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Voykit pocket guide · Thailand
Songkhla
สงขลา
Spend 1–2 days in Songkhla: a half‑day for the beach and city pillars, another half‑day for museums and hill views.
Songkhla offers a compact mix of beaches, historic museums and hilltop views that can be explored in a short stay. One day covers the main beach and city centre; a second day adds the National Museum, Institute for Southern Thai Studies and the Khao Tang Kuan lift. Public transport is cheap, and a hired car or songthaew makes the hill trips easy.
- Country
- Thailand
- Local name
- สงขลา
- Best months
- Nov–Feb (dry, cooler)
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy season)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- THB
- Money
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget 300–500 THB excl. bed · Mid 600–900 THB excl. bed · High 1,000+ THB excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AIS and TrueMove H sell tourist SIMs at airport arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 191 · Ambulance 1669 · Tourist police 1155
- Plugs
- Types A, B, C, O · 220 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US pins and round European pins; type O is the Thai three-pin standard. UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Leave ฿20–100 or the coins; skip it if a 10% service charge is on the bill.; Taxi / Grab: Round up to the next ฿10 or ฿20.; Massage: ฿50–100 per hour to the therapist, in hand.; Guide / driver day: ฿300–500 for the guide, ฿200–300 for the driver.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ฿20–50.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Street refill machines charge about ฿1 a litre; bottled water everywhere.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in malls and hotels; squat toilets with a water bucket in rural stops. The hose ('bum gun') replaces paper; paper goes in the bin in older buildings. Some public toilets cost ฿3–5.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus Bangkok → Songkhla (VIP 24‑seat) | 1,125 baht |
| Bus Bangkok → Songkhla (Class 2, 47‑seat) | 563 baht |
| Songthaew ride | 12 baht |
| Motorcycle taxi | 20 baht |
| Songkhla National Museum entry | 150 baht |
| Khao Tang Kuan cable lift | 30 baht |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SGZ · Songkhla Airport
- Domestic flights only; most travellers arrive via Hat Yai (HDY) then bus or taxi.
Typical fares
- Bangkok → Songkhla bus (Class 2)
- about 563 baht, 12.5 h (check)
- Songthaew ride in Songkhla
- 12 baht per short trip
- Khao Tang Kuan cable lift
- 30 baht one‑way
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Songthaews (12 baht) and motorcycle taxis (20 baht) circulate the city; hire a car for hill trips. Night rates may double.
See and do
Known for
- Samila Beach and mermaid statue
- Songkhla National Museum
- Khao Tang Kuan hill and cable lift
- Songthaew rides
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hat Yai | Bus from Songkhla bus terminal, about 30 min, 30 baht; also songthaew for 20 baht. | ≈45 min |
| Khao Tang Kuan hill | Songthaew or hired car, 10 min, 12 baht ride; cable lift 30 baht one‑way. | ≈20 min |
| Samila Beach | Songthaew, 15 min, 12 baht. | ≈20 min |
Sleep
- ABC Guest House
- Budget, 140–300 baht; near night market, bike rentals.
- Queen Hotel
- Mid‑range, 330 baht; air‑con, hot shower.
- Songkhla Guest House
- Budget, 200–450 baht; fan rooms, close to National Museum.
- Yoma I Guest House
- Budget, 250 baht; TV, shared bathroom.
- Lyn's Home Boutique Hostel
- Mid‑range, ~550 baht; air‑con, private rooms.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | ขอโทษkŏr‑tôt |
| Thank you | ขอบคุณkòp‑kun |
| How much is it? | เท่าไหร่tâo‑rài |
| Where is the bathroom? | ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหนhâwng‑náam yòo têe‑năi |
| Can I pay by card? | จ่ายด้วยบัตรได้ไหมjâi dûai bàt dâi mái |
| Take me to the museum, please | พาฉันไปพิพิธภัณฑ์ด้วยphâa chăn bpai pí‑pít‑tá‑phá‑năi dûai |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A wai (palms together, slight bow) to return a greeting; a smile and nod for shop staff; avoid: Waiing children or service staff first — it confuses; hugging strangers
- Head and feet: Keep feet on the floor, sit with legs folded to the side in temples; avoid: Touching heads (even children's), pointing feet, stepping over people or food
- Temples: Covered shoulders and knees, shoes off, sit lower than monks; avoid: Women touching monks or handing them things directly; climbing Buddha images
- Monarchy: Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and at 08:00 and 18:00 in public places; avoid: Any joke or comment about the royal family; stepping on a banknote
- Keeping calm: Stay polite and smiling when things go wrong ('jai yen' — cool heart); avoid: Raising your voice; public anger loses the argument
- Names: Khun plus first name ('Khun Somchai'); nicknames are normal; avoid: Using the family name alone
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring fruit or sweets; step over the threshold, not on it; avoid: Sitting with feet towards the family shrine
- Beckoning and pointing: Palm down, fingers waved towards you; point with the whole hand or chin; avoid: Pointing at people with a finger or with your foot
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus from Bangkok takes ~12.5 h; plan for an early departure.
- Train to Songkhla is not operating (no work started as of 2024).
- Cable lift at Khao Tang Kuan costs 30 baht; free to climb stairs.
Songkhla is generally safe; watch for petty theft in busy markets and keep valuables secure.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Songkhla yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Samila Beach and mermaid statue
- Songkhla National Museum
- Khao Tang Kuan hill and cable lift
- Songthaew rides
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Songkhla: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Songkhla, revision 5260945 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5260945
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/songkhla). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.