Hat Yai

Hat Yai is 150 mi/240 km southeast of Phuket, a bustling commercial area with several beaches frequented mostly by Thais. The town also has a slew of massage parlors, but they're basically the same as the massage parlors in Hat Yai. In the surrounding area, though, there is pleasant mountain scenery and waterfalls. There's also a gigantic reclining Buddha a few miles west of town. Day trips can also be made to Songkhla.