Rim Nam Seafood Buffet Hat Yai 23 Dec 2019

It was already nearly 2.30pm when we back to Silom Boutique Hotel, we were so tired as we slept in the bus last night. We decided to have a rest and take an afternoon nap in the hotel.

It was almost 6.00pm when we woke up and prepare ourselves for our dinner. We would be walking about 1.7km to reach our dinner venue – Rim Nam Buffet 198 Seafood 389.

After we paid at the entrance counter, we were guided and served by the waiter to our table.

Alvin and Issac were walking towards the counters and did a survey on what is the food or seafood that we can eat later.

Annabelle and I were waiting at our table for the waiter to give the small hot charcoal stove and mookata stove. Here are the stoves are like.

Alvin had done some research online before we came here. Out of 3 places of hotpot buffet restaurants (namely Asia Seafood Buffet & Kratha, Rim Rua Kratha Ron Seafood BBQ Buffet and Rim Nam Buffet 198 Seafood 389), Rim Nam Buffet is the most expensive among all but we think is the most value for money above all.

Hotpot or Mookata buffet is very common at Hat Yai or even in Thailand itself. The price can start from 159 Baht, that will be including BBQ and Mookata hot pot. The difference of Rim Nam Restaurant is they are very spaces, able to accommodate a lot of people.

Rim Nam Restaurant do serve BBQ and Mookata, the price would be 198 Bath if only these 2 types of hotpots. Here are instant food and BBQ area.

There are buffet dishes such as fried rice, Thai mango and papaya salad, braised pork, deep fried calamaries, chicken, mince pork with basils, fried sausages and more.

And for the BBQ session, there are all types of marinated chicken, pork for you to choose from too.

There are unlimited drinks including soft drinks, fruit juices and desserts that you can take, such as coconut ice cream, soft serve, and more.

The special of Rim Nam Seafood which priced 389 Baht is the unlimited seafood which you can choose from and ask their chefs to cook for you in any flavours that you like. Here are the seafood area.

There are seafood such as tiger prawns, crabs, mussels, scallop, bamboo clams which are unlimited for you to choose from.

There have an open kitchen. Bring the seafood that you have chosen to the counter and tell them which type of method of cooking that you prefer.

There are in total 24 types ways of cooking for the seafood, namely fried fish with sauce, fried fish with garlic, fried fish with chili sauce, salt-crusted grilled fish, fried fish with mango salad, steamed fish with lemon, steamed fish with soy sauce, steamed fish with plum, fried squid with curry powder, fried shrimps with curry powder, crispy shrimps, shrimps salad, fried shrimps with chili sauce, fried shrimps with chilies and salt, fried crab with curry powder, crab salad, steamed crab, fried crab with papaya salad, squid salad, spicy seafood, spicy horseshoe crab egg salad and boiled scallop.

This is something that other mookata restaurants does not provide. You just tell them which table number then they will serve right to your table.

We ordered 3 fish with different types of cooking methods and a horseshoe crab egg salad. This is the salt-crusted grilled fish.

This is the fried fish with sweet and sour sauce. And the other one was the grouper that Alvin chose before it became steamed fish with lemon.

Here is the spicy horseshoe fish egg salad. This is the one that Alvin wanted to try for very long time.

Besides that,  we still can cook our own on the 2 types of hotpots on our table.

Here is our BBQ pit with tiger prawns and scallops. It really taste great with their homemade sauce.

Here were both Issac and Annabelle busy with the BBQ and the Mookata hotpots.

Alvin and I were so satisfying with the food especially the seafood galore we have. It is a record that we ate 3 fish at a meal. The seafood is so fresh.

Please bear in mind that do not waste food because customer need to pay if there is leftover and it would be weight accordingly to the grilled seafood or BBQ, fresh seafood and instant food.

Lastly we have our family photo in front of the Rim Nam Buffet Restaurant before we walked our way back to Silom Boutique Hotel.

Along the way back, we noticed that the street lightings are so beautiful. It is an elephant holding a lamp.

It is such a wonderful night that we have tonight first night in Hat Yai.

Wat Hat Yai Nai 23 Dec 2019

At the entrance of Lee Garden Plaza we book a grab car to go to our next destination – Wat Hat Yai Nai.

Wat Hat Yai Nai, one of the city’s major Buddha temples, is located near the city center on Phetkasem Road.

There were not much people there when we arrived, may be it is because it is about 1.00pm and most of the people were having their lunch in the air cool indoor. The weather was hot and the sun was shining bright.

It is a temple without walls, Wat Hat Yai Nai features massive multi-roof tiers and its intricate exterior design makes it a formidable sight from afar.

It gives the appearance of a giant pavillion with pillars and a traditional Thai roof. Some pillars treated with really detailed carvings represents some important elements in their culture.

The temple’s center of attraction is Phra Phuttha Hattha Mongkhon. It is being 10 meters wide, 15 meters tall and 35 meters long.

It is the world’s third largest reclining Buddha, after the Monywa Myanmar and Bangkok Thailand.

In addition to watching this amazing statue at Wat Hat Yai Nai, you can also buy from some of the items on sale such as joss sticks and small statuettes.

The feet of the Buddha.

There is a shrine and mausoleum inside the Wat Hat Yai Nai behind the huge reclining Buddha. The details carvings on the outer walls are so beautiful. It is all related to Buddha stories.

Upon entering, we find hundreds of cubby holes around the walls containing the ashes of the deceased people.

Some of them have photographs of the occupant along with other details such as their date of birth and demise.

Inside the mausoleum, we find a fortune telling device. Inserting a 5 or a 10 Baht coin will make the wheel spin around.

When the wheel comes to a complete halt, the pointer will stop on a particular number. There are numbered shelves on either side of the device, each containing a fortune written on a piece of paper.

Taking the one out that corresponds to your number will give you an accurate summary of your entire life.

There is a resting open areas at the temple ground, we can see some of the smaller Buddha statues with different standing and sitting positions being placed.

Next to it is a smaller building where housed the seated position Buddha.

Another building at the temple ground with the beautiful apex roof designs.

There is big tree in the middle of the temple ground. Underneath the tree, there is a standing Buddha.

And behind the Buddha at the other side of the tree, there is an old big bell.

We rest a while before we end our visit here at the Wat Hat Yai Nai. The weather is so hot.

When we walked out from the temple ground compound, we only noticed the main door of the Wat. Thus, we took our family photo here before we continue our journey back to our hotel.

We noticed that there are stalls outside the temple that sell fish, snakes, birds and other animals for liberation ceremony.

Further down the road, we came across it and found a wet market. I am a bit surprised that at this hour of time, the wet market still open.

Most of them were selling vegetables and fruits. As the fishmongers and butchers already closed at this point of time.

We just walked back towards our hotel direction, as it is about 1.7km from the hotel we are staying.

Here is my selfie with the Buddha!