Things to Do in Hat Yai in September

September's crystal mornings make the 535 m (1,755 ft) cable car ride to the hilltop Bodhisattva Kuan Im statue worth every minute - on good days you can see clear across to Songkhla Lake before afternoon haze sets in. Recent rains keep the park lush, and mist drifting through ficus trees around the temple delivers that classic Southeast Asia mood you flew here for.

September weekends show floating market culture at its finest - monsoon rains fill the khlong high, letting wooden boats glide right up to the walkways. This is when boat vendors steam fresh banana leaf parcels of sticky rice with durian, a seasonal treat that vanishes by October. Covered walkways keep you dry through sudden showers

September's crisp mornings were made for cycling the 8 km (5 mile) coastal path from Hat Yai to Songkhla Old Town. The route cuts through fishing villages where morning catch hits the docks, and historic Sino-Portuguese shophouses catch golden light before afternoon storms gather. Stop at Tang Kuan Hill pier for Hainanese chicken rice served in buildings that haven't changed since the 1950s

When 70% humidity becomes unbearable, the -15°C (5°F) Ice Dome gives foreign visitors their first taste of Thai cold - elaborate ice sculptures of temples and elephants feel bizarre after sweating through tropical streets. Pair it with Central Festival Mall's air-conditioned food courts for September's stormy afternoons

September evenings turn the night bazaar into a food lover's spot - covered walkways stay dry through storms, and vendors wheel out seasonal gaeng tai pla (southern fish curry) that locals skip during summer's heat. Eight hundred stalls sell everything from Pakistani textiles to Korean cosmetics, with prices falling as tourist crowds thin