Songkhla Aquarium & Klonghae Floating Market in Hat Yai

Wrote by Nicole January 11, 2011 1 Comment

After a quick detour to the mermaid, we diverted from Samila beach to Songkhla Aquarium.

Yes, another thing you can do when you visit Hat Yai. Pay a visit to the aquarium.

It didn't just consist of fish and water, it also offered other activities like go-kart, and ATV.

I went for the platinum package that cost me RM100 ringgit.

That's not too bad right? Considering I was allowed to go on the go-kart ride for half an hour (I think, I couldn't last that long).

I tried go-kart before, but all those rides before had so many safety precautions that in the end it was more like for kids than for adults.

The speed one can go in a go-kart was so slow it's pathetic. BUT this one in Songkhla almost felt like it has no safety measures when they were tuning for the engines.

I could go so fast I drifted at every corner.

At one point I almost lost control and banged into the wall of tyres.

Well, danger was fun. I could forsee it being suitable for lots of boys out there, but not me, I was never the speedy sort of person. I played this go-kart for the shit of it to be honest.

I was sure I went more than 5 rounds and they were still asking me to go on before I decided I had enough.

Look at me go~!

Then it was time to go on the ATV ride.

I was still a bit in shock from the go-kart so I put that on hold and went for the aquarium visit with Wendy.

Well, I don't want to be a brag on what's there to see in an aquarium. Like duh~

So I'll show you some of the photos I took inside.

It was an extensive display of species to see, but it's enough, sufficient. And almost impressive considering this was just Hat Yai.

a rather big ray. stingray?

woo.. sea turtles.. these are rare in an aquarium.

or is it a manta ray?

saw some massive massive fish the size of humans. creepy...

Once done, you'd pass by a souvenier shop on your way out. Here was where I bought "Paul", a pink new addition to my soft-toy family, an Octopus!!

So cute can die. Cost me RM70.

I came out and decided to go for my ATV ride. My camera died at this point for there's no photos on this.

But the incident ended pretty fast.

You see, I've always been rather good with ATV, considering my experience with these rides were rather often all over Thailand and Malaysia.

But what I didn't notice was that the tyres used on these ATVs in Songkhla was way smaller than the ones normal ATVs used. I thought something was wrong, but I couldn't pen down what.

I went with it anyway.

Ended up having myself fallen sideways into DIRT!!!!

And I wasn't even riding it fast?! I just started the ride and was just trying to ride straight, and as I was making a small turn, the whole ATV slipped (thanks to the rain, slippery muddy ground and SMALL tyres) and I fell into the mudded puddle.

Poo. :(

Like I said, no safety procedures.

If you want some go-kart dangerous fun though, I do highly reccomend you to come here for a try.

So with stained cargo pants (oh no! my pants!), the driver drove us back to the hotel where I had a change before driving us out for the evening floating market of Klonghae (pronounced at Klong-Hair).

Dinner here was really an experience. Wendy and I were particularly impressed.

It's more like a walk along the extended wooden platform with boats and boats of vendors selling all sorts of food.

I got this bamboo drink with milk tea for only RM2. Cheap right?! I can even bring home the bamboo!

There's also a little fun fair and massive food court when you walked away from the river. It's really suitable for tourists and families to spend their evenings here.

Finally, we decided to leave and had the driver to drop us off at the last stop of our trip before we fly the next day.

The town's night market.

It's this massive pasar malam that felt like a night Chaktuchak in Bangkok, only smaller in comparison, but enough things for you to walk the whole night and spend a bundle.

Wendy bought two pairs of slippers home that night.