South Thailand / Songkhla's out-of-city places of interest, transportation
Out-of-City Places of Interest
Great Songkhla Lake
Songkhla’s major provincial attraction is the Great Songkhla Lake, actually a series of lagoons connected through narrow openings. The saltwater lake is dotted with small islands and hosts the 520sqkm (201sqmi) Khu Khut Waterfowl Park, Asia’s largest such park, which supports tens of thousands of birds of some 140 species. The lake, locally known as Thale Sap, extends some 80km (50mi) north of Songkhla’s fishing port and is some 20km (13mi) at its widest point.
Khu Khut Waterfowl Park is reached by crossing the lake’s estuarine entrance at Songkhla and proceeding northwards along Route 4083. At Km marker 33, a left turn leads to Khu Khut village where boats may be hired to explore the park. Khu Khut is best visited in the early morning or late afternoon when the birds are most active.
Wat Pakho
Some 10km (6mi) north of Khu Khut is the ancient Wat Pakho, former residence of southern Thailand’s most respected abbot, the late Luang Pho Thuat. A popular legend claims the abbot was kidnapped by pirates while he was crossing the lake. A violent storm arose and the boat carrying the abbot and his captors drifted for several days. Lacking fresh water, everyone faced death of thirst. Then the abbot placed his foot in the lake’s salt water, whereupon it became drinkable. According to the legend, the pirates were so grateful they returned the abbot safely to shore.
Khatichon Wittaya Museum
This folk art museum is on Ko Yo hill, some 10km (6mi) from Songkhla. Attached to the museum are a Folk Technology Park, Shadow Play Garden, Ancient Beads Garden, Traditional Medicinal Garden, Bamboo Culture Garden, etc. The great variety of local plant species within the museum’s compound makes it an appealing place. Khatichon Wittaya Museum also has complete educational data pertaining to southern Thai culture.
Transportation
Songkhla uses the Hat Yai airport. For details, please see the Hat Yai entries.
Songkhla uses the Hat Yai railway station. Several trains daily go from Bangkok to Hat Yai, most in the afternoon. For details, please see the entries on Hat Yai.
Many aircon and non-aircon buses leave Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal on Pinklao - Nakhon Chaisi Rd for Songkhla or Hat Yai. It’s quite a distance and one certainly travels much more comfortably by train. For details on connections, please see the entries on Hat Yai.
Within Songkhla
Transport within Songkhla is either by trishaw (with a minimum fare for short distances of 10 Baht) or by tuk-tuk, at 3 Baht per person for a town route beginning at Talay Luang Road and passing through Ramwitthi, Platha, Ratchadamnoen, Laem Sai, Nakhon Nai, Kamphaeng Phet Roads and vice versa.
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