Hatyai City Park

Khao Kho Hong, the wooded hill on the edge of Hat Yai’s commercial core, holds the city’s municipal park and its cable car — the first of its kind built in Thailand. The park itself covers roughly one square kilometre of gardens, shade trees, and walking paths, and it’s free to enter daily from 06:00 to 20:00. The cable car up the hillside is the reason most visitors come: two cabins run a 525-metre span to the summit, each carrying four to six passengers, with the ride priced separately from park entry.

Three landmarks share the hilltop platform. Phra Phutthamongkol Maharat is a roughly 25-metre golden standing Buddha visible from much of the city below; alongside it stands a jade Guan Yin statue and a four-faced Brahma shrine, Thao Maha Phrom. From the viewing terrace beside them, the ground drops away to Hat Yai’s rooftops and, on a clear evening, out to Songkhla Lake — this is the spot locals recommend for sunset.

Insider Tip: Ride the cable car up in the late afternoon rather than midday — the light softens for photos of the Buddha statue and you can watch the sun go down over Songkhla Lake before heading back down.

Watch out: The cable car doesn’t run on Mondays, which catches out visitors who assume the park’s daily opening hours apply to the ride as well. Check the day of the week before planning a trip around it.

The park sits a short taxi or songthaew ride from central Hat Yai — about 15-20 minutes by taxi (100-150 THB) or a cheaper songthaew hop (20-30 THB per person). Beyond the cable car, the grounds hold an aviary, a playground, and the PSU Science Centre and Planetarium, making this as much a family half-day out as a viewpoint stop. Locals use the lower paths for morning and evening walks and jogs, so expect company if you visit in the cooler hours either side of midday.