What to buy in Hatyai for Malaysians: Travel guide for snacks, souvenirs and more

Hat Yai is a perfect weekend trip for Malaysians thanks to the city’s proximity to the Malaysian border, with easy travel options like trains and buses. You’ll save even more time if you take an aeroplane, since it’s just a 70-minute plane ride away.

If you’re planning a trip and wondering what to buy in Hat Yai for souvenirs, here are some suggestions. Additionally, we’ll also talk about how you can use the Wise card to save when converting MYR to THB for your spending.

What are some Hat Yai must buy souvenirs?

Most people head to Hat Yai for a quick weekend filled with shopping and food, so you should definitely keep your luggage empty on the way there so you have more space to bring back souvenirs. Whether it’s Thai snacks or traditional handicrafts, here are some items that you should keep an eye out for if you’re looking for some souvenirs when you’re in Hat Yai.

Thai silk

Thai silk is one of the best souvenirs to bring home, since it can be hard to find the fabric outside of Thailand. While it certainly can be made into scarves and dresses, this luxurious fabric can be made into shirts and pants for men, or even into tablecloths, bedspreads or curtains to decorate your home. For the ladies, Thai silk can also be made into beautiful hijabs and handkerchiefs.

It can be a bit tougher to find Thai silk in Hat Yai compared to Bangkok, but stalls in local markets should have a decent variety of products to choose from. For clothing, a tailor might be able to procure the Thai silk for commissioned items.

Local crafts

Most of the markets you can find in Hat Yai will have local craftsmen plying their wares, with woven bags, ceramics, wood carvings, handmade soaps and more. Whether you’re getting keychains to give out to your friends or purchasing art pieces from local artists to decorate your home, there’ll be something for everyone.

For religious folks, amulets and lucky charms will also be a nice souvenir to bring home. Other home decor items that can be easily found in markets include handwoven cushion covers, fridge magnets and hand-carved wood statues.

If you’re interested in purchasing some traditional handicrafts as souvenirs, you’ll want to check out markets like the Asean Trade Bazaar, Kim Yong Market and Hat Yai Floating Market. Most of the markets will also have artists selling their sketches and paintings, so keep an eye out for unique local artwork if you’re looking to spruce up your home decor.

Snacks, coffee and teas

How can one leave Thailand without buying snacks? Local markets like the ones mentioned above will also have many stores selling fresh and dried fruits, nuts and all sorts of snacks. If you enjoy whipping up a storm in the kitchen, there are plenty of spices and pastes that will definitely take your dish to another level.

For people with a sweet tooth, there are plenty of candies like milk tablets, coconut caramel toffees and more.

Aside from that, you can also find souvenirs like powdered Thai milk tea mix to make that delicious, sweet milk tea back at home. If you’re a coffee person, keep an eye out for Thai coffee beans or instant coffee sachets that you can bring home to brew yourself.

What to buy in Hat Yai for cheap prices?

If you’re looking to shop for cheap bargains, Hat Yai is the place for you. Not only are clothes typically cheaper, but if you’re flying out of Hat Yai International Airport, you can even get a tax refund. You do have to make sure your purchases meet the requirements¹ like a minimum spend of at least 2,000 THB per receipt, requesting the proper forms from the shops and ensuring they’re filled out accurately and more.

Clothes

If you’re looking for affordable clothes and you enjoy thrifting, a trip to Greenway Night Market might be in order. This market has vendors with enough piles of secondhand clothes that you can sift through to find some gems.

Alternatively, you can head to Central Festival or Odean shopping mall for brand-name goods. To get a tax refund, you’ll need to ensure that the shop you’re purchasing the items from is part of the VAT refund scheme in Thailand. The store will then prepare a VAT Refund Application for Tourists form as well as tax invoices, which need to be presented to the VAT Refund office at the airport before you leave the country.

Aside from the VAT refund, certain stores and shopping malls will also offer tourist discounts, so make sure to keep an eye out for those to save a bit more money.

Accessories

While Hat Yai might not be known for spectacular jewellery artisans, there are still plenty of gold and jewellery shops around. If you’re looking at getting the most bang for your buck, the shops in shopping malls will likely offer tax refunds.

However, if you want something a bit more unique and handcrafted, check out the local markets and floating markets for jewellery stalls where the pieces are most likely handmade by local Thai jewellery makers instead. These stalls mostly won’t be part of the VAT refund scheme, but purchasing from them will support small local artisans.

Thai cosmetics

Want to get some makeup and skincare products at a discount? There are plenty of Thai cosmetics and skincare brands to choose from, with Srichand’s foundation powders, Mistine’s sunscreen options and Baby Bright’s vegan products all readily available.

If you’re planning to stock up on cosmetics and skincare, you’ll want to head to a nearby Boots or Watsons in Hat Yai to get your shopping done. Larger drugstores will stock a good variety of Western and Asian brands, so you’ll be able to easily get your favourite products from K-beauty brands as well.

Wondering how to get to Hatyai? Check out our guide on how to take a train from Malaysia to Hatyai for a seamless trip

Save more when you shop in Hat Yai when you stretch your MYR to THB spending using the Wise card

There’s so much to see and do in Hatyai, but you won’t have to worry about paying more than you have to as long as you spend with Wise. With a Wise account, you can hold and convert between 40+ currencies and spend it in over 150+ countries.

You can order a linked Wise card before flying as well - simply top up your account with MYR and use the card to make payments in THB so you don’t get hit with unreasonable currency conversion fees. There’s automatic conversion between currencies at the mid-market exchange rate, with low, transparent fees⁹. If you prefer, you can also convert in advance when it’s at your desired exchange rate so you can manage your THB and card spending all through the Wise app.

Need cash on hand? You’ll be able to get 2 free ATM withdrawals of up to 1,000 MYR with the Wise card, so you’ll be able to visit markets, restaurants, and shops while always having a way to pay.

For cheap and convenient foreign currency spending in Hatyai and beyond.

💳 Get your very own Wise card

1. Tourism Authority of Thailand