Samila Beach is the most famous place in Songkhla. Google map click here. The Golden Mermaid statue is the symbolic figure of the province of Songkhla. It is known for its white sand beach and shade pine groves. It's nice to have a picnic here. You can either bring your own mat or rent a mat at the shop. The shops also sell picnic mat for as low as 120 baht.
The place is very peaceful and there are plenty of benches under the trees. They have so many facilities such as sidewalks, pavilions and children's playground had been added to enhance this place as the main attraction of Songkhla. They have benches and cottages around too. The place is not so crowded on weekdays and daytime. Locals come here to relax mostly on Friday and Saturday night. A lot of families are having a picnic here especially at night. Some locals even have big speakers to play local music, as if they are having a concert here.
The shops sell local food and it is not expensive. Usually, locals don't cook at home, they always buy their ready-made meals. The place is well maintained and very clean. The pine trees will shade you from the heat of the sun. It is very safe here and you can even safely go picnic in the evening. It's an open space so it is open throughout the day. The shops open mostly 9 in the morning up to the 9 in the evening and the 7 eleven is just a walking distance from here. There is no public toilet around but the shops around here offer their toilet for 5 to 10 baht. The cemented parking lot is free of charge.
Shops and souvenir are everywhere. You can also do a horse riding here for 150 baht for 30 minutes per person. I have seen some foreigners who do windsurfing but there is no surfing equipment for rent here. They brought it on there own so if you are planning to do windsurfing bring your own equipment. The ocean faces the Pacific Ocean so it's really windy here especially in the month of October to March. Sometimes they even put a red flag on the seashore for a warning that; it is not advisable to swim because it's so windy.
The golden color of the statue is fading, so I hope they will repaint it again like what they did to Buddha image at Hatyai park. The mermaid is losing its charm.
The place is very peaceful and there are plenty of benches under the trees. They have so many facilities such as sidewalks, pavilions and children's playground had been added to enhance this place as the main attraction of Songkhla. They have benches and cottages around too. The place is not so crowded on weekdays and daytime. Locals come here to relax mostly on Friday and Saturday night. A lot of families are having a picnic here especially at night. Some locals even have big speakers to play local music, as if they are having a concert here.
The shops sell local food and it is not expensive. Usually, locals don't cook at home, they always buy their ready-made meals. The place is well maintained and very clean. The pine trees will shade you from the heat of the sun. It is very safe here and you can even safely go picnic in the evening. It's an open space so it is open throughout the day. The shops open mostly 9 in the morning up to the 9 in the evening and the 7 eleven is just a walking distance from here. There is no public toilet around but the shops around here offer their toilet for 5 to 10 baht. The cemented parking lot is free of charge.
Shops and souvenir are everywhere. You can also do a horse riding here for 150 baht for 30 minutes per person. I have seen some foreigners who do windsurfing but there is no surfing equipment for rent here. They brought it on there own so if you are planning to do windsurfing bring your own equipment. The ocean faces the Pacific Ocean so it's really windy here especially in the month of October to March. Sometimes they even put a red flag on the seashore for a warning that; it is not advisable to swim because it's so windy.
The golden color of the statue is fading, so I hope they will repaint it again like what they did to Buddha image at Hatyai park. The mermaid is losing its charm.
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The bronze was sculpted in 1966 by JitrBuasus, the former director of the Arts and Craft college in Bangkok in response to the idea of the city mayor of Songkhla Municipality at that time, Khun Charn Karnchanakapun. It was constructed with a budget of 60,000 baht funded by Songkhla Municipality and has become the symbol of Samila Beach ever since. The mermaid was the main character of Phra Apaimanee. An old Thai story was written by Soontorn Phu, the great poet of King Rama II reign in an ancient Thai folk tale narrated by Khun Wigitmatra (Sa-nga Karnchanakaporn). A mermaid who always combed her hair on a beautiful beach on a starry night. A young fisherman met and frightened her and she fled into the sea. The fisherman waited for her but she disappeared forever.
