Sukhothai Ins and Outs

Getting there

Sukhothai airport is owned by Bangkok Airways, which flies to Bangkok and Chiang Mai once daily. THAI fly to Phitsanulok, an hour away. Most people arrive by bus and there are regular connections with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok and Khon Kaen, as well as other major towns in the north and central plains. There are also two buses a day from Bangkok’s northern Mo Chit terminal direct to Old Sukhothai.

Getting Around

Most people come to Sukhothai to see the ruins of the former capital. Regular buses (every 10 minutes) and songthaews ply the route between old and new cities and it is also easy to hire a motorcycle. The ruins themselves are spread over a considerable area.

Best time to visit

This part of Thailand is one of the hottest. If visiting Sukhothai Old City (which is spread over a large area) during the hot or rainy seasons (roughly March or October), it is best to explore either early in the morning or at the end of the day. The best time to visit is November to February.

Ancient and Modern Sukhothai

The modern conurbation of Sukhothai revels little of Thailand’s ancient capital. Head west about 12 km, keeping an eye on the surrounding landscape, and the ruined brick foundation of ancient religious structures appear in the rice fields interspersed between wooden shophouses until the road pierces the ramparts of Old Sukhothai.

Officially, the Old City and its surroundings are a national historical park covering 640 ha, which open in 1988 after a total of 192 wats were restored. The metal lamp posts, concrete-lined ponds and horrible hedgerows of the central area evince overbearing sterility. Head out beyond the city walls and you’ll discover dozens of crumbling wats, Buddhas and chedis among the surrounding woodlands.

If you want to stay amid ancient surroundings there is some excellent accommodation in the Old City but choice is limited. Staying here gives you a chance to explore the atmospheric outer ruins in the fresh early-morning mist. There are more hotels available in the new town, a pleasant enough spot to stay while exploring the glories of Old Sukhothai. Guesthouses and hotels here are generally of a high standard, there is good street food at the night market on Ramkhamhaeng Road, a fresh day market off Charodwithithong Road and a useful range of tourist amenities.

Phitsanulok, to the east, houses one of the most striking and most important Buddhist shrines in Thailand – Wat Phra Sri Ratana Mahathat (Wat Yai) – and Si Satchanalai, north of Sukhothai, now a historical park and once linked to Sukhothai by a 50-km highway, is full of Ceylonese-style bell-shaped chedis, Khmer prangs and Sukhothai-era buildings.

The region to west of Sukhothai is little visited and all the better for it. Just 80km southwest of the ancient Thai capital sits Kamphaeng Phet. This antiquated city is also a historical park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.