Sukhothai Historical Park: How to Plan Your Trip

Scribbled by Claire ⬩ 25 Feb 2026

Do you want to avoid Thailand’s crowds and check out the country’s coolest ruins? If so, then we recommend planning a visit to Sukhothai’s magnificent ancient city. Here, we’ve detailed everything you need to organise your trip, including costs, transport, maps, food recs, timings, and more.

Ancient brick architecture of Wat Mahathat at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand, beneath a clear blue sky.

The remarkable ancient city of Sukhothai has been on my Thailand ‘to-visit’ list for years. I mean, it’s a UNESCO designated site and the country’s first capital city, so was always on my radar. Plus, it looks so scenic and photogenic, with towering stupas and statues reflecting in cool, misty lakes – to be honest, I kind of assumed it was on everybody’s list.

I’ve previously visited the ruins of Ayutthaya (another ancient Thai capital) a bunch of times (its close proximity to Bangkok kind of lures you in). To me, as magnificent as that site is, Sukhothai is simply in a different league.

Firstly, Sukhothai’s ancient ruins are far more rural and harder to reach. This means they’re substantially less visited, which makes a huge impact on your experience when exploring historical sites. Wandering around 700-year-old paths to solely the sound of birdsong is quite special.

Secondly, it reminded me of so many other spots I’ve seen around the world, with elements of Angkor Wat, Ayutthaya, and even Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka. It was curiously diverse in architectural style (to my highly uneducated eyes).

However, being honest, planning this trip was kind of confusing. Which zones do you pay to access, how long do you need to spend in them, are they all worth visiting, and what is the best way to get around? We found minimal reliable up-to-date information, and much of what we did read was conflicting.

So, we set off on a five-day road trip to explore Sukhothai Historical Park, plus a few places further afield.

Here, we’ve answered all the questions that we couldn’t find online answers to, provided 2026 prices, and made a map that actually explains the site layout. We’ve also written a realistic itinerary, if you want to explore the area in one day. Most importantly, we’ve droned on about why it’s absolutely worth the effort to travel to (and chucked in a tonne of photography so you can decide for yourself if it’s your cup of tea)!

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Brief Intro to Sukhothai Historical Park

The first thing to understand is the geography: Sukhothai is a province of central Thailand, situated about two thirds of the way between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Within this province, there is also a city of the same name (called Sukhothai Thani or New Sukhothai), and 13 kilometres to the west of this city is the Sukhothai Historical Park that this post is about.

The actual historical park is located directly next to Old Sukhothai, a tiny town with a bunch of tourist amenities, a few cute markets, and a lake.

However, when people say ‘Sukhothai’ in a touristic sense, they’re usually referring to the historical UNESCO region.

The historical park is the oldest capital of Thailand, dating back to around the 13^th century, and apparently means ‘dawn of happiness’, which I think is such a fitting name (maybe because I miraculously managed to get up at dawn every day here).

It was actually Khmer originally, but was taken over and then established as an independent state, and that’s how it became the first capital city of Thailand.

Sukhothai was the capital of then Siam for around two hundred years. After the death of King Maha Thammaracha IV in 1438, the king of Ayutthaya (Borommarachathirat II) installed his son Ramesuan as the ruler of Sukhothai, essentially ending the Kingdom of Sukhothai’s independence.

The current abandoned historical city is bounded by two kilometres of rectangular city walls and a moat, kind of like Chiang Mai’s (but far smaller, and less tall or preserved). These wall boundaries are really easy to see on Google Maps. Outside of the old walls are numerous smaller ruins, which are, in some cases, sectioned into zones.

Many of the most significant historical sites are located within this square, but there are more ruins scattered around the outside of the walls.

A tree and bridge reflecting in still waters of a lake in the early morning at Sukhothai Historical Park in Thailand. — Lake in the central zone

Quick Checklist: Things to Know

⬩ Mosquitos: I got savaged, even during the dry, cool winter. There is a lot of still water, and mosquitos were a major problem in the evening when we sat out having dinner. Bring decent repellent.

⬩ New Sukhothai or Old Sukhothai: New Sukhothai is the larger, more modern town about 13 kilometres to the east of the Historical Park. It has large supermarkets, fast food restaurants, and a mall. Old Sukhothai is the small settlement literally adjacent to the Historical Park, with small restaurants and hotels that cater to tourists, all sat around a pretty lake.

⬩ Fees: there are zones in the Historical Park with different entry fees. Below we detail exactly where these are and how to access them.

⬩ Physical exertion: it’s not too difficult to explore Sukhothai Historical Park. The area is mostly flat, with clearly defined paths which are sometimes suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs (depending on the zone). When we were researching, lots of people asserted that you’d have to cycle, but you absolutely don’t need a bicycle to get around (great if you’re not a cyclist, like me).

⬩ Dress code: dress for a religious site. It’s mostly more historic than religious, but there are certain areas that people still go to actively pray. So, avoid spaghetti straps, short-shorts and uncovered midriffs. Normal length shorts and t-shirts covering the knees and shoulders are fine.

⬩ Footwear: it goes without saying that there is a moderate amount of walking so choose your most comfy shoes. However, you don’t need hiking boots or anything similar.

⬩ Bicycles: these are available for rent everywhere, but are usually abysmal (we saw so many dodgy, creaky ones with no gears). Be prepared. You don’t have to ride, though, despite what people may say. They are typically 30-50 baht a day.

The open roof and head of the tall Buddha statue at Wat Si Chum in the northern part of Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand. — The Buddha in the northern area

The Basics for Planning a Trip to Sukhothai

Below are a few things you should definitely know first that will help with planning your trip:

1. Where to Stay

The most convenient area to stay for visiting the Historical Park is Old Sukhothai. This small town is right next door to the park (the entrance is basically in the town). It’s possible to walk or ride to the entrance from most of the hotels.

You can also stay in New Sukhothai, but it’s a 20-minute drive down some unattractive dual carriageway roads to reach the park.

Personally, we would choose the old town because there are a bunch of nice restaurants and a lovely night market around the little lake. There are also tonnes of comfy local hotels equipped for visitors with bicycles. Our hotel was called Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort which we absolutely loved – we’ve talked about it a bit more further down.

There is no accommodation within the actual park itself.

Hanging yellow lanterns along the bridge outside Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong in Old Sukhothai, Thailand. — Old Sukhothai

A dragonfly resting on a plant by the lake in Old Sukhothai. — Dragonfly on the lake

2. Park Zones

Sukhothai Historical Park is split into three main sections/zones:

1. Central/main: this is the largest and most impressive section of the park with the ruins and famous spots you’ll have seen in photos.

2. Northern: a smaller (but very cool) section which includes the well-known, super photogenic Buddha at Wat Si Chum, housed in a visually brutal, unique enclosure.

3. Western: this quiet area is relatively unvisited and kind of remote feeling, with hidden ruins up in the forested hills. We loved it.

Realistically, if you visit the two extra areas outside the central zone, there will be far fewer visitors, an even more rural vibe, and some simple but pretty ruins. We’d recommend trying to include them on your itinerary if you can.

There is also the ‘outer zone’, for lack of a better description, which includes numerous other ruins dotted around the fringes of old town Sukhothai. These are completely free to enter and explore if you can find them (and will almost certainly be empty).

Sunset silhouettes at Wat Mahathat in Thailand's Sukhothai Historical Park. — Sunset

The nail of the thumb of a giant Buddha Statue at Wat Si Chum in Sukhothai Historical park, Thailand. — Buddha’s thumb (bigger than a human)

2.1. Getting Around the Park Zones

Central

If you are just planning a flying trip to visit the main, central zone, you don’t need any transport – walking is fine. There are options to rent a scratty bicycle at the entrance or from some accommodations for 30-50 baht, or a golf cart with driver for 200-300 baht a hour, depending on how many seats.

This area is small enough that you can wander around it in a few hours by foot and even quicker if you’re on two wheels. We spent the early morning here (around three hours, from 7-10am) and the last few hours of the day (4.30-6.30pm). In this time, we managed to see the entire central zone of the park twice fully, whilst taking a bunch of photos. You’ll likely need way less time if you don’t do photography (we’re so slow because of it).

Western

Visiting the western section definitely requires a car, motorbike or bicycle, as it’s quite a long route. From ticket office to ticket office, the road around the hills is just under five kilometres, not including the climbs up to various ruins. (I’ll explain on the map further down).

This section is the most physical of the park zone choices, with some hills and rough, steep walking paths, so bear that in mind if you want to cycle.

Northern

The northern section is similar to the west and isn’t really walkable from the central zone if you’re short on time, or visiting in the hotter months (it’s about half an hour-ish). We’d recommend riding a bicycle or motorbike, driving your car, or getting a driver. There are a few spots that are free to explore on the way, like Wat Sorasak, which makes it best to have your own transport.

If you want to get around all three sites in one day, you’ll definitely need to be energetic on a bicycle, or have a motorised vehicle like a motorbike or car.

Note about Cars

If you drive a car to Sukhothai, you can use your car to travel between all the zones, too. Most people don’t bring a car, but it’s a great idea if you like to drive (we drove a car all around the area).

For our five days in the area, we rented a motorbike from OK TAXI Sukhothai for 350 baht a day. It was an excellent choice for getting around between our hotel, the various historical ruin sites, the restaurants, places around the old town and a quick visit to the new town. We also used our rental car for some longer journeys and early morning jaunts (it was super cold first thing!).

Take a look at the car rental company we always use (it has the best insurance)

Driving a Car around Sukhothai Historical Park

We took a rental car from Bangkok to Sukhothai and also rode a motorbike locally on some of our days there, too (variety is the spice of life, as they say).

Using a rental car is, by far, the easiest way to get around between the Historical Park’s three zones. Each section has ample parking space, and it means that you don’t have to cycle if that’s not your thing.

Even within Old Sukhothai town itself, you can usually find parking – it’s such a low key, stress-free place to get around, no matter your vehicle. The roads are really quiet for the majority of the time and driving a car there is so easy.

If you’re curious about renting a car in Thailand, we’d highly recommend it (it’s our favourite way to explore the country). For more information on what driving here is like, check out our detailed Thailand driving guide.

If you’re thinking of renting a scooter instead, it’s worth having some experience before setting off on two wheels. For information on riding scooters, the laws, insurance and loads more, check out our ‘how not to die in Thailand on two wheels’ guide (it’s tongue in cheek, but also kind of serious).
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3. Historical Park Entry Fees

The cost of a ticket depends on which area of Sukhothai Historical Park you visit. The park is split into three paid areas.

These three distinct zones (mentioned above) each have individual entry fees. There is also a combined ticket that includes all the zones if you intend to blitz them all in one day.

Below are the 2026 prices for a non-resident adult:

Central zone: costs 200 baht. There is an additional 10 baht fee to bring a bicycle in. If you’ve hired an electric buggy, it costs an extra 30 baht for a 4-seater and 50 baht for a 6-seater. You can’t take your motorbike in.

Western zone: costs 120 baht, with 10 baht for access by bicycle, 20 by motorcycle and 50 baht by car or electric buggy.

Northern zone: costs 120 baht for entry, with an extra fee of 10 baht for a bicycle, 20 baht for a motorbike and 50 baht for a car or electric buggy to Wat Phra Phai Luang.

Combined ticket: this allows access to all areas of the park for 400 baht (does not include vehicle access), a saving of 40 baht on individual tickets above.

All tickets allow you to leave and re-enter the zone(s) you paid for on the same day.

Reflections of trees and ruins in a still lake at Sukhothai historical Park in northern Thailand. — Reflection festival

4. Park Zone Layout Map

The park layout is kind of complicated.

I mean, it’s not really, but it’s worth knowing which roads you can travel without a ticket. It’s also worth noting that if you’re visiting for just one day, your combined ticket means that it doesn’t really matter where you go because you’ll have access to everything.

Below is a rough map that shows where the fee-zones are and where we have observed the ticket booths (the little circular ticket icons).

The red dotted line is the route through the fee area in the west, and the blue dotted lines are the fee areas in the north.

The orange hatched area is the fee area for the central zone (the region is fenced off so it’s not confusing). The main entrance is the ticket icon on the eastern side.

All the roads that are not marked (including the roads along the edge of the orange hatch) are are fee-free.

A map of Sukhothai Historical Park showing the various areas where you have to pay to enter. Each zone is marked with a different colour. — Sukhothai Historical Park zone map

How Many Days to Spend in Sukhothai?

The minimum amount of time we’d recommend in Sukhothai is one full day (preferably with an overnight stay).

Visiting the three zones can easily be fit into one day, but will depend on transport type and how early you start. It’s also worth being around for the sunset and sunrise if you’re able.

If you’re a very strong cyclist, or have a motorbike, it takes only ten minutes to transit between the three zones (they’re adjacent). This means it’s possible to travel between all the areas easily in a day. Be aware that you may be doing this physical activity on a terrible quality bicycle, though!

For a more chill vibe, we’d recommend spending at least two days (one night) for a less physically strenuous time – no need to be up super early and busy all day. This also gives you the opportunity to take your time over lunch, hang around the town lake and market in the evening, explore a few extra things nearby, and visit the main zone for sunrise and sunset (both are lovely).

We spent five days in Sukhothai, but we were extremely chill with our time and schedule, plus visited the spectacular Si Satchanalai Historical Park and some other sites further north as one of our days (highly recommend if you have an extra time). It was lovely to end our less-than-busy days at sunset and visit the lakeside markets, check out stuff around the town, take a wander, and not feel rushed.

Silhouette of a large tree at sunset on a lake at Sukhothai Historical Park with the orange skies mirrored on the water.

Shadows in the architecture of a stupa at Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai Historic Park, Thailand.

A bird sat in the late afternoon sun beside a lake in northern Thailand's Sukhothai Historic Park

Suggested One-Day Itinerary

With just one day to explore the area, we’d do the below (timings depend on your energy and transport, of course):

Morning

Arrive at the central, main zone entrance at sunrise (around 6:30am). Buy your combined ticket from the booth and head on in.

Walk/cycle around the entire zone for a few hours (start at the impressive Wat Mahathat while there are zero crowds) and make sure to chill by the misty lakes on a bench for a bit and have an early morning snack (and maybe a wake-up coffee?). Sustenance and sunrises are the best combo.

Breakfast: if you’ve chosen a nearby hotel, it might be worth nipping back for breakfast if you’re done by 9am (many have it included until around 10am – so this is what we did).

Next, take your bike, scooter, or car to the northern section. On the way, stop off at Wat Sorasak and check out the perfect elephants on its stupa. If you’re extra keen, also stop off at Wat Maechon on route.

At the northern section, visit the square lake area first (home to Wat Phra Phai Luang) before going to Wat Si Chum. This makes sense since the light is better on the famous Buddha later in the day. If you’ve chosen to drive a car, enter the Wat Phra Phai Luang area from the west (there’s space to leave your car on that side).

Now, if you’ve got some kind of packed lunch from somewhere like 7-Eleven or your hotel, have your food and then head on up to the western section marked Ticket Office – Wat Saphan Hin.

A deep pink-purple hued Lotus flower reflecting on the water. — Lotus flowers

Lunch and Afternoon

If you fancy some cooked food for lunch, go back to town and grab something from Sukhothai Por Gu Noodle & Restaurant and try the famous boat noodles. You could also consider this option for breakfast – be aware it’s terrible for vegetarians.

If you have motorised transport and want a break from walking, consider checking out the well-known Ta Puy Noodle. This place is renowned for its boat noodles but is also about a 15-minute drive from the Historical Park so isn’t a suitable choice if you’re in a rush or on a bicycle.

Truthfully, the food in Old Sukhothai is not that inspiring if you don’t eat meat, so keep that in mind with your planning. For veggie options, you’re going to have a lot of fried rice, noodles, or the occasional veggie curry. It’s nothing special. For a decent lunch or dinner as a vegetarian, we’d recommend Phumphor Coffee Restaurant, it has loads of flexibility on the menu for veggie foods.

After lunch, ride/drive over to the western section marked Ticket Office – Wat Saphan Hin. Slowly traverse the remote road, stopping off at the hidden, overgrown ruins on the way. Don’t miss the short climb up to Wat Saphan Hin, it’s the only spot with wide views over the surrounding countryside. Be aware that there’s a sign saying not to climb the hill there alone after 4 pm (it’s quite steep), so do this one first if you’re tight on time.

A stupa and bridge at Sukhothai historic Park reflected in the still waters of the lake. — Feeling moody

Tourists partaking in the alms ceremony on the bridge outside Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong in Sukhothai. — Morning touristy alms

A rental bike in Sukhothai with yellow flowers in its basket. — Rental bike

Evening and Sunset

After meandering through the quiet hills and ruins, the road finishes back at the western side of the central zone.

Depending on the time and your transport choice, you can cut directly through the park on foot or bicycle, or alternatively drive around the edge with a scooter or car back to the main entrance area.

If it’s nearing sunset, head straight into the park and hope for some crazy pink skies, silhouettes and reflections. The best spots, in my opinion, are by the lake behind Wat Mahathat.

If the sun isn’t setting yet and you have some spare time, go back to town for a while and take a wander around Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong. Maybe grab a beverage and take a seat along the eastern side of the lake on the little park tables. From there, you can walk south and have a quick look at the street art (it’s a bit different).

You’ll see the stalls for the night market and the mats and tables being set up – the lake is a great place for an affordable dinner with a magnificent view.

We ate dinner here most nights – don’t miss the chive cakes, grilled sticky sesame rice, or the stir fry man who does some banging veggie rice.

A silhouette of a Buddha statue at sunset in Sukhothai Historic Park, Thailand. — Sunset

Khmer architecture on display at Wat Phra Phai Luang ruins in Sukhothai, Thailand. — Khmer influence

Best Time to Visit Sukhothai

The best time to visit Sukhothai is during the winter months of November to March when the weather is cooler. This helps make traversing the numerous scattered ancient ruins easier.

We’ve spent quite a lot of time in central and northern Thailand in winter and it can actually be quite cool in the evenings. This is made worse by a sudden, apparent increase in humidity just after sunset. Definitely bring a jacket or layers if you’re visiting between December and February. We were genuinely cold.

Also, if you ride a motorbike, it can be really, really nippy first thing in the morning!

Outside of the cooler season, the temperatures increase, then the rainfall increases, and it can be a sticky, damp experience at Sukhothai. However, the few crowds that are there in winter dissipate, so take advantage!

Loy Krathong

Be aware that Sukhothai is a significant location to celebrate Loy Krathong, a festival that occurs on the full moon of the 12^th month of the Thai Lunar Calendar. This is usually in November.

It’s super pretty, with thousands of candlelit floats on the lakes, but be aware that crowds will be high and to book ahead. It usually runs for around five days, so be prepared!

In 2026, Loy Krathong will be on November 25^th.

Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong lit up at night in the historic town of Sukhothai in northern Thailand. — Dinner view in Old Sukhothai

Where to Stay in Old Sukhothai

Our chosen hotel was called Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort.

It’s a mid-budget hotel which we thought was fantastic value for money, even in high season. Tucked away on the edge of Old Sukhothai, it’s a 20-minute walk or five-minute ride to the park entrance. The hotel has loads of bicycles to rent, too.

Our room was an individual raised bungalow with a little gate and veranda, comfy seats and traditional wooden décor. The rooms are distinctively Thai-styled and the mattresses are pretty soft (a serious rarity in rural Thailand).

The place is clean, we had hot showers without fail, no power cuts, a TV that worked, quiet evenings, no mosquitos, and loads of parking space right outside our bungalow. It’s pretty much everything we hoped for.

Also, the included breakfast is a smashing buffet with veggie and healthy options plus cooked-to-order eggs. The surrounding jungly gardens and cute cobbled alleys are amazingly well looked after, too, and the pool was always quiet and a great place to spend an afternoon. Also, the staff are so cute, helpful, and friendly.

We’d definitely book again.

If this hotel doesn’t suit you (although we think it would suit almost anyone), definitely choose somewhere in the same rough area – it’s so close to the central zone, making going there for sunrise super easy.

Our second choice was the Legendha Sukhothai. It has modern rooms, fantastic reviews, and a decent pool. It’s a bit more upmarket, I think.

Bedroom décor at the Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort near Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand. — Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort

Outside décor at the Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort in Thailand. — Thai Thai Sukhothai Resort

How to Get to Sukhothai Historical Park

There are lots of ways to get to Sukhothai, whether you are travelling from Bangkok or Chiang Mai.

Sukhothai is (sort of) on the train and road route between these two major cities, so if you are planning on travelling overland between them, it’s a great destination to cut the journey in half.

Thoughts: I’ve taken the day and sleeper trains between Bangkok and Chiang Mai a few times and, honestly, they’re really long, slow, bumpy, freezing, and a bit tedious (anyone saying otherwise is just romanticising it). The journey is definitely nicer if you cut in half.

For our trip, we chose to take a rental car from Bangkok. Driving in Thailand is my favourite way to get around. It’s super relaxing, easy going, and convenient. It’s also actually pretty budget friendly, too, if there’s more than one of you in your party.

From Bangkok

Bangkok is roughly 435 kilometres south of Sukhothai, a journey that takes around 6 hours by road.

Bus: there are buses directly to Sukhothai from Bangkok – these are available as both day and overnight options.

Car: we drove the journey in just over six hours and, honestly, it’s a nice route. The first half is on the major highways, which get noticeably quieter as you head north. The second half is through the various countryside and towns, where we saw an unreasonable number of enormous chicken statues. Driving in rural Thailand is a bit like Route 66 in the USA – there’s always something bizarre going on.

Train: the major train route between Bangkok and Chiang Mai stops at Phitsanulok, a large city around 70 kilometres east of the Historical Park. It’s easy to get a bus from Phitsanulok to Sukhothai Thani, then get over to the Historical Park from there. Multiple buses leave a day from Phitsanulok Bus Terminals 1 and 2, arriving into Sukhothai Bus Terminal. Tuktuks at the station will take you to Old Sukhothai. Alternatively local open air buses can be flagged down on the main road leading to Old Sukhothai.

Flight: Sukhothai does have an airport, so that’s technically an option, but for the price we wouldn’t advise it. It’s cheaper to fly to nearby Phitsanulok, mentioned above, and then get a taxi or bus across to Sukhothai. We’ve flown from this airport – it’s really nice and usually super empty!

From Chiang Mai

From Chiang Mai, Sukhothai is around 290 kilometres away by road.

Bus: as with Bangkok, there are various buses that run between Chiang Mai and Sukhothai.

Car: the drive is around a 4.5 hour drive from Chiang Mai and can include our favourite, Si Satchanalai Historical Park on route. The journey can also go via one of the very few, truly ethical elephant sanctuaries in Thailand: BLES – Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary. It can also pass through Lampang, too, which has some cool things to do, like the floating temples of Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn. Driving in northern Thailand is magnificent fun – definitely consider it.

Train: as mentioned above, the major train line from Chiang Mai to Bangkok goes via Phitsanulok, a substantial town near the Historical Park. Tickets can be purchased directly from the State Railway of Thailand. You’ll then have to make your way by bus or tuktuk, as per above.

Flights: it’s really not worth flying to Sukhothai from Chiang Mai – it’s so close and really not necessary.

Reflections in the early morning light of Wat Mahathat at Sukhothai historical Park, Thailand. — Early morning

Signs informing of the distances to various Wats within the ancient ruins of Sukhothai historical Park, Thailand. — Signs in the park

Sukhothai Photos and Photography Tips/Locations

So, we found Sukhothai Historical Park to be surprisingly photogenic.

Part of the appeal is the amazing lack of crowds everywhere, the unique architecture, and cool, flowing mist on the lakes first thing in the morning.

There are also the insane sunsets that reflect off the lakes in the park which made the entire world appear pinky-orange for about 20 minutes every evening while we were there (kind of had a Total Recall vibe, like we were on Mars).

Here are few spots that are definitely not worth skipping:

1. Early morning lake mist around Wat Traphang Ngoen.
2. Wat Saphan Hin – up the hill, later in the afternoon.
3. Wat Si Chum – the Buddha is so brutal and striking. I can’t really explain why I liked it so much.
4. Wat Sorasak – it has some cool embedded elephant statues that reminded me of Sri Lanka.
5. Wat Chetuphon and Wat Si Phichit Kirati Kanlayaram in the south. These areas are totally unvisited and, in some cases, really rural, overgrown, and hidden.
6. Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong (the Old Sukhothai town centre temple in the lake) – this is so pretty at night, seriously.
7. Monk alms – we don’t really enjoy the monk alms ceremonies put on for tourists (think Luang Prabang’s touristy nightmare), but it’s popular and we’d be remiss not to mention that it exists.

Check out our list of other incredible photography spots in Thailand if you’re visiting with a camera.

A tree reflected in the still early morning misty waters of Sukhothai Historical Park. — Early morning

The head and torso of the large Buddha statue in Wat Si Chum in the north zone of Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand. — Wat Si Chum

WANT TO TAKE A BETTER TRAVEL PHOTO?

There are three parts to travel photography –

⬩ Planning your trip
⬩ Taking the photo
⬩ Editing the end result

To get the highest quality, most sophisticated photos from your travels, you’ll need to perfect all three (plus a tiny bit of luck).

So, we’ve written a lot of country-specific guides about planning trips to various destinations, and also collated our absolute top tips for taking photos on location avoiding the rain would probably be our number one!). We’ve also written a dedicated post on how to take the best black and white travel photography. Check them out if you’re interested!

We also write about typical editing mistakes to avoid. To complement that, we’ve collated a more intermediate user’s guide to editing travel photography. This covers more elegant, advanced and refined skills, ones that will promote your photos to the centerpiece of anybody’s wall.
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Other Things to do Around Sukhothai

If you have a couple of hours after visiting the ancient ruins, there are a few things you can do around the area (most of which I’ve mentioned before).

Street art: there’s a nice little street full of some interesting three-dimensional art directly to the south of the town lake – search for ‘Sangkhalot Street of Art’. There’s a bunch of cute artsy-crafty down this way, too.

Pottery: there are specialist pottery spots along the art area – one particular place called Suthep Sanghlaok, which has a large pottery shop where you can paint your own ceramic products and watch the experts.

Visit the market: there is a very local market, Talad Wat Traphang Thong, right in the centre of the town. It’s a typical wet market with fresh made meals, sweet treats, veggies and meat.

Night market around the central lake/Wat: this is most touristy spot in Old Sukhothai, but also the easiest to manage if you don’t speak much Thai. There’s all sorts of food, even multiple choices for vegetarians.

Saturday Night Market: this once a week market is busy, hectic and sells all sorts of wares, like clothes, toys, and food. It’s a typical local market and we didn’t find it to be particularly remarkable, but if you’re around on the weekend, it’s worth a wander. It’s quite busy and loud!

Monk alms: this is an interesting one. There are big signs advertising participating in the monk alms around Saphan Boon Wat Traphang Thong. We’ve never seen this happen (anywhere) and not find it kind of awkward. In Sukhothai, the only tourists we saw taking part were on a coach tour (so had paid) and it all seemed a bit off (there is a photo above somewhere). It felt kind of like watching the monks perform for money. The thing is, you’ll see monks all over the town (and all over Thailand, especially in the rural north) going about their daily tasks anyway, so you don’t need to pay for a fake procession.

A lakeside bench with views of a stupa and bridge at Sukhothai Hsitorical Park, Thailand. — Take a seat

A food vendor set up opposite a 7-11 in Old Sukhothai. — Old Sukhothai

Extra Day: Si Satchanalai Historical Park

If you have an extra day, we’d super-highly recommend a trip north to Si Satchanalai Historical Park.

It’s a lesser-visited spot, but we have no idea why – the place is magnificent. The ruins there are more impressive than Sukhothai’s, in our opinion, and it just completely blew us away.

The park area felt a little smaller than Sukhothai but, despite this, it still reminded me of exploring some unknown mysterious Indiana Jones situation, traipsing up jungly hills (although it’s surprisingly accessible-friendly, too) with almost no other visitors. Don’t miss it if you have the chance to visit!

If you have a rental car, there are also a few other things to do in the area, like some random Khmer ruins in the gardens of a temple, small river villages, and some seriously offbeat stupas lost in the jungle.

It was one of our favourite random days out ever.

The main stupa at Wat Chang Lom in Si Satchanalai, with elephant statues surrounding the base perimeter. — Main stupa at Si Satchanalai

An example of Khmer influence at Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat Rajaworaviharn in the ancient ruins of Si satchanalai. — Some rogue Khmer ruins

An overgrown stupa in the jungles surrounding Si Satchanalai, covered in bushes and weeds. — Overgrown jungle stupa

Secure your overland travel around Thailand in advance

Sukhothai Google Map

Below is a Google Map describing all the spots we mention in this post.

To download it, select the star next to the title.

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Where to Next?

Sukhothai Historical Park is such an underrated gem. I mean, most people have heard about it, but few seem to make their way there.

The thing is, the entire area is lovely, the drive up was fun and our side trip to Si Satchanalai was incredible. We had a really fantastic time, and I hope you visit and do, too!

If you’re planning your trip around Thailand, we’ve written loads of Thailand stuff! Check out our immense first day in Bangkok post. It’s a great place to start.

Hi, thanks for visiting our blog! If our free content has been of help to you, or you’ve just enjoyed our random ramblings and musings, say thank you by buying us a coffee! It helps keep The Restless Beans blog up and running.

Thank you, Claire + Nick