Written by: Shannon Osztonits
Let’s be real here, when your days are filled with lazing on tropical beaches and basking in the sun, swimming in the ocean and sipping on endless cocktails, who needs a phone?
Sounds like the South of Thailand right? But not all of us can spend forever with the sand between our toes, and that craving for a bit of city life creeps in.
Well, luckily for you, we’ve found a hidden gem that’s perfectly in between, or what some refer to as ‘Little Bangkok’. Interested yet?
Just as the metaphor suggests, Hat Yai is a city that’s starting to burst with trendiness. And the more we explored, the faster our phone chargers were back in action.
Oh, hello Instagram, my dear old friend, I forgot how much I love you. But I’m back and have so much to share.
So to make life easier, here’s our list of our 10 most instagrammable cafés in Hat Yai to keep us trigger-happy!
Read more:
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3D2N Hatyai weekend itinerary with stays, dining and activities
1. When was the last time you enjoyed a meal on water? – Sea Bass
Feeling a bit like a fish out of water amongst the hustle and bustle of city life? Searching for a bit of natural ambience? Not to fear when Songkhla Lake is near, which just happens to be the location of this trendy spot!
You may consider yourself quite the photographer, but sometimes the location of a place really does make an impact – when was the last time you enjoyed a meal on water?
Innovatively set up, here your food is served off land and on ship, with a live band playing some sweet tunes in the background.
Watch the sun set over the water whilst indulging in some local seafood.
Sip on cocktails under the natural moonlight, whilst fairy lights adorn the ship’s surroundings.
And it’s the perfect spot for misleading your Instagram followers (mom, dad, exes). Did I just really jump onto a cruise-liner? Where am I jet-setting off to now?
2. Awaken the senses, rejuvenate the soul – ALIVE
I don’t know about you, but after watching Tarzan (like, a billion times) as a kid, I so wanted to be Jane, and live and play among the trees with monkeys too! Swinging from tree to tree, weeee!
Well, here’s your moment to relive that childhood dream. Set among the treetops, like, literally, this two story restaurant is more like a tree house.
Climb up onto big bean bag-like-cushions on tented nets, or hop onto a swing made from palettes, all set up between the trees. All I’m thinking is…EPIC jungle photos!
Of course there are TONS of greens, flora and succulents decorating the restaurant and it’s designed to give a very ‘naturalistic’ feel.
Naturally, it’s super ambient and come night time, it’s all lit up and adorned in twinkling fairy lights – because we all know fairies live in trees.
3. SUNSET SPOT, I REPEAT SUNSET SPOT – Jibfae Laele
So you’re telling me I can enjoy a piece of delicious cake, AND a delicious view too? SOLD.
We’ve found a real something here, a two-in-one and one more place for you that’s on the Songkhla Lake.
It’s also the perfect spot for you to silence the mind and ‘find your Zen’ after a busy day exploring the city.
Its deck stretches out and over the lake; enjoy the Koh Yao viewpoint whilst delighting yourself in that much-needed Iced Coffee.
This is seriously THE place to get that sunset photo, I mean, it’s on the water, so make sure your batteries are fully charged when the sky turns from blue to streaks of pinks and purples!
4. Calling all Hipsters! – SAMO
Are you secretly part of the Hipster cult *ahem*, I mean, craze?
Well, we may have found your playground. Home to a generation of today’s hipsters, this space / place is the definition of cool, and it has a real architectural, yet earthy vibe to it.
It’s contrasting in textures, tailored but layered. We talking your language yet?
The Glass House shelters you inside but if you feel like sitting among the sunshine and trees, their gorgeous outside courtyard will definitely sway you.
It’s classic and modern, with so much natural light and greens, being camera-shy here just ain’t a thang.
And sometimes it’s the small things that count! Their attention to detail is so on-point. From the interiors to the food, even a slice of cake on the plate looks good.
When a place just looks this good, I can guarantee you’ll be snapping before indulging!
5. I’m really quite certain I’ve been here before, maybe in another lifetime – Café De Roo
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the saying, ‘there’s more to it than meets the eye’. Well, in this case, it’s quite literally true! Tucked away amidst the tiny alleyways, you’ll find our next hidden gem.
Oh Aliceeee! Take a step through a derelict hole in the wall, and you’re in business.
Welcome to the world of vintage-retro. Bicycles hang from the ceiling and walls, and old-school gasoline boards decorate your space.
There’s a crazy-cool bookshelf of televisions – probably the ones our parents used to use – and wonderful amounts of collectables!
Don’t you just love funky presentation? Order their De Roo Coffee Shake, mixed with cinnamon sticks.
Take your followers to a flashback through time! The whole place has that distressed look & feel to it, with reworked and refurbished interiors.
And lastly, I personally love to find large, groovy murals to pose alongside with in my photos, and they didn’t disappoint!
6. The Minimalist’s dream – Lyn’s The Shanghai Café
Retro-Chinese.
Never heard the two words in one sentence? Let us introduce you to Lyn’s café. Inspired by ancient Shanghai, this minimalist and honest space is seriously worth unwinding in. Rose Latte, please!
Classic and clean, it’s an eloquent mix of post-colonial China, but still exudes a modern vibe. So it’s got a super light and airy feel to it and I mean, we all know natural lighting is the.best.lighting.
Cakes are served in pans on wooden boards and in bamboo baskets – all the raw and natural accessories for those crisp, clean photos.
And da da da dummmmm, lastly, what really adds that trendy aspect, is ALWAYS, some really cool art! I’m talking paintings of Lucky Cats to Geisha murals.
7. Dynamite really does come in small packages – A Little
A little bit of dimsum here, a little bit of bao there. A little bit of minimalism here, and a little bit of geometry there.
A Little – and this time we actually mean the place – is super intriguing in its design and is enough to draw you from the outside, inside. (If I saw a geometric-style glass house, I would definitely wanna know more, wouldn’t you?)
Step inside to a minimalist haven and…dimsum! All the delicious, glorious dimsum!
It’s like the bare cemented floors, high ceilings and wide tables were designed to make sure you get that clean and crisp foodie shot!
Speaking of the food, here you’ll find a different take on traditional-style dimsum, and we’re obsessed!
Expect small, round, clean, pops of colour on the plate!
Sweet tooth? You MUST try their Pao, not only does it taste delicious, but they also look so good! The pig and chicken are filled with a red-bean salted custard lava, and the elephant and bear ooze with chocolatey-lava goodness.
Their signature Jian Bao is a take on the classic steam bun, with contrasting textures of soft and crispy. Take a little look at this!
8. Time for a blast from the past – Nunglennale Bistro Cafe’ (นั่งเล่นหน้าเล)
Talk about a collected space! Set up in a loft-style garden home, this retro-inspired bistro has all the quirky, vintage feels.
It’s full of Instagram-worthy pics, from its lime-green Vespa, to all the knicky-knacky, old-school memorabilia sprawled throughout this bistro. Flashback to the 50’s or what?!
Watercolour paintings plaster the walls and if art is your attraction, the photo opportunities here are endless. I love a splash of colour and design through my Insta feed!
Overlooking the Ramet Canal and Mangrove Forests, its front yard directly faces the Songkhla Lake. We all know that natural lighting, is the best lighting. Click Click Click.
Still looking for reasons to check this place out? The old-school posters are endless, ‘20’s inspired murals line the walls, with pin-up girls smiling down at you broadly.
And you just have to try their New-York Strawberry cheesecake.
9. Mermaids, unicorns, rainbows and more! – Kid’s Pantry
For some reason, life always feels lighter and brighter in pastel and we’ve found the perfect place to match the feeling.
This Japanese-style dessert bar is pastel (literally, everything!), minimalist heaven, bursting with bright and fun interiors! Talk about an amazing backdrop!
It’s totally got this Harajuku-inspired feeling – remember Gwen Stefani’s crazily colourful Japanese back-up dancers once upon a time? And the desserts pop with colourful mermaids, rainbows and unicorns galore! (No need to head to Bangkok for Unicorn Cafe or Mermaid Cafe!)
I just adore this place and the desserts are inspiring! Try their Milk & Brownies (brownies with milk and cereal!) or how about some Rainbow Pancakes?
10. I dreamt a dream of an English countryside – Billin Bistro and Café
Ever dreamt of dining in the English countryside? Love to get a bit fancy? Or is a gorgeous-looking plate of food just your thing?
Typical to that of a bistro, you can expect high-quality everything, from its classical design, to the food, to the…price.
We now live in this weird time where we LOVE to photograph our food and post it for the world to see, so with a menu that changes every 3-4 months, you can always expect the unexpected.
Confit duck leg with pomegranate, Ravioli stewed chicken, Chicken consommé (broth), the food is really beautiful and is rustic-meets-modern. Could you get more posh than that?
So the next time you’re in Hat Yai, remember it’s a city that’s bursting to show the world how trendy it really is. Make sure you’re camera-ready – both you and your phone that is.
We’d love to know how your snapping extravaganza went, drop us a comment below or don’t forget to hashtag #TripCanvas in your Socials.
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PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you!
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Sign up now if you want us to send you an email whenever our partners have something to share with everyone!
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Coming soon! Exclusively on TripCanvas
| PLEASE NOTE: All the above information is correct at the date of publication. If you come across any changes or updates, please let us know and we will update the information accordingly. Thank you! Tell us |
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