The Golden Mermaid
Songkhla's symbol since 1966.
Ahoerstemeier — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Song GK — CC BY 4.0 · Song GK — CC BY 4.0 · Song GK — CC BY 4.0
The symbol of Songkhla city: a long white-sand beach shaded by casuarina trees, with, on a rock at one end, a bronze golden mermaid seated combing her hair, placed in 1966 and now one of southern Thailand's best-known and most photographed sights. Local legend says the Cat and Rat islands offshore were animals turned to stone. The beach is more for strolling, sitting under the trees and watching the sunset than for swimming, as waves and currents can be strong at times. Nearby is Tang Kuan hill, climbed by an inclined lift or stairs to a stupa and a viewpoint over the city, the sea and Songkhla Lake. The beach is free and always open, with seafood restaurants around it, many of them halal, and snack stalls. Rains are heaviest in the south-east from October to December, and the city can flood. A half-day trip from Hat Yai, usually combined with nearby Songkhla Old Town. Come in the late afternoon to photograph the mermaid, then watch the sunset from the sand.
Songkhla's symbol since 1966.
Shade on white sand.
Views over city and lake.
Songkhla city, about 30 km north-east of Hat Yai
The beach is more for strolling than swimming, as waves and currents can build, especially October to January. If you swim, stay close to shore and follow instructions.