps near the hilltop. Check forecasts through the Thai Meteorological Department. Rain patterns are explained in our seasonal rain notes.

Indoor and rainy-evening options

Central Festival Hatyai is the weather-proof base, with restaurants on levels 4 and 5 per a 2018 listing. Magic Eye 3D Museum is on Kanjavanich Road, beside Greenway Night Market. Lee Gardens Plaza moved its food court to the Lower Ground floor, and its cinema had closed by 2018. Verify current hours for each before you plan an evening around them.

Sample night plans

Pick the plan that matches your group, and shift the timings if a market has changed its hours.

• Budget market crawl
  • Arrive at ASEAN Night Bazaar around 5pm and snack on skewers and crepes.
  • Walk to Greenway before the food station closes at 9pm on the 2018 listing.
  • Return by tuk-tuk after agreeing the fare.
• Family early evening
  • Visit Pruksa Park late afternoon for the lit carousel.
  • Continue to Magic Eye 3D Museum, then dinner at Greenway Food Station.
• Couples and relaxed evening
  • Take the cable car near sunset, before the listed 20:00 close.
  • Have dinner at Lee Gardens Plaza afterward.
• Late-night foodie
  • Graze the Lee Gardens Plaza evening stalls first.
  • Finish with mookata at Rim Rua Kratha Ron before its listed midnight close.

Costs, hours and a closing-time cheat sheet

No current prices were verifiable for this page. Market skewers and street food cost less than a sit-down meal, but check posted prices at each stall. Pay in cash at stalls. Hours below date from 2018, so verify them locally.

Getting around Hat Yai after dark and where to stay

Staying around Lee Gardens Plaza keeps evening food within walking distance. Greenway was described as about 10 minutes from town. Out-of-town stops need a tuk-tuk or ride-hailing car, ideally with the return fare agreed before you leave. Our guide to tuk-tuk and ride options explains the trade-offs. Compare areas in choosing a base. Landing late? See late flight arrivals. Coming from the capital, compare Bangkok route options. Check late trains on the State Railway of Thailand site.

Mistakes to avoid and safety basics

Do not arrive at Kim Yong Market or Hatyai Plaza Trade Centre at night, because both were listed as daytime markets. Do not confuse the two either, and tell your tuk-tuk driver which you mean. Weekday visits miss Khlong Hae entirely. Arriving after 10pm misses Greenway on the listed hours. Sources for this page did not cover Niphat Uthit roads or Thai massage shops, so check recent listings locally. Stay on lit streets and arrange your ride back. Undecided about the trip? Read whether the city suits your trip.