Sukhothai is a small city in Northern Thailand, about 217 km south of Chiang Mai. The city is famous for the ruins of the ancient city Sukhothai. The name of the city means "dawn of happiness". Planning a trip to Sukhothai in Thailand? This detailed Sukhothai travel guide with travel tips will help you discover the town and its best things to do.
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Things to do in Sukhothai
The town itself is not anything special and all the best things to do in Sukhothai are related to the historical park nearby.
Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai Historical Park is located about 12 kilometers from the new town. The historic town with related areas is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The historical park covers about 70 sq km, and the ruins of about 200 temples can be found in the area. The park contains ponds covered with lotus flowers and lots of greenery making it a very picturesque place.
You can find the ruins of various styles ancient temples in the historical park as some of the temples are pure Sukhothai style and others were just adapted into Buddhist temples and you can see strong Khmer influence in them.
Temples of Sukhothai Historical Park boast a big number of ancient Buddha images, with the largest of them measuring 15 meters high and 11 meters wide.
Check detailed guide to Sukhothai Historical Park and get inspired to visit this historical masterpiece of Thailand.
As the area of the historic park is large, the most popular way for exploring it is by bicycle. You can peddle along canals that zigzag by small communities and rice paddies on the Full-Day Historical Park Cycling Tour through Sukhothai Historical Park to the ancient capital. You can also combine the best of Sukhothai's sights on a full-day Historical Park & Countryside Cycling Tour.
Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
If you like knowing the history in details and a visit to museum is a must do for you, you should visit Ramkhamhaeng National Museum which is located in the historical park (just near the main entry to the central zone of the park). Most of the objects on display in the museum are from Sukhothai and other historic towns of the area.
Countryside
You can get a profound impression and really experience the beautiful countryside surrounding the city. Experience the village life, farming, and agricultural products by joining the Cycling Full Day Countryside Tour, which is packed with local activities such as visiting a local rice mill, a rice whisky distillery, smoked fish production, a mushroom farm, and many more, depending on the season. If your time is limited, you can choose a half-day or even shorter sunset countryside tour option instead.
Where to stay in Sukhothai
When looking for the best place to stay in Sukhothai, you can mainly choose from numerous affordable hotels in New Sukhothai and from better located accommodations in Old Sukhothai near the historical park.
Located nearby the historical park, Sawasdee Sukhothai Resort is one of the best-rated hotels in the area.
If you are looking for a budget accommodation that would be convenient for traveling by bus, check Rueangsrisiri Guesthouse 2 right next to the bus station. We've stayed at this guesthouse once, making a stopover in the city during the journey by bus from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.
To get the best deal on accommodation, make sure to compare hotel deals on Booking.com with often better special offers on Agoda.
How to get to Sukhothai
You have a few options for reaching Sukhothai, including traveling by air, by train, and by bus.
Flights to Sukhothai
The city has its own Sukhothai Airport (THS). The airport is located about 25 kilometers from the city. However, only Bangkok Airways operates flights from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. It's the most convenient but quite an expensive way to reach the ancient capital.
Flight deals on this route can be found here: Flights from Bangkok to Sukhothai Airport.
After arrival, you can enjoy the comfort and reliability of a private transfer from Sukhothai Airport to your accommodation in city center or old town.
Flying to Phitsanulok Airport (PHS) from Bangkok Don Mueang Airport with low-cost airlines and then taking a bus is a significantly cheaper option.
Flight deals on this route can be found here: Flights from Bangkok to Phitsanulok Airport.
The journey by bus can take about 1-1.5 hours. Bus tickets can be booked online here: Bus from Phitsanulok to Sukhothai.
Train to Sukhothai
Taking the northern line train from Bangkok or Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok and then taking a bus to Sukhothai is another popular option for reaching the ancient city. Trains to Phitsanulok depart from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok.
Train tickets can be booked here:
Train from Bangkok to Phitsanulok
Train from Chiang Mai to Phitsanulok
Bus tickets for reaching the ancient city can be booked online here: Bus from Phitsanulok to Sukhothai.
Bus to Sukhothai
Long-distance buses of various companies connect the bus station of New Sukhothai with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and all major cities in Thailand. Buses leave from Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok.
Bus tickets can be booked here: Bus from Bangkok to Sukhothai.
If you are going to travel there from Chiang Mai, you will need to take a bus from Chiang Mai Arcade 2 Bus Terminal.
Bus tickets can be booked here: Bus from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai.
Private transfer or tour
If you are staying in Chiang Mai and want to visit the ancient city without staying overnight in the area, you can actually choose Your Own Customized Sukhothai Heritage Tour and plan your own 12-hour tour from Chiang Mai by picking your favorite temples and palaces as your driver takes you around.
In case you are planning to stay in the area but just want to use the most comfortable way to get there from Chiang Mai, you can book a private car transfer from Chiang Mai.
Other transportation options
More transportation options for a trip can be found, and transport tickets can be booked by this search form.
Weather in Sukhothai
Between November and May the weather is mostly dry with little rain expected for much of this time. The dry season here is broken up into the periods of cool season (November to February) and hot season (March to May), when it is not unusual for the temperature to reach up to 40°C.
The wet season is from May to October. The rain usually comes in the form of short showers, lasting an hour or two. As the rainy season progresses, the rain can become heavier and more constant, traditionally reaching peak levels in August and September.
Destinations after Sukhothai
Chiang Mai, the largest city in Northern Thailand, is the most popular choice after visiting the area.
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the largest city in the country, with tons of things to do and see, so you can easily spend days or weeks there and not get bored.
Lamphun and Lampang are the places where you can spend a day in the less-crowded historical cities that are said to hold some of the best examples of Lanna-style architecture in the country. To get a chance to admire more ancient temples in another important historical site of Thailand, visit Ayutthaya and its ancient temple ruins.
