Day 4, Thursday, 7th March - Pattani

End of Season....... We will leave Hi Season Hotel this morning with no regrets. Last night we were given the chance of ordering breakfast which seemed reasonable value. However we'd already planned to go without a full breakfast this morning as we brought enough with us for the moment. Self catering in the room actually helps in a situation I need to write up my blog and plan activities for the day. On this occasion it also helps with the departure time and leaving before 9.00 am is more unusual for us. As we depart I look back and see that there is a buffet style breakfast which looks inviting but the decision has already been made. With our commitment to reach Pattani tonight I will use as much of the day as I can to add more attractions in and around Hat Yai. We start in the city itself.
For a city the size of Hat Yai you would think there would be more attractions to visit but I'm sure this morning I can finish up here and head out to other districts. Three attractions in the city are close together, so we can visit them on foot.
The Hat Yai Clock Tower....... The Hat Yai Clock Tower stands as a majestic landmark in the heart of Hat Yai. With its towering height and intricate design, the clock tower has become an iconic symbol of the city, attracting visitors from near and far. Crafted in 1928 during the reign of King Rama VII, the clock tower holds immense historical significance. It was built in memory of Queen Rambhai Barni, the beloved consort of King Chulalongkorn.
Hat Yai Street Art....... The Hat Yai Street Art is located in a number of locations around Sangsri Road. Most of it is abstract but adds a particular charm to this old quarter of the city.
Wat Chue Chang....... Wat Chue Chang is a new build Chinese Temple. The notable feature of this temple is that the walls are mostly built with tiles and ceramic. We need to take the car for the next temple which is opportunistic.
Wat Mongkol Theparam (Wat Paknam)....... This local temple right in the heart of the city is worth a visit for its magnificent architectural style. During our visit there is an ordination ceremony for a novice monk.
Hat Yai Railway Station....... I'm not sure there will be anything worthwhile to record at Hat Yai Railway Station as long distance trains arrive early and depart late. Let's see what's there is anyway. Well, to start with there is a train due from Phattalung heading for Sungai-Kolok but the board is not clear as to the exact time of arrival and I don't want this to turn into a long day but my patience pays off and the train duly arrives. Surprisingly to me there is again a change of locomotive. In the meantime passengers climb aboard together with armed guards carrying heavy weapons. You have to appreciate how my partner feels about traveling to Thailand's deep south. There have been too many incidents there.
The train finally departs but I'm just about to exit the station when a freight train arrives. I just wasn't expecting it to be so busy. Thankful for an early start today I press on. A couple more attractions a little outside the city we need to visit next.
Wat Hat Yai Nai (Mahattamangkalaram Temple)....... Wat Hatyai Nai (Wat Mahattamangkalaram) is probably the most famous of the temples in Hat Yai, and is especially popular with visitors for its large reclining Buddha statue, known as Phra Phuttamahattamongkol (the venerable Great Auspicious Buddha). At 35 metres it is reputed to be one of the longest in the world. The next attraction takes us north, not an ideal direction at the moment leading to the question of why we didn't visit yesterday when we were in the district.
Khlong Hae Floating Market....... At Khlong Hae Floating Market there is going to be little to see as we should visit over the weekend. However, it's located in a lovely spot on the Toei River. As expected there is no activity here, the shops closed and unattended with khlong boat lined up on the riverbank. We also note that there are other attractions in the district, but they will have to remain on the wish list as there is one important attraction I have to see before we head over into Pattani.
We head back through the city which is clogged with traffic, and we seem to be held up at every red light imaginable but finally exiting the city, we can take lunch of prik gang on the roadside. Now, we must make progress as we head for Sadao nearly an hour away. From here we need to head into the mountains and into Khao Nam Khang National Park.
Arriving in Sadao I realise how close we are to the border and curiosity gets the better of me as I divert my attention to Padang Basar.
Padang Basar Railway Station....... We head towards this border town noting that we've crossed over here in the past. Here you can cross into Malaysia by road or rail. Reaching the railway station I'm disappointed that there's little to see. Just two local trains use this station plus the one international train. We must get back on track even though there's more to see in the area.
Khao Nam Khang Historical Tunnel....... We now head into the mountains towards the famous Khao Nam Khang Historical Tunnel. This promises to be the highlight of the tour so far but as we reach this important site we're sadly disappointed to see this attraction is closed. For administrative reasons, today and tomorrow, 7th and 8th there will be no access to the tunnel. This detour has cost some two hours. Why should we be so unlucky? Obviously if it's closed then there is no point in describing it here but I'm hopeful for another opportunity on our journey back north.
Mae Kamphong....... On the way to the tunnel you have to pass through Mae Kamphong (Kamphong Village). This supports the same name as the famous location in Mae On, Chiang Mai province where we were not so long ago. Mae Kamphong has one attraction by a stream, an inviting coffee shop. Still smarting from the disappointment, all we can do now is head down the mountain another way and onto Pattani.
With no time required to visit the tunnel we can arrive earlier in Pattani. I check the map to see if there's anything on the way I can add but there are few options. However, for the first time this year I can see the ocean.
Bangrapa ​Beach....... Located beyond the mangrove belt, Bangrapa ​Beach is popular with locals but now having extended my reach I can report that this beach is strewn with litter and rather neglected. There's no reason to stay here, so I just take a few photographs. It's now time to head into the city and checkout the resort we booked.
Pattawia Resort....... Tucked away along the side road in the city, Pattawia Resort is hard to find and on arrival, the exterior hardly looking attractive so it's all down to the room itself. For 550 baht I'm not expecting too much but once we've settled in I actually find it quite cosy. With nothing obvious to concern us, we book for two nights and that breaks the sequence of single night stops. On the face of it, all the important boxes are ticked except one: We need the car to go out for dinner, but we could have seen to that before we checked in. The main street is not to far away but out of walking distance for me. One advantage of venturing out after dark is the lovely lighting in the street including the clock tower as well.
With the focus on the here and now up to this point, I've underplayed the significance of reaching Pattani. It's my 75th Thai province I've visited: Now just two to go. Amazing! As a final thought on reaching Pattani, it does feel a little strange to me with so many Muslims here. I'm going to have to adjust as if I'm in a new country.
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