Sukhothai is the capital of Sukhothai Province and is famous for its historical park, which is one of the country’s most-visited UNESCO World Heritage sites and is located about 12km west of the new town of Sukhothai.
Along with Ayutthaya in the Central Plains, Sukhothai features high on most visitors’ list of places to visit in Thailand.
However, it’s worth pointing out that if you’re someone who doesn’t like crowds, you might be better off visiting the satellite towns of either Kamphaeng Phet or Si Satchanalai, both within 100km of Sukhothai. The ruins at these sites are not so primly kept as those at Sukhothai, but that somehow adds to their appeal.
Before entering the historical park, it’s wise to spend an hour or two in the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum, which is right opposite the ticket booth for the historical park and explains the rise of this powerful kingdom along with its eventual demise. Another museum worth visiting if you like ceramics is the Sangkhalok Museum, which displays some items found in archaeological digs in the area; this museum is located in the new town.
Sukhothai, meaning the ‘dawn of happiness’, was the Thai capital from the 13th to 15th century, and by all accounts was a splendid sight at its zenith. By contrast, the new town of Sukhothai is a bit of a characterless place with markets and traffic jams much like any other Thai town, yet it does have plenty of hotels, guest houses and restaurants; there are also several sleeping and eating options around the historical park.
The old capital consists of around 20 ancient temples that have been partly restored and the site is well maintained. The central zone is surrounded by four other zones - north, south, east, and west - that cover a huge area. The temples in the central zone are the most visited, so are often swarming with tourists. If you’re someone who’s sensitive to historical and cultural heritage, you could spend days exploring the area, though most people rush round the few main sites and move on.
If you happen to be in town on the first Saturday of the month, ask at your hotel about the light and sound show in the historical park, which usually takes place from 7-9pm.
A visit to Sukhothai can be confusing for travelers who are not aware that in fact there are two Sukhothais - an old one and a new one. The old one is of course the historical park, while the new one is a modern town on the banks of the Yom River, and the two towns are 12km apart.
Typically, visitors stay in the new town, where there are lots of accommodation and eating options, and make trips back and forth to the old city. This is easy as there are regular songthaew covering the journey in about 15-20 minutes along a bullet-straight stretch of road.
However, in recent years, several resorts and guest houses have opened in the vicinity of the old city, so it’s possible to stay here and not go into the new town. It’s much quieter after dark out here, but there are a few restaurants to choose from, as well as ATMs, 7-11s and Wi-Fi, and might suit some visitors much better.
Hotels and guest houses are scattered all over the new town, but there’s a particular concentration of guest houses, even the hint of a Khao San Road feel, just west and south of the bridge over the river. There are also several bars in this area. Unfortunately, there aren’t many good river views, as tall walls line the riverside lanes to hold back possible floods.
Where to Go
- Sukhothai Historical Park: this is the heart of Siam’s first unified kingdom, and a treasure trove of crumbling temples, laterite foundations and graceful Buddha images.
- Ramkhamhaeng National Museum: exhibits featured at the museum include objects found in the region such as a Buddha’s head from Wat Phra Phai Luang.
- Sangkhalok Museum: this place will wow lovers of ceramics and probably bore everyone else.
When to Go
The most popular time for a visit to Sukhothai is in the cool season (from November to February), though it can get very crowded during this time, especially around new year.
The hot season from March to May is not really conducive to trekking round temple ruins, and the rainy season brings its own limitations, but there are fewer tourists at this time of year and you can get big discounts on rooms.
Things to Do
The main reason that people come to Sukhothai is to visit the historical park, and/ or the satellite towns of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet, which are easily accessed from Sukhothai.
Apart from the historical park, there are just a couple of museums to see. The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum, located by the entrance to the historical park, is a good way to put the ruins in context, as it tells the tale of the rise and fall of the Sukhothai as the country’s capital. The Sangkhalok Museum, on the eastern fringe of New Sukhothai, displays ceramics unearthed in archaeological digs.
The bicycle is the preferred form of transport for most visitors to Sukhothai, and as well as cycling round the ruins, it’s worth heading out into the surrounding countryside to see classic rural Thai scenes.
Due to the number of tourists in town, bars and restaurants get packed in the evening with travelers exchanging tips on places they’ve been, though all the venues are pretty low-key.
Before leaving the province, it’s worth considering a side-trip to the historical park and the pottery kilns at Si Satchanalai, or to the nature trails in Ramkhamhaeng or Si Satchanalai National Parks.
Getting There
Sukhothai Airport receives daily flights from Bangkok, but the airport is about 30km north of town, so most people (generally those without free airport transfers) arrive either by train or bus. There is a train station at nearby Phitsanulok, from where buses leave frequently for Sukhothai, an hour’s ride to the west.
Bangkok Airways has daily flights to Sukhothai from both Bangkok and Lampang. Bu the airport is about 30km north of new Sukhothai, and even further from the old city, so try to arrange an airport pick-up. Otherwise, there’s a minibus service run by the airline into new Sukhothai.
Many people choose to take the train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, from where’s there are regular buses and songthaew making the hour-long journey to Sukhothai. A bit quicker than the train/bus combination are direct buses from Bangkok, though the bus station is inconveniently located about 3km west of the new town center.
Getting Around
The ideal way to explore Sukhothai Historical Park is by bicycle, and there are thousands of bikes waiting to be rented just opposite the ticket office to the historical park. In the high season, there’s also a tram service that stops outside the main temples in the central zone. Cars and motorbikes can also enter the site for a fee of up to 50B.
New Sukhothai is small enough to walk anywhere in the town center, and there are constant songthaew plying the route between the two towns.
Where to Stay
As one of Thailand’s main tourist centers, Sukhothai boasts a broad range of sleeping options. Probably your first decision should be whether you’d prefer to be based in the new town, with its bustle, markets and bars, or on the fringe of the historical park, where you can hear a pin drop after dark.
The only problem with staying near the park is that your eating and drinking options are limited. There are a few eateries and cafes lining the road near the entrance to the park, but you might just end up eating at your resort.
The best top-end options are located just near the historical park, while the widest range of budget places is on Prawet Nakhon Road, just west and south of the bridge over the Yom River in New Sukhothai. There are also some good mid-range places in both locations.
Where to Eat
There are plenty of dining options in Sukhothai, though as you might guess most of the classy places are located in the hotels. On both sides of the bridge in New Sukhothai, Jarod Withithong Road is lined with foodstalls selling everything imaginable, so it’s a good area to go hunting for something different.
The south side of Jarod Withithong to the west of the bridge has several traveler-friendly restaurants and cafes, with extensive English menus, and there’s a cluster of eateries around the entrance to the historical park.
While in town, you must try Sukhothai noodles (kwaytiaw sukhothai), which are sold all over town; it’s a bowl of noodles in a tasty broth with pork, green beans and peanuts, but keep in mind that it’s a lunchtime-only dish.
Where to Party
Nightlife in Sukhothai is more about drinking and chatting with old or new-found friends rather than dancing the night away, as visitors tend to be very active during the day, cycling between historic sights and walking around them, so most are ready for an early night. The most popular bars and restaurants are in the budget area to the west of the bridge.
On the first Saturday evening of each month, there’s a light and sound show at the historical park, and the buildings are sometimes illuminated after dark; ask at your guest house or hotel about this.
Where to Shop
The most typical souvenirs of Sukhothai are Sangkhalok ceramics and intricately woven textiles, though there aren’t any gift shops in the new town that stand out apart from the Ananda Gallery, which is a pricey spot to shop. If you’re visiting Si Satchanalai and interested in buying textiles, pay a visit to the Gold Textile Museum.