Situated on the Malay Peninsula, Yala is the southernmost province of Thailand and is surrounded by Narathiwat, Pattani, and Songkhla provinces, with the southern part of Yala bordering Malaysia’s Kedah province. A dam on the Pattani river is the south’s first multi-purpose dam.
The majority of Yala’s population is Muslim. The culture here is very similar to that in Malaysian Muslim communities and some interesting architecture plays homage to that. Some of the best attractions include the Yala Central mosque, the City Pillar shrine and the area of natural beauty,Suan Khwan Mueang. The waterfall, Namtok Than To, is another favorite attraction.
Drawing a handful of Western tourists on their way to Malaysia overland, Yala province is connected to Bangkok by rail. Several beach bungalows exist throughout the province and a few hotels can be found in the capital district.