Sukhothai

Ancient capital of Thailand's first kingdom, where stupas are reflected in lotus ponds in a World Heritage historical park; combine it with Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet, and visit the birthplace of Loy Krathong.

Sukhothai lies on the plains of north-central Thailand; its name means "Dawn of Happiness". From the 13th to the 15th century it was the capital of the first independent Thai kingdom, and it is regarded as the birthplace of the Thai script, Thai Buddhist art and the Loy Krathong festival. A visit divides into three parts: first, Sukhothai Historical Park, about 12 km west of the new town (Mueang Sukhothai), where the central zone inside the moat contains Wat Mahathat, Wat Sa Si and Wat Si Sawai, while the outer northern, western and southern zones include the giant Buddha of Wat Si Chum and the standing Buddha of Wat Saphan Hin; second, Si Satchanalai Historical Park and the Sawankhalok kilns, about 55 km to the north; and third, Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park, about 75 km to the south. Together they form the World Heritage Site "Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns". Climate: the cool season from November to February is best; Loy Krathong, held around the full moon in November, brings light shows and krathong floating to the historical park, so book accommodation early. March to May is scorching, and June to October is the rainy season but with fewer visitors. Getting there: buses from Bangkok take about 6–7 hours, or fly to Sukhothai Airport (few flights) or Phitsanulok Airport and transfer by road for about 1 hour; blue songthaews (shared pickup taxis) run between the new town and the old city. It's best to stay near the old city and rent a bicycle to tour the park; with 2–3 days you can also fit in Si Satchanalai. Tips: the ruins are very hot with little shade, so visit in the early morning and late afternoon and bring plenty of water and sun protection; dress respectfully in front of Buddha images, and never climb or sit on them.

Top sights

• Sukhothai Historical Park – The capital ruins of Sukhothai, Thailand's first kingdom (13th–15th centuries). Nearly 200 temple ruins sit within a moat-encircled old cit…
• Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai – The central temple of the old city. Its lotus-bud main spire is surrounded by nearly 200 small stupas. The large seated Buddha and standing…
• Wat Si Chum – Inside a square shrine in the north zone sits Phra Achana, a seated Buddha about 15 metres tall. Looking up at it through the narrow doorwa…
• Wat Sa Si – A temple on a small island in a lotus pond, with a bell-shaped Sri Lankan-style stupa and a seated Buddha reflected in the water. It is the…
• Si Satchanalai Historical Park – The secondary capital ruins of the Sukhothai Kingdom. Temple complexes shaded by trees line the Yom River. It is much quieter than Sukhotha…
• Wat Si Sawai – Three Khmer-style corn-cob prangs stand side by side. Originally a Khmer Hindu temple and later converted into a Buddhist temple, they refl…
• Wat Traphang Ngoen – A small 'Silver Pond' temple west of Wat Mahathat, where a lotus-bud chedi and an island shrine in the pond complement each other. It is qu…
• Wat Traphang Thong – A temple on a small island in the Golden Pond east of the old city. Monks still live here, and visitors reach the island by a wooden bridge…
• Ramkhamhaeng National Museum – The main collection of Sukhothai artifacts, with a bronze walking Buddha, Sawankhalok ceramics, and a replica of the Ramkhamhaeng Inscripti…
• King Ramkhamhaeng Monument – A bronze statue monument in the historical park honoring King Ramkhamhaeng, the third ruler of Sukhothai, who is credited with creating the…
• Wat Phra Phai Luang – The most important temple in the North Zone. Its only surviving Khmer-style prang and many fragmentary Buddha images make it the religious…
• Wat Saphan Hin – A temple on a small hilltop in the West Zone, reached by a flagstone ramp. A 12.5-meter standing Buddha overlooks the old city and is vener…
• Wat Chang Rop – A temple ruin on a hillside in the West Zone, where the bell-shaped chedi's base is supported by a ring of elephant sculptures, set in a qu…
• Wat Chetuphon – A representative temple of the South Zone. Its four-sided shrine preserves large stucco Buddhas in walking, standing, seated, and reclining…
• San Ta Pha Daeng – One of the oldest structures in the old city: a 12th-century Khmer-style shrine built of laterite stone, where Khmer deity statues were onc…
• Wat Sorasak – A small temple just inside the north city gate, where a bell-shaped chedi's base is ringed by 24 elephant sculptures, better preserved than…
• Wat Chang Lom, Si Satchanalai – A large bell-shaped chedi encircled by 39 elephants, the symbol of Si Satchanalai and the masterpiece of the elephant-supported chedi style…
• Wat Chedi Chet Thaeo – South of Wat Chang Lom, 33 small chedis of different styles stand in rows. They are believed to be a royal memorial chedi complex, and mura…
• Wat Khao Phanom Phloeng – A temple on a small hilltop inside the Si Satchanalai old city. Climb 144 laterite steps for views over the old city and the Yom River.
• Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat Chaliang – The central temple of Chaliang, an ancient city within a bend of the Yom River. Its Khmer-style main prang, a large seated Buddha, and reli…
• Sangkhalok Kilns at Ban Pa Yang – Ancient kiln sites on the north bank of the Yom River at Si Satchanalai, where brick cross-draft kilns that fired Sangkhalok celadon can be…
• Sangkhalok Museum – A privately founded museum of Sangkhalok and Lanna ceramics with more than 2,000 pieces, systematically presenting the history of Sukhothai…
• Sukhothai Old City Night Market – A weekend night market outside the east gate of the historical park, serving local favorites such as Sukhothai noodles, grilled skewers, an…
• Ramkhamhaeng National Park – Khao Luang, southwest of Sukhothai. From the 1,185-meter Pamaeya summit you can watch the sea of clouds at sunrise. It is the sacred mounta…
• Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park – The third ancient city of the Sukhothai World Heritage group. The red-brick temples and elephant chedi bases in the forested northern zone…
• Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Phra Buddha Chinnarat) – Home to the Phra Buddha Chinnarat, widely regarded as the most beautiful Buddha image in Thailand. On a Sukhothai trip, it is a must-visit…

Where to eat

• Jay Hae Sukhothai Kuay Tiao – One of Sukhothai's best-known kuay tiao noodle shops, ranked first among nearly 400 noodle shops in Sukhothai on Wongna…
• Ta Pui Thai Kuay Tiao – Diners' pick for Sukhothai's No. 1 kuay tiao shop, serving traditional sweet-and-sour tom yum thin rice noodles with po…
• Fueang Fa Pla Maenam Restaurant – A homey riverside fish restaurant on the Yom River that cooks the day's catch fresh. The tom yum snakehead fish soup an…
• Mai Klang Krung – An old shop in New Town decorated in Sukhothai art style, known for its Sukhothai noodles, shrimp-paste rice and steame…
• Na Khothai Restaurant – A family restaurant in a converted wooden house between New Town and the Historical Park, known for its Na Khothai chic…
• Poo Restaurant (Tam Lao) – A small family restaurant in New Town, a favorite of backpackers and ranked near the top of Sukhothai on TripAdvisor. I…

Itineraries

• Ancient Capitals of Thailand: Bangkok to Chiang Rai – Travel north through Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Lampang, and Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai to explore the ruins of the Siamese ki…