Two nights in Sukhothai: exploring Thailand's first capital
There is no better place to channel your inner Indiana Jones
⏱️ Duration: Two nights.
📜 A Mini History Lesson: The first capital of Thailand founded in 1238.
🏨 Sleep & Savour: Cute hotels & night markets.
🗺️ Navigating Your Way: Sukhothai Historical Park.
🤯 What Blew Me Away: Wat Si Chum.
🤫 The Off Script Reality Check: The overwhelming sense of calm.
Sukhothai may not be as well known as Ayutthaya, the second capital of modern day Thailand. Being 443 kilometres from Bangkok (in contrast to Ayutthaya’s 80 kilometres) could have something to do with it. But don’t discount this gem just yet - after all, less tourists means less crowded right?
Sukhothai means “Dawn of Happiness”. Even its name is magical.
Whilst Bangkok may be the starting point for many, we rode the 290 kilometres from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai. Navigation put that at 4.5 hours, but I know better than to believe this. After leaving the stretch of highway behind, every kilometre through rice fields and small villages at sunset was worth it.
In this post I wanted to share with you our itinerary for Thailand’s first capital and hopefully inspire you to book that trip!
I chose a leisurely two nights for the duration of this trip because:
the first night is really for recovering from the motorbike ride (anyone sympathise with iron butt?)
the next day is devoted fully to exploring the Sukhothai Historical Park and night markets
after a night’s rest you and your legs should be feeling refreshed to make the journey back.
A mini history lesson
Founded in 1238, Sukhothai was Thailand’s capital for more than 140 years. It was widely celebrated as the birthplace of Thai art, language and culture. Today, what remains of that time is the nearly 200 ancient monuments and temples which can be found in the Historical Park.
Sleep & Savour
Expect quaint small hotels and small bungalows rather than high rises or resorts. Given that our objective was to explore the Historical Park (which really is the “main attraction”), it was important for us to stay in close proximity to it. We chose the Scent of Sukhothai Resort, made up of little wooden bungalows. It was spacious, had beautiful gardens, a pool (we did not get to try) and breakfast was as Thai as you can expect (think: home cooked food laid out on the veranda).
Sukhothai was where I fell in love… with Khao Perb. To say it was an instant obsession with this steamed rice batter wrapper filled with fresh vegetables, a fried egg and then served in a savoury, aromatic pork broth - would be an understatement. This culinary experience was further enhanced by eating my dinner on a “floor picnic” amongst the ruins: sitting on a woven bamboo mat on the pavement next to the stalls of the Sukhothai Weekend Night Market.
Although when in Sukhothai, you might want to try Sukhothai Noodles: rice noodles served in a savoury and sweet Tom Yum broth, topped with sliced red pork, minced pork, long beans, crushed peanuts and a squeeze of lime. For this and other Thai street food, head over to the Night Market (open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) on the main street. A particular favourite of mine is the lychee juice served from clay pots.
Navigating your way through the Historical Park
As our hotel was 1 kilometre from the Sukhothai Historical Park, we rented two bicycles (which were of a similar age to the ancient ruins) for 50 Thai Baht each. Asides from renting electric golf carts at the Historical Park, the only other two methods of getting around are walking (too hot!) or bicycle.
If you are tight on time, I would recommend purchasing the Central Zone ticket for 200 Thai Baht. You do get to see a lot of the park within this zone and Wat Sa Si is a fantastic place to watch the sunset.
In case you have the time and energy to explore further afield, there are two other zones, for which you can buy tickets at the respective entrances. My recommendation is that you try and fit in Wat Si Chum in the Northern Zone, although I wouldn’t suggest you go there on foot - the roads are safe but there are no pavements, which can sometimes make navigating them a little tricky.
Yes the park is huge. Did we have to be there at the crack of dawn to beat the crowds? Absolutely not. In fact, your ticket allows you to come and go as you please throughout the day - great for popping out to the 7Eleven across the road to buy a drink and cool down in the aircon. Whilst officially the park’s opening times are from 6.30am to 7.30pm, I found that if there are events going on (such as the weekend markets) then this closes at 9pm.
What blew me away
As one of the most iconic images associated with Thailand, Wat Si Chum is a must see. Located in the Northern Zone of the park, we hilariously got lost several times trying to find it. Nevertheless it was a pinch me moment to be facing the 15 metre high Buddha, which I had seen in so many photos and videos.
However, the real goosebumps showed up at Wat Si Sawai. With Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese influences, walking up to these three pagodas just as the sun was setting, with only the sound of the trees in the wind and the birds - was a moment that any Indiana Jones fan would relish.
The Off Script Reality Check
If you are new here, this is where I write about those aspects that they don’t tell you in the guide books.
What struck me about Sukhothai was how peaceful the park was. Often times, these sites can feel a little overwhelming with the amount of tourists - regardless of the time of day you go. Whilst of course I am one of them, I do like to explore as if I am the only person there. Beyond the lack of crowds, the atmosphere of this ancient city brings a sense of calm, particularly at sunset which proved the most magical time of day to be there.
Want to watch our Sukhothai trip?
Travel off-script with me
Great post, Sara! I like this new format. Well written, as always 👏