Hat Yai's nightlife is unmistakably geared toward visiting Malaysian men: a stretch of bars, karaoke clubs, and massage parlours runs along Niphat Uthit Roads 1, 2 and 3, busiest at weekends. The atmosphere is reasonably safe and lit, but most travellers find the scene uncomfortable.
For a more relaxed evening, the cafe scene around Lee Pattana Road and the recently developed Niphat Songkhrao area has good coffee shops, craft beer bars, and a younger Thai crowd.