Chalatat Beach

Hat Chalatat is a city beach in Songkhla, running south from the famous Samila Beach and its Golden Mermaid statue along the Gulf of Thailand. This is an easy local beach rather than a remote escape — a long, straight sweep of sand backed by a casuarina-pine park, with food stalls, seafood restaurants and a promenade close to the city centre. Because Songkhla faces east, the sea here is for sunrise, not sunset.

The beach is a gathering place for Songkhla residents, busiest in the late afternoon and at weekends when families come for the shade, the playground and the beachfront cafes. The water is calmer than the open Andaman coast, and mats and rubber tubes are available to rent, but the beach is more about the relaxed seafront atmosphere than serious swimming or watersports. Vendors sell grilled squid, som tam and cold drinks, and the casuarina trees give plenty of shade for a picnic.

A walk along the firm sand links Chalatat with Samila Beach and the cluster of statues and parks at the headland, making it an easy stop on a tour of Songkhla’s old town and seafront. From Samila, the hilltop pavilions of Khao Tang Kuan are visible above the town and worth the climb for a wider view over the beach and the bay. Early morning (06:00-08:00) brings joggers, fishing boats heading out and the sunrise over the Gulf; the 17:00-18:30 window brings a low-key local crowd rather than a party scene.

Insider Tip: Skip the midday hours — the pine shade thins out toward the far southern end of the beach, and the sand gets uncomfortably hot underfoot by noon. Go for the sunrise crowd instead.

Mornings and late afternoons are the most comfortable times, as the midday sun can be strong. The beach sits right in Songkhla city, easily reached on foot, by songthaew or by taxi, with parking along the seafront road. Bring sun protection and cash for the food stalls. It is a genuine slice of southern Thai city life rather than a postcard resort beach — and all the more pleasant for it. Pair a visit with Laem Samila next door for the mermaid statue and the headland views.