MY · Kedah · 6.51°N 100.42°E

bukit kayu hitam

Duty-free stop at the very top of the North–South Expressway, right before Thailand.

Best time
Any time of year. Avoid long weekends and festive holidays if you can, when queues at the checkpoint can stretch for hours.
How long
A couple of hours
Getting there
About 5 hours' drive from KL on the North–South Expressway, or about 45 minutes from Alor Setar. Hat Yai is about an hour's drive beyond the border.
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MY · Kedahbukit kayu hitam6.51°N 100.42°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Duty-free stop at the very top of the North–South Expressway, right before Thailand.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingBukit Kayu HitamMY, Kedah
KLbukit kayu hitam
≈ 400 km from KL, as the crow flies
При поддержке Таиланда здание контрольно-пропускного пункта Букит Кайу Хитам

Photo: Johnwxh30 (talk) (Uploads) · Public domain

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

The main road crossing between Malaysia and Thailand, right where the North–South Expressway ends. Most people stop for the duty-free shops, then carry on across the border to Danok and Hat Yai.

Things to do

  1. Duty-free shoppingThe duty-free complexes near the border sell chocolates, snacks, drinks and household goods.Map ↗
  2. DanokThe Thai border town right across the checkpoint, handy for a first plate of Thai food.Map ↗
  3. Hat YaiSouthern Thailand's big shopping and food city, about an hour past the border.Map ↗
  4. Alor SetarKedah's capital, about 45 minutes south, is a good place to break the drive.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Driving into Thailand needs your passport, the car's registration papers and Thai insurance. Sort these out before you reach the border.
  • Customs limits apply to alcohol and cigarettes bought in the duty-free zone, so check the current allowance before you stock up.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.