The Best Things To Do in Songkhla & Hat Yai: Discover Songkhla Lake by Solar Boat

Songkhla, Thailand · A local guide from Peter & Wasita

Most travellers heading to southern Thailand have Phuket or Krabi pencilled in — but a quietly growing number are flying into Hat Yai and discovering something different. Hat Yai is the buzzing gateway to the south: great food, lively markets, and a fast, affordable hub for visitors from Singapore, Malaysia and beyond. Just half an hour away, though, the pace changes completely.

That change has a name: Songkhla. While Hat Yai hums with commerce, the old coastal town of Songkhla and the vast, glassy Songkhla Lake beside it move to a slower rhythm. This is where you find pastel shophouses, sleepy fishing villages, and an island — Koh Yo — that feels a world away from the crowds. If you've been searching for things to do in Songkhla, things to do in Hat Yai, or the best day trips from Hat Yai, you've landed in the right place.

We're Peter and Wasita. We've lived and worked on the shore of this lake for over fifteen years, and we run small solar boat tours on the water. So consider this less an advertisement and more the kind of advice we'd give a friend who messaged us asking, "We've got a free day near Hat Yai — what should we actually do?" The honest answer usually starts with the lake.

Why Visit Songkhla Lake?

Songkhla Lake is the largest natural lake in Thailand, and yet most visitors never see it properly. From the road it's just a shimmer between the trees. Get out onto the water, or sit quietly on its edge at the right hour, and it opens up into something special.

The natural beauty here is gentle rather than dramatic — wide skies, mirror-flat water at dawn, distant green hills, and islands scattered like stepping stones. In the early morning and late afternoon the light turns gold and the whole lake seems to glow.

It's also a living, working lake. Small fishing communities have set their nets and bamboo stakes here for generations, and you'll often drift past long-tail boats heading out at dawn. There's real wildlife too — herons and egrets stalking the shallows, kingfishers flashing past, and on a quiet trip the only soundtrack is birdsong and the lap of water against the hull.

After the heat and noise of the city, that peaceful atmosphere is the whole point. There are no jet skis roaring past, no rows of sunloungers, no queues. It's the kind of place that's perfect for couples wanting a romantic, unhurried afternoon; for families looking for something calm and safe; and for travellers who've ticked off the famous beaches and want an experience that feels genuinely local and a little off the map.

Top Things To Do Around Songkhla, Hat Yai & Koh Yo

You can happily fill a day or two here. These are the spots and experiences we point our own guests towards — a practical mix of culture, scenery, food and time on the water.

1. Explore Songkhla Old Town

Start in the Old Town, where Nang Ngam and Nakhon Nai roads are lined with restored Sino-Portuguese shophouses, colourful street art, little cafés and incense-scented temples. It's flat, walkable and wonderfully photogenic — easily one of the best free things to do in Songkhla.

2. Visit Koh Yo Island

Connected to the mainland by bridge, Koh Yo is famous for its hand-woven cotton (you can watch the looms in action), its Folklore Museum overlooking the lake, and seafood restaurants built right out over the water. It's small enough to circle by car or scooter in an afternoon, and it's the natural launching point for a trip on the lake itself.

3. Enjoy the local seafood

This is a lake-and-sea town, so the seafood is fresh and absurdly good value. Grilled fish, blue crab, garlic prawns and the famous local sea bass turn up everywhere from market stalls to the stilted restaurants on Koh Yo. Eat with the lake in front of you and you've understood half of what makes Songkhla special.

4. Take in the scenic viewpoints

For the big picture, climb to Khao Tang Kuan, the hill above the Old Town crowned by a golden chedi, where you can see the town, the sea and the lake all at once. The hilltops of Koh Yo offer their own sweeping lake views and are gloriously quiet at sunset.

5. Relax by the lake

Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. Find a lakeside café or a shaded bit of shore, order a cold drink, and just watch the fishing boats come and go. After a few days of temples and travel, an hour doing exactly this is a small luxury.

6. Take a solar boat tour

And then there's our favourite way to see all of it at once — from the water. A solar boat tour turns the lake from a backdrop into the main event, gliding you past the fishing villages, the birdlife and the islands with nothing between you and the scenery. More on that next.

Solar Boat Tours: A Unique Eco Experience Near Hat Yai

Our boat was designed and built by Peter, a German engineer, and it runs on solar power and an electric motor. That single fact changes everything about the experience. There's no engine roar, no diesel fumes, no oily film trailing behind you — just a near-silent glide across the water. You can hold a conversation in a normal voice, hear the birds, and actually notice the small things most boats scare away long before you arrive.

The pace is deliberately slow and relaxing. This isn't a thrill ride; it's a chance to breathe out. Because the boat is quiet and steady, it's also a dream for photography — the still water gives you mirror reflections, and the soft early and late light makes the fishing boats and stilt houses look like something from a postcard.

Depending on what you're after, a trip can be many things: a gentle sightseeing cruise around Koh Yo, a quiet fishing session, a sunset drift with a cool drink in hand, or simply a peaceful nature trip with the people you're travelling with. Trips are private — up to four guests, never shared with strangers — with comfortable seating, shade, a table and safety equipment on board. If you'd like, we can add a German barbecue, coffee or our fresh homemade orange juice.

Above all, it's for travellers who want something authentic and local rather than packaged. You're not lining up for a numbered seat on a big tour boat; you're spending an unhurried hour or two on the water with a couple who've lived here for years and genuinely love showing it off. For an eco tour in Thailand that leaves almost no trace, it's hard to beat.

How Far Is Songkhla Lake From Hat Yai?

Closer than most people expect. Songkhla town and the lake are only about 25 to 30 kilometres from central Hat Yai — roughly a 30-minute drive by car, taxi or songthaew. From Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) it's a little under an hour. That makes the lake one of the easiest and most worthwhile short trips from Hat Yai you can take.

Because it's so close, it works beautifully as an easy day trip. You can have breakfast at your Hat Yai hotel, be out on Songkhla Lake by late morning, and be back in the city for dinner — or stay out for the sunset and make a full day of it. If you're flying in or out of Hat Yai with a few hours to spare, it's absolutely worth visiting from the airport or your hotel rather than spending another afternoon in the malls. Need a hand arranging transport or a hotel? Our travel office can sort the logistics for you.

A Perfect Day Trip Itinerary From Hat Yai

Here's the simple, unrushed plan we'd recommend to make the most of a day — easy enough to follow whether you're driving yourself or letting us arrange the details.

Want to stretch it into an overnight escape? We also keep a handful of clean, comfortable rooms a few steps from the water, so you can wake up to the lake and do it all again.

Songkhla & Hat Yai: Frequently Asked Questions