12 April 16
2030 Singapore to TBS
*Advise: not to take Qinsta bus from Singapore during weekday because they will not go straight to KL. They will drop you at Larkin Terminal and ask you to switch bus. We bought 8.30pm bus from Little India (Singapore) to TBS but end up like 11pm bus from Larkin to TBS.
13 April 16 0245 Depart to Ipoh to pick up my cousin bro
BEWARE: 1 AES located at Slim River and 1 AES is at Seberang Perai
0500 Depart to Bukit Kayu Hitam Custom
Documents to get Thai Carnet in order to drive into Thai:
Original Passport and IC
Photocopy of IC and car license
Car Registration Paper
Form to fill (FOC if get from Sadao custom office)
White card 1 piece per pax
Information of Conveyance 2 pieces per car
**Remember to attach RM1 inside your passport when you hand in to the officer. The officer will be appreciate and be patient with you all the time even if you missed out some documents.
The correct way to drive your car into Hatyai:
Before you get into custom, you have to buy car insurance first. When you arrive Sadao custom, the driver (car owner) drop your passenger to get those forms and queue (in order to save some time), drive across the custom, park your car aside (there is no car park, you have to search for parking at the road side). The driver has to stamp his passport, and then go to driver lane to get the Carnet for your car. After that, you can drive anywhere you want at Hatyai (Thailand perhaps).
Our way to drive into Hatyai:
From what I research from blog, Caltex Gurun is the most non-crowded place where sell car insurance and white card. So, we stop by Caltex Gurun to get car insurance. Who knows, is not open yet. I asked the cashier of Caltex, he said they got no fixed operation time. They open and closed depend on their mood. Maybe we are too early, none of the shop is open along the way to go to custom. When we reach the custom, I ask everybody to get down from car with their own passport. Due to the rush traffic, my dad (the driver) had crossed the border. Then I shout to my bro, park your car then come to us. My dad doesn’t know about this so he blur blur waiting us inside the car. Luckily he found a car park and parked.
While we queuing, a lot of uncles offering “express way” to cross the border. I was too tension (since this is the first time), I forget every step we supposed to do. One uncle told us to get a white card first. My mom and I heading to the direction the uncle pointed to us (right most of the custom). Then we reach a counter selling RM2 per piece. They are kind enough to tell us where to get the free one. After we reach the office, one of the uncle come and kacau and said “in front in front”. Then we reached a room looks like a store room. I was like =.= . We go back to the office and I go into the office without bother anyone now. Then another uncle shouting outside the office “what you want what you want?” My mom answered him and we got the white card from him. He only issue one per passport (I don’t know why but in fact you can request more)
My dad and my bro (the drivers) queue at Lane 10 (the driver lane) and they’ve been told that they supposed to stamp their passport first and get car insurance first. But the officer is super kind, process their Carnet first even we didn’t follow the steps. Of course, my dad inserted RM5 in his passport.
1000 Thai time, finally, we get into Hatyai!
My bf and I thinking to skip to buy car insurance since we got the Carnet, but my dad said buying insurance is a safeguard for our car, not only for the procedure purpose.
Online Data is quite important for us since we need to use Google map all the time. But seems like all the 7-11 Hatyai is not selling sim card. We got ours at a phone shop.
1200 1st meal at Busaba Playang. So called cheap, nice and non-tourist spot
1400 Having our own fun at BigC
1500 Check in Hatyai Central Hotel
Songkran fall on 13th – 15th April, but they will start water pouring on 12th. At Hatyai, they only celebrate 2 days which is 12th – 13th April.
After we park our car at the road side, we unload our luggage. Along the road, no one shoot us or pouring water to us. But once we arrive our hotel entrance, the water warriors welcoming us and yeah, we all get wet, including our luggage and bags.
HATYAI PEOPLE ARE SUPER UNFRIENDLY. My first concern before everything is car park. I asked the hotel staff and she first show face, and then asks me “have you check in?” I was like =.= I don’t look like I’m now going to check in? =.= I throw back a face to her with my hotel voucher. Oh ya, one more thing to mention, before I book my hotel via Agoda.com, I write in an email enquiry regarding car park. I got ignored. After I booked, I write in an email again (this time I translate my email to Thai language by Google Translate), finally, they replied me in English, and said that car park is not guaranteed. Since they understand English why they don’t reply me at the first email?
After settle down everything, we joined the water war with the team downstairs. Unconsciously, we walked into a food street at Sheutit Rd. We just can’t resist food so we keep away our water gun and enjoy the food. DO NOT MISS the most happening street at Hatyai!! (just somewhere around Lee Garden)
After shower, massage time. Without survey any, we massage at the hotel 2nd floor. For me, so so only.
Dinner at PI Lek
We take tuk-tuk (each person 20baht) to Central Festival Mall because we know there is a party (or something like concert) but seems like it is a ticket admission activity. Additional, we didn’t bring water gun along. But too bad, the mall and the night market is closed on that day. So we just touch and go.
14 April 16
0800 大人点心 Delicious! Worth the price!
0930 One day tour (introduced by my dad’s friend)
Hatyai Municipal Park
Reclining Buddha, Wat Phranon Laem Pho
Lunch at Koyo Island HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
Too bad I don't know the restaurant name
Naga Head at Song Thale Park, Leam Son On
Sunflower garden
Songhkla Mermaid, Samila Beach
2000 Central Festival Mall
2100 Greenway shopping night market. We are too late I guess, we can’t find any nice food.
Dad bring us to Prachathipat Rd for dinner (next to Lee Garden Plaza Hotel)
15 April 16
0800 We eat what we can see at Pasar Pagi
Shop shop and shop
Breakfast
Massage at hotel, again
Yenchit noodle Beef noodle and Pork Noodle
ไอศกรีมไทย-ไท (Thai Thai ice cream)
Same as how you come in, you have to insert RM1 into your passport. This time, you have to return your Carnet before you crossing back to Malaysia border. As easy as this, bye Hatyai. Please be informed that Hatyai custom is not operating 24 hours.
Duty free. Do not go too late. It is not 24 hours. At Malaysia border, the officer will check your bonnet. Remember, do not put the stuff you bought from duty free at a very obvious place of your bonnet. Eventually, we kena tax for the cigarette.
2230 Check in Penang homestay
0000 Kafe Aik Hwa
16 April 16
0900 Breakfast
1200 Penang Escape Park. Booking online in advance to get cheaper price!
1900 Starbucks Batu Feringghi
Kedai Kopi Tien Heng Heng Bukit Mertajam - Tomyam frog porridge
0030 Ipoh
Summary
Thai car insurance RM17.00
Petrol and tol RM400.00±
Hatyai central hotel RM840 for 4 rooms 3 night Not Recommended
Thai tourist sim card 299 Baht
Busaba Playang Lunch 1595 Baht Recommended
Thai full massage 300 Baht
Haytai one day tour 3500 Baht
Songkhla seafood 2890 Baht Highly Recommended
Thai foot massage 500 Baht
Penang bungalow house RM392 / room per night
Escape Penang RM62.25
Escape Park Lunch RM110.00
Batu Feringghi Starbucks RM50.90