Hatyai 5-2019

It was a last minute plan. I was force to on 2 days leave this month. Plan A: 3 days 2 nights camping at Monkey beach... too bad all my camping kaki cannot make it. Always a Plan B: 4 days 3 nights train to Bangkok to meet my Thai friend, experience overnight train... after checked found that my wife has a replacement holiday on Monday to have 3 days holiday in a row; let's go for Plan C: Family short gateway and low budget to Hatyai.

Due to last minute plan, we were not planning to charter a van to go Hatyai but to try different experience by taking train to Hatyai. It was a really meaningful and great experience for all of us.

Journey begun here. Park our car just opposite the Penang Sentral Butterworth. Its free but park at your own risk. Place a bit dirty after come back. Full with bird's "Pearl Harbor". Take a walk to Penang Sentral to purchase the KTM train ticket. You can't buy the train ticket in advance.

NOTE: to those that traveling by train, please check out the train time table correctly. Time shown in Google is inaccurate.

Nice and superb view from the Penang Sentral. You can enjoy your cup of Starbucks or 4 Finger lunch at the sentral before get a ride on the KTM.

We were ready for the trip!

Train begun at 1225 sharp! On time commuter, thumb's up for you! RM 9.10 for adults and RM 5.70 for children. Bear in mind, please eat and go to washroom before gone into the train. You are not allow to eat and drink in the train and there is no washroom in the train. They are using KL Commuter train for the long journey.

Nice scenery along the journey, enjoy the greenery and the blue sky. Cozy environment in the train make the trip comfortable a long the 2 hours journey from Butterworth to Padang Besar.

Let's have a photo with the train and leave a memory behind.

The ticket to Hatyai is only 50 baht per head approximately RM 7 per head.

NOTE: Thai train ticket follow Thai time zone, which is 1 hr behind of Malaysia time.

Patiently waited at the Padang Besar train station. We had our lunch there. No shops open during the Puasa month at lunch hour. Lucky we take away some from Butterworth. This will be the last station for you to update your facebook status before entering Thailand.

Padang Besar Immigration open at 4pm, Don't worry you won't miss the train as they have estimated the time require for all the passengers to be on time to board the Thai train.

 My backpacker bag still with me for many years, I bought this bag on my first backpack tour to Sabah on 2005. We board the train and never imagine that the train was so authentic and no air con. Reading from the blog from others backpackers saying that there were 2 types of coaches, which are air con (RM 10) and without air con coach (RM 7). From this experience, there was only 1 coach, no air con and cost 50 baht or RM 7 per head.

It was a great experience for us to feel the authentic or maybe should call it antic train. Look at the fan... nice cam system fan that last for decades. I am sure there is no more spare parts to maintain the fan. Sorry I am too cheap but she loves it.

 And they love it as well!

Can see the seats around the coach!

Darlie advertisement! They were very exited!!

What is the feel of looking at outside from the inside coach? They have been looking into the coach from outside at all time... this time gave them the chance to looking at outside from the coach, and you can put your entire head out of the coach.

NOTE: please do not let the kids head out of window when the train is moving.

Let's have funny faces before the train depart! Careful when your camera is out of train, don't let it fall under the train!

Finally train moving.... ready for the wind facial free massage!

Are you ready?... 1, 2, goooo tu tuuuuuh

Enjoy the scenery in Thailand... despite all the paddy field in Kedah, now is more Thai villages.

Mom. my hair looks messy!

Passing by a beautiful station.

After reaching the Hatyai Railway Station, took a 7 minutes walk finally reached The Grand Plaza Hotel. Took a bath, feeling fresh and feeling relax... we were ready for the next destination to fill up our stomach!

We took a ride on the famous tutu to the foodie destination. Kids were excited to be on the tutu for the first time. The way the Thai drove the tutu just like a roller coaster, high and low, push and pull and they were chasing the wind at the back seat.

NOTE: Parents, never let your young children sit near to the exit and never let their head goes out of the tutu as well.

Nowadays, seems the tutu already form a community and has a fix price for the tutu journey and you can't bargain much from the price unless you request the tutu for a package to round Hatyai. 100 baht for 4 from Grand Plaza to Rim Nam Hot Pot and not negotiable. 

Information were different when we were there at Rim Nam. From the internet it says that 389 baht for served seafood and 198 baht for purely BBQ; but when we were there, we were told that 389 baht for all in and 198 baht for only steamboat without seafood. Children below 198 baht scale eats free while between 198 and 389 scale, charged 198 baht; above will be charged full. Since we were there, we took the full package and proceed. May try Rim Rua on the next trip (if have) at only 289 baht for full package.

The place is huge and lots of variety of food. There was no tray to serve but only plates, therefore you have to walk many rounds in order to get all the foods that you want to eat. I walked about 4000 steps in this restaurant alone. There were: meats, chicken, mutton, ready serve food, sushi, fried food, Thai dessert, mango, ice cream, carbonated drink, artificial juice, crabs, prawns, oyster, clams, fish, vegetable, etc etc... can't finish naming it.

You can't finish everything, we only can chose what we like and try. More people will make a different to taste more. For 4 of us can only try very limited food out there.

Sweet sour and spicy fried grouper.

 He enjoys BBQ-ing.

NOTE: Make sure the oyster is cook, you can't eat sashimi or half cook... The oyster is not for raw...

Delicious! Drink more water as the heat was just in front of me.

Never forget to have a photo before leaving the restaurant.

Tutu doesn't provide the trip to Wine Village because they have to wait for you to send you back hotel if they fetch you to Wine Village and they will have less business. Therefore it is much advisable to go Rim Rua if you are planning to go for Wine Village. Wine Village open from 4pm to 12 mid night. We took a leave and back to hotel. Ground shopping and buying some food for Day 2 breakfast at Top supermarket in Central.

Recommended to try this Hokki Yogurt. The taste was very close to the yogurt that we tried in NZ 2 years back and it was at only 33 baht. (picture from internet)

Day 2

Good morning from hotel! Still not familiar with this phone... my son's face looks so weird!

Heard that 7-11 food is tasty compare to Malaysia. There were lots variety of foods there. Not only food, but the coffee was freshly brewed... The waitress was beautiful and friendly too. You will be surprised that most of the sellers in Hatyai were able to speak mandarin, including the Muslim as well. I believed they learned mandarin from society university. This 7-11 store near to The Grand Plaza Hotel was always full of visitors and they purchased goods basket by basket.

Had had our breakfast back in hotel room.

Cheese ham toast sandwich and cheese pork burger. The 7-11 cashier provide service to oven heat your food and ready to serve. Taste good, in fact I was trying to tell my wife to buy some back home Malaysia.

Those with young children, especially boys, can try to find this gummy block set. Soft block can play and eat after get bore about it!


Went to Morning Market/ Kim Yoong Market to buy some local stuff and head back hotel for a shower.

Let's have a chill with coconut ice cream - (40 baht)

Walk out on the street and search for mini pineapples and my long missed - old coconut... (40 baht each). You can get cheaper offer at floating market.

Brothers sharing the little pineapple.

Chilling down with sweet and fragrant old Thai coconut

Caught a Tutu and we were on our way to Khlong Hae Floating Market. (450 baht round journey)

Say Cheese!

Here! We were at the floating market in Hatyai. This floating market was different compare to the floating market in Bangkok. These boat parked along the river side and selling food; while floating market in Bangkok, the boat will sail near to your boat and selling item to you.

All were very excited to visit the floating market. Food selling at lower price compare to Hatyai Town.

Kids were exploring the different culture... Observing the way they do business, the equipment they used.

Finally I have decided!! Doraemon clay cup laycee drink at only 30 baht, I got it. This clay was very attractive to kids as it has their favorite character.

My wife got Chong Hee a Pad Thai (Char Koey Teow), 40 baht! While I only get BBQ Pork for myself at 10 baht. On that day, I was busy visiting "banks"! Stomach upset after eating the half cooked oyster!

Finally he made up his mind to give a try to order food. He was ordering Tom Yam Goong for my wife. Good experience and I was happy that he is willing to try new things and dare to try.

Maggi Tom Yam Goong - 40 baht. Taste good!

Last, Twish Potato! Now he understood the purpose of the long extended rotan basket.

Last photo before leaving for the next destination... Wine Village!

Entrance was free. Not a huge atmosphere but a very beautiful place and very suitable for family with horse feeding, rabbit, fish and bird feeding. Wine dinning and buffet were available as well.

View of the castle by the garden.

No budget to bring you to European Castle, but this free one can lah! Not bad mah!

Sheep feeding, horse feeding, rabbit feeding, fish feeding and bird feeding. Enjoyable trip for them.

 Acrobatic Parrot!

Tutu: Grand Plaza Hotel - Khlong Hae Floating Market - Wine Village - Grand Plaza Hotel = 550 baht. (Reasonable, Sucheep tutu driver)

At that time, I was toh tit tit! (fall sick with terrible stomachache)... Ok lah, at least fully utilized Hatyai hotel facility.

While I was resting in the hotel room, wife bring them out for a walk at the night market.

Day 3

 Thank god I have recovered from my heavy diarrhea and now can enjoy my Samurai Pork Burger!

Breakfast, pack and pickup some snack and we were ready to depart for Train to back Malaysia.

It was about 1 day journey. Afternoon train starts at 2pm. I was too early to check out hotel and reached the railway station at 11am.

Something special from Thai, can try it!

Authentic train! There was a luggage storage area at the railway station. Storage charges 50 baht for big bag and 30 baht for small bag for the entire day. Stored the bag and went to Robbison Square to enjoy air-con. Tops supermarket also in the Square as well.

Pickup something extraordinary just located right hand side of the Haddyai Railway Station. This unique drink was call Mun Duey Tua - 20 baht. Mixture of sweet red bean, bali bean, sweet potato, coconut milk and ice. It was not so good before the ice melt. It taste better when the ice melted and mixed all the ingredient together. Too bad, I only managed to try a little as I was just recovered from my stomach upset and I was traveling on this day!

Oopst! This was not the train going to Padang Besar but the train heading to Bangkok with nice seat, table and fold able bed. My future destination!

For memory before depart for Padang Besar!

Was clicking my phone, accidentally see this selfie image, click and here you go!

Hey dad, don't snap my picture lah! Looks good with your hand... love you my son!

This scrap train has a very good view for photographer to capture pre-wedding photos there! Oopst! my son is handsome too!

Just plastic bag, its enough to make your day!

Exhausted!

Thai immigration before Malaysia! Have a cup of maggi mee for tea break before catching the 1725 train from Padang Besar to Butterworth.

This was the ETS train that travels from KL Sentral to Padang Besar.

Equipped with Economy and VIP seat. VIP seat has a 3 pin plug and table. Coach equipped with washroom as well. But not for overnight.

We were still manage to enjoy the sunset paddy field scene from the train to Butterworth.

1930, this view marked the end of our Hatyai tour and we were looking for the next adventure!