Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Day 4: Around Hat Yai

Saturday, August 30, 2025

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Day 4: Around Hat Yai

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Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Day 4: Around Hat Yai

Penang-Hat Yai 2025 Days 4th August (Monday)

Small Group (Road Trip) Tour of George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and Hat Yai, Thailand.

Day 4 - Around Hat Yai (Thailand):
Golden Crown Grand Hotel>drive>Hong Thong Noodles>Stainless Steel Temple>Golden Crown Grand Hotel>walk>Kim Yong Market (closed)>Wat Chue Chang>tuk-tuk>Seaspace Hatyai>Grab>Golden Crown Grand Hotel.

This is page 3 of a 4-page blog. Click Here To Go To The Title Page.

< D3: Penang-Hat Yai | Go to Other Days | D5: Hat Yai-KL >

Route recommendations, here are some tips on travelling to and around Morocco:

1. Driving & Traffic Directions!

Driving in Malaysia and Driving in Thailand is right-hand drive, and driving is on the left side of the road. Do look to the correct side when crossing roads. A valid international driving licence is required for both countries. Those with a driving licence from ASEAN countries can drive in both countries, subject to conditions. Short-term car insurance is also required.

We drove around in Thailand, but where we expected difficulty in parking, we either took a tuk-tuk or hailed a Grab Car, comparing prices first.
Malaysians driving their car into Thailand will require a temporary import permit. This form can be obtained at several highway-side shops around Changlun. At the Thailand Immigration/Customs side, passengers will have to alight and go through the pedestrian lanes, while the driver drives through a different lane to have the form processed. There is no need for the passengers to alight when leaving Thailand. A copy of the approved form will be returned to the driver. This COPY HAS TO BE RETURNED to the Thai Immigration/Customs; otherwise, one is considered to have imported a car to Thailand, and on the subsequent entry into Thailand, one may have to pay a hefty fine!

We did the car import permit and comprehensive Thai car insurance at Mini Travel 1982, which has a large car park, a duty-free shop and a food court. They also helped fill in tourist entry forms and sell Thai DTAC Happy Tourist phone SIM cards. This also includes tow truck services, which can be contacted via WhatsApp call/message to +6012-4971068.
Speed limits in Malaysia:
Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
Do adhere to these limits, as speed detection cameras are along the expressways. Install the Waze App, and run it while driving, as it highlights if one drives above the speed limit, and will warn of impending speed traps.

Speed limits in Thailand:

Expressways: 110 km/h, 80 or 90 km/h at dangerous mountainous stretches, crosswind areas and urban areas with high traffic capacity.
Federal roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
State roads: 90 km/h, 80 km/h during festive seasons, 60 km/h in town areas.
60 km/h within urban areas, 100 km/h outside urban areas, including expressways, and 120 km/h on highways. Do adhere to these limits, as often police are monitoring with radars; our driver-guide was careful about this.

2. Immigration & Customs Requirements

Those from ASEAN countries (except Myanmar) can enter member countries without a visa for periods between 14 to 30 days. Click here for Malaysian visa requirements for other countries. Click here for Thai visa requirements for other countries.

3. Getting to and around Malaysia.

Both Malaysia and Thailand are well served by many international airlines. Click here for airlines serving Malaysia, and click here for airlines serving Thailand.

Highway and local roads in Malaysia are excellent, while those in Thailand are good. Many expressways in Malaysia are tolled, while Thailand only have tolled roads in some cities.

Petrol is cheaper in Malaysia, with RON95 at RM2.05 (USD0.48) per litre. While in Thailand RON95 costs more than double at THB32.55 (USD1.01) per litre. So, do fill up just before crossing the border into Thailand.

Thai time is an hour behind Malaysia's.

4. Places & Things of Interest

Enroute were several places of interest, some of which we visited and others we did not for lack of time (Note: click on GPS coordinates for a directional map to respective places):
a. Kim Yong Market (ตลาดกิมหยง) (GPS: 7.00845, 100.47012).

b. Stainless Steel Temple (Phra Mahathat Chedi Traiphop Traimongkon) (GPS: 7.00495, 100.51630).

c. 7-Eleven Pasawang Rd (เซเว่นสาขาถนนภาสว่าง) (GPS: 7.01970, 100.49125) largest 7-Eleven in Hat Yai.
d. Wat Chue Chang (วัดฉื่อฉาง) (GPS: 7.00844, 100.47212).

e. Lee Garden Night Market (ลีการ์เดนส์ ไนท์มาร์เก็ต) (GPS: 7.00604, 100.47133).

f. Por Usanon Shopping Alley (GPS: 7.00486, 100.47138).

g. Mohya Pharmacy (ร้านหมอยา) (GPS: 7.00757, 100.47019), purchase Siangpure Thai medicated oil, Thai JAM Rice Milk Soap, Rhinobun Pain Relief Plaster, Mosquito Repellant Spray, etc.

h. Wat Santi Worakhun (วัดสันติวรคุณ) (GPS: 6.61298, 100.42022) at Sadao.

5. Food

a. Breakfast

- Wonton noodles from Hong Thong Noodles (บะหมี่หงส์ทอง(ดั้งเดิม)) (GPS: 7.00047, 100.47264).

b. Lunch

- Take away sandwiches and burgers from 7-Eleven Pasawang Rd (เซเว่นสาขาถนนภาสว่าง) (GPS: 7.01970, 100.49125).

c. Dinner

Thai Seafood Feast at Seaspace Hatyai (GPS: 6.99286, 100.47662) includes Thai Salmon-prawn Shashimi (yum pla salmon-goong sod), Crab Omellete, Baked Roe Crabs, Grilled Giant Freshwater Prawns, Thai Crab Fried Rice, and Stir Fried Melimjo (Malindjo) Leaves with Egg (Bai Leang pad Kai, ใบเหลียงผัดไข่).

6. Accommodations

Second of two nights at the Golden Crown Grand Hotel (GPS: 7.00728, 100.47039) in Hat Yai, Thailand, queen room at RM120 per night.

7. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group, it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one gets lost from the rest.

Physical sim cards can be ordered online or purchased upon arrival at international airports, OR one can order Malaysian e-SIM online.
Some of us bought DTAC Happy Tourist physical Thai phone SIM cards at the "Mini Travel 1982" travel assistance office at Changlun. We got the 7-Days unlimited data physical SIM at RM25.
Others subscribed for the Touch-n-Go e-SIM directly through the Touch-n-Go e-Wallet App in their phone, getting a 7-Day 1-GB plan for RM9. A 15-Day 2-GB plan is available for RM15. This e-SIM has to be activated and set up just before entering Thailand, or if in Thailand then activate it where there is WiFi.

9. Communicating with Locals

Although Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of Malaysia, most Malaysians speak fairly good English; even in smaller towns or villages, locals speak some rudimentary English. One can warm up to locals by conversing in some basic Bahasa Malaysia. Failing which, Google Translate, should one get stuck vocally.
The official language of Thailand is Thai. At the tourist areas, many locals can speak basic English. One can warm up to locals by conversing in some basic Thai. Failing that, Google Translate should be used if one gets stuck vocally.

10. Weather

The average day and night temperatures in Hat Yai were 32°C and 25°C, partly cloudy..

A useful weather forecast site for Hat Yai is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

11. Navigation

Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.

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PRELUDE

Yesterday, after a good breakfast of Penang food, we drove from George Town (Penang Island) to Hat Yai, Thailand. After checking into our hotel and a short rest, we headed out to Krua Pa-Yad for dinner and later went exploring the Lee Garden Night Market and the nearby Por Usanon Shopping Alley.

Today we have a full day in the city, and we'll try more Thai Food, visit a unique temple and later go for a very delicious seafood dinner!

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DAY 4: AROUND HAT YAI

Small Group (Road Trip) Tour of George Town, Penang, Malaysia, and Hat Yai, Thailand.

(Click here for the Penang-Hat Yai Day 4: Around Hat Yai Route Map)

Most of the posts below are linked to my Facebook postings during the trip and are embedded here with some comments. (NOTE: Click on respective posts to link to the FB post to read more details. If you can't see the posts, please log out of your Facebook first.)

Kicked off the day with Wonton noodles breakfast at Hong Thong Noodles.
It was a fairly good noodle; the roasted pork and wantans were nice, but the char siu was not up to par (as compared to KL Char Siu). The noodles were flat type, somewhat like Wantan Chor Mee, but not as wide; it's more like Singapore's Mee Pok.

Next was a forty-five-minute drive along winding roads to a hillside of Khao Kho Hong mountain, at the outskirts of town.
As we arrived, we were greeted by a tall red tower with a green Chinese Dragon entwining it. Further in, animals of the Chinese Zodiac lined both sides of the driveway/carpark. I was looking out for a statue for the Chinese Zodiac Dog, specifically the Earth Dog. See, I was born in the Year of the Dog, and that's why I call my blog "Old Dog Rides Again!" 😉

Just before entering the temple proper were some shrines.

One is dedicated to Guanyin, the one here is the multi-armed Bodhisattva of Compassion called Avalokiteshvara.
The other one is a shrine to the other is to the Thai Dragon. Most Thai temples will have dragons as they are considered protectors of the temple.

The Stainless Steel Temple (officially called Phra Mahathat Chedi Traiphop Traimongkon) itself is of an interesting design. It's a round building with an uncovered corridor going around it. At regular intervals were round openings with their bottoms about six inches above the ground.
I went around looking for a door, but there were none! Those round openings WERE the entrances!

Each round opening leads into a small shrine area with various poses/postures of Buddha. One can look through these openings right through the internal to other openings on the opposite sides.

At the other side of each shrine is another similarly sized round opening that leads into the central main prayer hall.

Peep through the second opening into the main prayer hall.

A couple of staircases in the prayer hall lead up to the roof. They are stainless steel too and do be careful when climbing up as there are no hand rails.

At the top is an open area, and looking upwards, one will see circular stainless steel tubes running around in concentric circles. Each circle becomes smaller as it gets higher. It looks complicated ..... but .....

..... when viewed from the outside, they form a stainless steel conical stupa/pagoda.

Next destination: the 7-Eleven Pasawang Rd (เซเว่นสาขาถนนภาสว่าง), largest 7-Eleven in Hat Yai! They have such a wide range of products sold here, how I wish our Malaysian ones have half their products!

We're here to scout out their latest burgers and sandwiches.

After a short rest at the hotel, the missus and I went for a short walk around the nearby streets of Hat Yai.

The nearby Kim Yong Market, with the shops closed and vacant stalls tucked to the sides, was deserted, with hardly any people or traffic. Here, the missus is walking in the centre of the road with nary a worry!

We arrived at our destination, the Wat Chue Chang temple. The main entrance is a simple, small arch (Paifang) of Chinese design.

Like many Chinese temples, the temple is set slightly elevated above the road level, and at the entrance platform, a censer incense burner faces the road.
There's a ritual to follow when lighting incense and praying at this urn:
1. Enter the temple through the dragon gate (the right entrance).
2. Pray to the Sky God (Jade Emperor): Find the censer (incense urn) located outside the main hall. Face the censer, looking outside the temple, and insert your incense sticks, saying your prayer.

3. Turn to the main deity: inside the main hall, such as the Jade Emperor's image or the temple's main god (e.g., Guanyin). Face the deity: and make your prayer.

4. After prayers inside the temple, exit the temple through the tiger gate (the left entrance).

Visiting the Wat Chue Chang temple.

The main entrance platform leading to the main prayer hall was very red, lit by the red lanterns! The main hall has several prayer altars; click here for more details on the arrangement of these altars.
To each side, archways lead to secondary prayer halls; the left one leads to the prayer hall of ancestral veneration. Here, short of going to a faraway cemetery, people leave their ancestral tablets at an altar to offer prayers.

To the right is the prayer hall for secondary gods/deities. The one here is dedicated to Guanyin.

The above combo shows the main altar at the main prayer hall for dedication to Buddha, and the right hall with an altar for prayers to Guanyin.

It's Dinner Time!
Together with our DIL & son, we Grab over to Seaspace Hatyai for a sumptuous dinner of a Thai Seafood Feast. Kicked off with this sashimi with a Thai twist, i.e. Thai Salmon-prawn Shashimi (yum pla salmon-goong sod)

Our Thai Seafood Feast at Seaspace Hatyai.

On our table: Thai Salmon-prawn Shashimi (yum pla salmon-goong sod), Crab Omellete, Baked Roe Crabs, Grilled Giant Freshwater Prawns, Thai Crab Fried Rice, Stir Fried Melimjo (Malindjo) Leaves with Egg.