Songkhla

Because of its prominence as the largest and most important city in southern Thailand, Hat Yai is often mistakenly believed to be the capital of Songkhla Province. While Hat Yai is the business and financial center of the south, the actual political capital of Songkhla Province is Songkhla Town, a much smaller town on the coast.

We had a wonderful day exploring Hat Yai on our first full day down south, and we spent the second day a bit further afield in Songkhla and the surrounding areas.

We called the songteaw driver from the day before, and hired him to take us around for the day. On our way to Songkhla Town, we asked to stop by the Songkhla Central Mosque, famous for being one of the most beautiful mosques in all of Thailand.

Songkhla Central Mosque

Built in 2001, the majestic masjid was built with an architectural style influenced by Indian Islamic architecture, and is referred to by locals as the "Taj Mahal of Thailand".

the "Taj Mahal of Thailand"

A long reflecting pool stretches out in front of the mosque, mirroring its façade in the glassy water.

the long reflecting pool

The mosque is most famous for its beautiful sunset views, and I'd love to go back someday in the evening. However, even in midday the golden domes and white marble stood out magnificently against the clear blue summer sky.

our driver's little red truck

We weren't dressed appropriately to enter the mosque, but we got a few photographs outside before heading on to Koh Yo.

off on an adventure!

Koh Yo is a little island in the middle of Songkhla Lake - officially the largest lake in Thailand but technically a brackish lagoon with a channel to the sea. The island has a few quiet resorts and is home to a temple called Wat Laem Pho.

a temple on Koh Yo Island

Wat Laem Pho is a fairly typical outdoor temple, albeit with a few unique southern-Thai elements (like the Mahayana Buddhist statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha).

shrine to Future Buddha

What really makes the temple outstanding, however is the Somdet Chao Koh Yao, the largest reclining Buddha statue in all of Thailand!

Thailand's largest reclining Buddha

Dating back over 200 years to the early Rattanakosin Era, the temple is recognized as a historic and archaeological site by the Fine Arts Department. 

the statue depicts Buddha reaching Nirvana

The statue is newer, but is the main feature of the temple. It's much larger than Wat Pho in Bangkok or even the statue at Wat Hat Yai Nai which we had seen the other day.

a different perspective of the reclining Buddha

And unlike the statue at Wat Hat Yai Nai, the feet of this big recling Buddha were indeed intricately decorated. 

elaborate designs on the statue's feet

Leaving the temple, it was time for lunch!

lunchtime!

We had a HUGE seafood feast right on the sea. Even though we have been doing fairly well in Thailand with regards to COVID, tourism is still almost nonexistent, and we were the only people at the restaurant.

enjoying the sun and the sea breeze

After lunch, we hopped back into the bed of the little red truck and drove into Songkhla Town itself. Even though its the capital of Songkhla Province, it's a small town (with a population of around 75,000), and it feels more like a beach resort town than a political center.

a small mosque on the beach with a Buddhist temple on top of a hill in the background

Songkhla has an interesting geography. The town is built on a tiny spit of land between Sohgkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand. It's an easy walk from one body of water to the other! At the very tip of Songkhla is Samila Beach, a beautiful stretch of white sand with a famous bronze mermaid statue.

Interestingly, mermaids play a big role in coastal Thai folklore, and there are lots of well-known fairy tales and poems featuring them.

a beautiful sunny afternoon at the beach

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, and students from a nearby school were out to enjoy the seaside. Bordering Malaysia, Songkhla Province has one of the largest Thai-Muslim communities in Thailand, and it was clear that these kids were from a nearby Islamic school. 

local students enjoying the afternoon

Just off the coast, two islands are named "Cat Island" and "Rat Island". The names go back to a story of a cat and rat who were magically transformed into rocks out at sea. It's said that the islands in the bay look like a cat trying to catch a rat. I don't know about that, but it's a popular local folktale. There's a statue dedicated to the folktale just off the beach.

the cat and rat statue

As we were walking near the beach, we sort of stumbled across a tiny cave shrine carved into the side of a rocky hill. Curious, we approached. The shrine looked distinctly Chinese, and was guarded by a pair of tiger statues.

We never learned much of the history or significance of the shrine, but we paid a few baht in donation for incense (really a donation to enter), and stepped inside the small, dark, cramped cave.

I wish I knew more of the local legends surrounding this place! There were two main statues inside the cave. One featured what looked to be a local Chinese guardian deity, and the other was of a Buddhist monk (probably a powerful abbot or local mystic). Both statues were draped in golden cloth and were covered in small squares of gold leaf from visitors leaving offerings.

Leaving the cave shrine, we ended up climbing the hill. There was a little "Fitness Park" on top, where a small recreational area could be reached via a small but steep flight of stairs.

a little park with a hill in the center of town

It was a hot afternoon, but I climbed up anyway. I was glad I did! There was a light sea breeze at the top, and I could see across the town to the beach.

view from the top of the hill looking towards the sea

Songkhla is a small town, perhaps overlooked even more than Hat Yai by tourists and visitors. I was really charmed with the city, however. It was a pleasant, quiet, peaceful seaside resort town. I would be happy to visit again, not to explore or adventure, but just to relax on a peaceful and lesser-known beach.