Day 3 (8/10/2017) : Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal – Hotel Arch 39 – Chiang Mai Sunday Walking Street Night Market – Fong Fei Fei Pig Trotter Rice

<<< continued from our 3 days adventure in Pai

Arrival in Chiang Mai

After another 3 hours ride on the same winding mountain road, we reached Chiang Mai Arcade Terminal at 5pm. There were plenty of tuk tuk drivers approaching us at the station, offering to take us to our hotel, but after checking to uber rate, we decided to go for the latter one which is much cheaper. Our uber ride to hotel costs only 70 Baht (18 Baht per person / SGD 0.72 / RM 2.23) wheres a tuk tuk quoted us for around 200 Baht (if my memory served me right).

<<< continued from our 2 days adventure in Pai

Breakfast at Pai Panalee Resort

Once again, the room we booked comes with breakfast, and so we had our buffet breakfast before heading out to complete our unfinished business in Pai. In comparison to Yododo Inn, Pai Panalee has more interesting spread of cuisines. Yum yum!

Day 1 (6/10/2017) : KLIA2 – Chiang Mai International Airport – Chiang Mai Arcade Bus Terminal – Pai Bus Station – Yododo Inn – Wat Phra That Mae Yen – Pai Walking Street

Minivan from Chiang Mai to Pai

We took morning flight to Chiang Mai, and by the time we arrived at the airport, the first thing in mind is to get a local sim card. We don’t normally have the habit of getting a sim card when we backpack, but for this trip, we figured it’d come in handy since we needed to navigate our way as we would be riding and driving around Pai and Chiang Mai on our own. However, all the sim card sold doesn’t allow tethering (sharing of mobile hotspot), and therefore we could not share the data usage. We bought AIS sim card for its 7 days unlimited data which costs us 249 Baht (sharing 4 pax = 62 Baht / SGD 2.55 / RM 7.92)

What is iLight Marina Bay?

Blink, blink! And there goes Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year. Time sure flies for the last couple of months, as we are finally entered the last month of the first quarter of 2018. And as March kicks in, it’s time for one of the most anticipated annual event in Singapore --- iLight Marina Bay 2018.

Day 3 (Part 1) : Dimsum Breakfast

We checked out after our complimentary breakfast and the songthaew driver was already waiting for us in front of our bungalow. We hopped onto the songthaew with all our luggage, and bid farewell to the beautiful Thale Noi. The songthaew driver then dropped us in front of Phatthalung train station. The ride costs us 450 Baht or 50 Baht per person (SGD2.06 / RM6.50). We then enquired about the earliest available train tickets to Hatyai and Khao Chai Son, bought the next train (10.30am).

Day 2 (Part 3) : Sight Seeing Day

... Continued from [Day 2 – Thale Noi]

As we finished our breakfast, the songthaew driver arrived to pick us up for our temple tour. The usual pick up rate to town costs 450 Baht, so we negotiated with the driver to take us to 4 different temples for a total of 740 Baht (82 Baht per person / SGD3.38 / RM10.69) which he agreed. We visited the following temples in order: Wat Wang > Khao Ok Thalu > Wat Khuha Sawan > Tham Malai.

Day 2 (Part 1) : Thale Noi

The Thai name ‘Thale Noi’ translates to ‘little sea’ in English language (thale means sea while noi means little). It is the northernmost of the bodies of water that make up Thale Sap , also known as Songkhla Lake. 

Supporting more than 180 species of local and migratory waterbirds and protected under the international Ramsar wetlands preservation treaty, Thale Noi is Thailand’s largest waterfowl reserve. Birdwatchers are joined by flora enthusiasts looking to glide through pink waterlilies that bloom by the thousands. Locals weave grass mats and fish off stilted platforms, adding splashes of culture to this increasingly popular natural attraction.

Our journey to Phatthalung begins with a train ride from Malaysia. However, this is not a direct one-train-journey that takes you from KL to Phatthalung, but rather 2 different train rides and a minivan ride. 

In the past, it is much more convenient to travel to Hatyai on the overnight sleeper train (the old Intercity Express Trains) which operates from Singapore to Hatyai (it would have been fantastic for people like me who stay in Singapore). This has since been terminated since 19th May 2016, and replaced with ETS which only operates from Gemas to Padang Besar.

Bangkok.  

Phuket. 

Krabi. 

Hatyai. 

Chiang Mai. 

I bet these are the places that first come across your mind whenever Thailand is mentioned. For a country which measures approximately 513,000 km2, it is the world’s 50th-largest country, and the third largest in South East Asia after Indonesia and Myanmar. They may be most famous for the beautiful beaches of Krabi and Phuket islands, the cheap shopping deals in the bustling capital city of Bangkok and the scenic mountainous Chiang Mai up at the North, but the Land of Smile with 76 provinces in total has a lot more to offer.

Though the southern provinces like Krabi, Phuket, and Trang spells sandy beaches (while the northern provinces like Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son offers mountains and highlands), there’s a hidden gem right in between Trang and Songkhla – a quiet little province called Phatthalung. 

I literally never heard of Phatthalung when MJ suggested this place to me back in 2016. Mr. Google wasn’t so helpful either, as information online is very limited. Unlike Chiang Mai (which I later visited in October 2017 – link) which spoilt us which its abundance of attractions, the only sure thing I know about Phatthalung (during the time when this trip is conceived) is Thale Noi. In fact, Thale Noi was what drawn me to this place, but surprisingly this quiet little town became one of my favourite place to visit in Thailand. You’ll see why, as I talk more about it. 

How to get there?

There’s no airport in Phatthalung, and the nearest airport is located 60 kilometres west of Phatthalung in Trang, followed by Hat Yai, just over 100 kilometres to the south. Of the two airports, I would suggest flying into Hatyai then take a two-hour train to Phatthalung for as low as 18 Baht (SGD0.74 / RM2.34). 

For fellow Malaysian, rejoice as we have ETS train from Malaysia to Padang Besar, and from there you can cross the border to Hatyai then take the train to Phatthalung. Read this guide for more information on the ETS train to Padang Besar and the train journey from Hatyai to Phatthalung.

If you are not flying to Trang or Hatyai, you can also access Phatthalung via other cities such as Bangkok, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Phuket or Krabi. However, the journey may be painstakingly long as you would need to endure long hours bus or train rides. In Bangkok, trains depart for Phattalung at 1pm, 2.45pm, 3.10pm, 3.35pm and 10.50pm with fares ranging from around 250 baht for a hard seat in third class; 430 baht for a soft second-class seat; and a minimum of 530 baht for a sleeper. Buses from Bangkok costs around 595 to 700 baht, depending on which you choose, and the ride takes around 13 hours.

Where to stay

The main attraction of Phatthalung is Thale Noi, which is located 30 km north of Phattalung town. To enjoy Phatthalung to its fullest, I would recommend spending at least one night in that area. The resorts in that area are after all cheap and food served in their restaurant are cheap and nice. 

During our visit, we stayed at Sai Klong Song Lae, which was just located at the lake side, facing the west. On the evening of our arrival, we immersed ourselves into the golden sunset while enjoying our meal. The next day, we hired longtail boat tour for the lake, not just for birdwatching but also for the fantastic view of sunrise, buffaloes and sea of lotuses. We stayed two nights in the same resorts and had our dinner there for two consecutive nights even though we ventured out to Patthalung town in the afternoon. Considering there’s little night life in the town (most shops closed around 5-6pm), staying in the heart of town ultimately wasn’t any more favourable. 

Do note though that the people there do not normally speak English. This small quite place is after all off the foreigner radar and is normally welcoming local tourists. An exception is the more established Sri Pak Pra Resort, where the receptionists and some staffs speak a little English. The place is also aesthetically designed. Unfortunately, it was fully booked for an event during the weekend of our visit. Fortunately, Sai Klong Song Lae which is just several kilometres away was equally good albeit a more simplistic design. 

Getting around

Thale Noi can be reached by public minibuses for 70 Baht (SGD2.88 / RM9.10) per person. The bus departs every 30 minutes from Phatthalung’s bus station between 6am to 6pm. What comes as a surprise is that hiring a songthaew is cheaper as we were charged only 40 Baht (SGD1.65 / RM 5.20) per person (do note that they charge per head instead of per ride). A ride out from the resort to the town is 50 Baht (SGD2.06 / RM6.50) per person as the driver needs to drive in from the town. 

Besides that, the bus station is also inconveniently located six kilometres away from the train station. 

For our tour around Phatthalung town to visit caves and temples, we hired the same driver and managed to get a package of 740 Baht (83 Baht per person / SGD3.38 / RM10.69) to cover the ride out from the resort to all the attractions around Phatthalung town (excluding the ride back to the resort for 40 Baht per person). 

Phatthalung train station is the best place to get a songthaew. They don’t park in front of the train station but the drivers usually wait in front of Phatthalung train station for business. They are not pushy and almost all of them don’t speak English at all. Just asked around for songthaew and surely someone will approach you. Alternatively, the train station’s staffs are quite helpful as they will point you to the right direction. 

The night market and Wat Khuha Sawan is just around the train station, which you can explored on foot. Otherwise, motorbike taxis are everywhere in front of the train station, so you can easily fetch one to take you there. 

Neighbouring cities

Trang

The nearest place to side track from Phatthalung is Trang, which is about 60 kilometres away. Minibuses depart every 30 minutes from 6.30am to 6pm. The ride takes only an hour and costs 60 Baht per person. Places of interest include Ko Muk’s “Emerald Cave”, Ko Kradan’s sublime sand and reefs, and Ko Sukorn’s pastoral villages. 

Hatyai

Hatyai is about 100 kilometres away and is the most convenience gateway to Phatthalung. Minibuses depart every 15 minutes from 5am to 6pm The ride takes close to 3 hours and costs 80 Baht per person. There in Hatyai, one can shop till you drop or take other train to Malaysia or Bangkok. Trains also run from Phatthalung to Hatyai (southbound) at a very cheap price for only 18 Baht in just 2 hours.   

Songkhla

There are also minibuses which depart hourly from 7am to 6pm for 100 baht and take around two hours, if you are keen to visit Samila Beach and Khu Khut Waterfowl Park.

Others

Sungai Kolok (Malaysia border): Regular buses depart at 12.30pm and 2.30pm for 275 baht and take close to six hours.

Nakhon Si Thammarat: Minibuses depart every half-hour from 8am to 5pm for 100 baht and take less than two hours.

Surat Thani: Minibuses depart every two hours from 8am to 4pm for 180 baht and take 3.5 hours.

Phuket: Regular buses (with WiFi!) depart roughly every 1.5 hours from 7.30am to 3.30pm for 215 baht and take more than six hours. These also service Krabi for 120 baht.

Sample itinerary

Here’s a sample itinerary for your reference: 

Day 0 (link)

How I did it:

We visited Phatthalung during a 4-day long weekend (Hari Raya Haji + Malaysia National Day), so to make most of our visit there, we took a late night ETS train from KL Sentral to Padang Besar. The train departs around 11.30pm and reached Padang Besar 5 hours later. 

Lodging: None (sleep on the train)

How you can do it:

The seat on a ETS train is straight-up hard seat, so if you don’t fancy a 5-hour train ride on this position, you may consider flying into Hatyai instead, either on Day 0 evening, after work (no need to apply leave) or Day 1 morning (saving one night’s accommodation). This is also more desirable if the flight ticket goes on sales. 

Day 1 (link)

How I did it:

We reached Padang Besar at dawn and hired a minivan to bring us across the border. The driver dropped us at Hatyai train station, where we boarded the train to Phatthalung. We reached Phatthalung at noon, and after lunch, we hired a songthaew to take us to our resort at Thale Noi. We spent the whole afternoon in the resort, basically doing nothing but napping and chit-chatting as most of us were sleep-deprived. We enjoyed a sunset-view dinner and called it a day. 

Lodging: Sai Klong Song Lae

How you can do it:

Alternatively, you can wait for the shuttle train from Padang Besar to Hatyai but the first train only departs from 9.55am (Malaysia time) so you’ll need to wait for 5 hours.  As for the rest of the day, you may want to visit Wat Khuha Sawan which is just within walking distance from Phatthalung train station, before hiring a songthaew to get you to the resort. 

Day 2 (link)

How I did it:

We woke up at the wee hour of next morning for our Thale Noi boat tour. The tour was pre-arranged with the resort staffs when we checked in on Day 1. Following the boat tour, we visited Wat Wang,  Khao Ok Thalu, Wat KhuhaSawan and Tham Malai. By evening, we split into two groups, with one group headed towards the night market while the other went for Thai traditional massage. We ended the night with board games in the resort. 

Lodging: Sai Klong Song Lae

How you can do it:

As Thale Noi is the highlight of the entire trip, you surely wouldn’t want to miss this. The entire tour will end around 9-10am, and you can then head out for other attractions. If you have visited Wat Khuha Sawan the day before, you would have more time to spend in the evening to get a good Thai massage. Once you are done, you can stroll along the Night Market, and settle your dinner before going back to the resort.

Alternatively, you may choose to stay in the center of the town to save the transport cost back to the resort. 

Day 3

How I did it:

As we covered Phatthalung in Day 1 and 2, we decided to take the train to Khao Chai Son which is only a couple of stations away, on the way back to Hatyai. After checking out from the resort, we once again have the songthaew driver pick us up and dropped us at the train station. From there we walked around to find breakfast, and did some last-minute shopping of Thai local beauty products, before boarding the train to Khao Chai Son. 3 of our friends were more interested to shop at Hatyai, so they took the train all the way back to Hatyai instead. With the limited time we have, the rest of us visited Khao Chai Son hotspring and Numyen Cave. We head took the train back to Hatyai, where we had our dinner at the Night Market and called it a day. 

Lodging: WE Hostel

How you can do it:

If you are not keen to visit Khao Chai Son, or spend a full day at the tourist-packed Hatyai, you may travel westbound to Trang, which is only one hour away by minibus. Be sure though to depart early, so you get fill in your day with activities, spend a night there and fly out from Trang the next day. 

Day 4

How I did it:

The last for us was merely a traveling day on the train. We woke up early, checked out from the hotel, and took the shuttle train from Hatyai to Padang Besar. We then boarded the ETS in the afternoon and headed back to KL, reaching around dinner time. 

How you can do it:

We took the afternoon train from Padang Besar back to KL, so our time in Hatyai was relatively short. You may choose a later train, so that you can explore more of Hatyai, or schedule an evening flight back home.

If you have spent the night at Trang, you can then fly out from Trang airport, or alternatively, travel back to Hatyai in the morning and take a later train back to Malaysia. However, I think Trang is worth to explore in more than 1 day, so unless you have 5 days for this entire trip, I’d recommend keeping Trang for another time. 

Cost breakdown

ETS train (KL-Padang Besar-KL): RM 178

Transport (Pd. Besar-Hatyai-Pd. Besar):   RM 25

Transport (Hatyai-Phatthalung-Hatyai): RM 37

Accommodation (3 nights): RM 151

Tour and entrance ticket: RM 27

Meal: RM 120

Shopping: RM 59

Massage: RM 18

Total: RM 615

You can stretch as low as RM500 by:

1. Getting ETS Gold instead of ETS Platinum for the train back to KL – save RM26

2. Not getting a massage and not buying any beauty products and souvenir – save RM77

3. Spending lesser on food (we kinda overspent on our last night dinner at Hatyai night market) – judgemental 

4. Securing a promo flight ticket to Hatyai if it is cheaper than the ETS train ticket – judgemental

Epilogue

Phatthalung was a place I have never heard of, and one which I never thought of ever visiting. Once again, it proves how much more to this world we are unaware of, and how much more we could learn from traveling. I thought I know about Thailand, yet a small little town, 100km away from Hat Yai still amazed me with what it has to offer.

Related entries:

How To Travel By ETS and SRT to Hatyai and Phatthalung

Day 2 - Thale Noi
Day 2 - Temples of Phatthalung
Day 3 and 4 - Khao Chai Son, Hatyai and journey home