This list of the best places to see in Sukhothai It will help you prepare your trip to one of the most impressive places of the country of smiles, which we are sure, will complement perfectly with the rest of your route through Thailand.
Sometimes eclipsed by the places to see in Ayutthaya, much more accessible to be only 80 kilometers from Bangkok, Sukhothai is another of the places to visit in Thailand essential, which perfectly complements the visit to the first and offers you a much more vision Extensive history of this country.
Located 450 kilometers from Bangkok and about 300 kilometers from Chiang Mai, Sukhothai Historical Park is an archaeological site where, like Ayutthaya, many of the temples built between the 13th and 14th centuries are located, of which day we can only see its ruins, many of them very well preserved. Although initially visiting Sukhothai is usually off the beaten path in Thailand, as it is not very accessible by public transport, we recommend that if you have time, you will make a hole, as it is one of the most recommended tours in Thailand.
Although you can go and tour the places to see in Sukhothai For free, if you want to know more about the place and Thailand, it can be interesting to book this 5-day Circuit from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with a guide in Spanish.
Sukhothai
Based on the experience of the two times we have visited Sukhothai, during which we wrote the travel guide to Thailand, we have prepared this list of what we believe, are the things must do in Sukhothai. We start!
Places to see Sukhothai
With an area of 70 square kilometers, the Sukhothai Historical Park is divided into several areas, which we could establish in the temples located within the walled enclosure, which are about 15 and the temples located outside the walls, which are concentrated in 4 zones, north, south, east and west and are approximately 20.
Keep in mind that if your visit to Sukhothai is one day, it is quite complicated to see them all, so our recommendation is that you focus on the most famous of the walled area and the outside area, which is better to visit by bicycle or tuk tuk, and thus have a complete idea of the place.
All the temples to visit in Sukhothai It opens from 6:30 in the morning to 5:30 in the afternoon and on Saturdays until 9:30 at night, you can see them illuminated. If your visit coincides with this day of the week, it may be interesting to plan the day so that the evening can enjoy one of the illuminated temples.
As in Ayutthaya, there is no ticket for Sukhothai that includes a visit to all temples. In this case you will have to pay separate tickets, depending on the area in which you are (center, north, south, east, west) with a price of 100THB per person to access all the temples.
As we mentioned earlier, there are several ways to tour Sukhothai. We recommend you enjoy the walled area or downtown on foot, since the area is not very large and for the rest of the areas, opt for a bicycle or tuk tuk. The latter has a price of 200THB per hour of travel and 300 baths to go from the new city to Sukhothai to Sukhothai Historical Park.
200 baths tuktuk time Sukhothai
In case you do not want to walk the walled area, you also have the option of taking an electric train or a kind of electric motorcycle, with which you can tour the walled area.
A good route can start at 7:30 in the morning, visiting the temples of the central zone and north zone on foot, the latter is very close to the previous one, in about 4-5 hours and after eating in a restaurant of the area, rent a tuk tuk to make the remaining temples that are further away.
Keep in mind that the central or walled area is the most visited, especially by travelers who only have a few hours, since this is where the most famous temples are concentrated, so it is worth going to the most important ones soon If you want to visit without many people.
Sukhothai
1. Wat Mahathat
Located in the central part of the archaeological park, Wat Mahathat is considered the most important temple and one of the must-see places in Sukhothai. Built from 1292, this temple stands out for an impressive Buddha image of more than 9 meters and a central stupa surrounded by smaller stupas.
As we mentioned earlier, the price of the entrance to the temples is not unitary, but a full ticket must be paid for the area in which it is located.
Wat Mahathat, one of the places to see in Sukhothai
2. Wat Si Sawai
In the southern part of the central area is Wat Si Sawai, one of the oldest temples in Sukhothai, which more than by its dimensions stands out for its three incredible central prangs, which were built during the rule of the Khmer Empire and dedicated to gods Hindus for later, become a Buddhist temple.
Wat Si Sawai
3. Wat Sa Si
Another of the temples in the central area to see in Sukhothai is Wat Sa Si, a small temple completely surrounded by water and lotus flowers, which especially highlights the bridge that connects it to the mainland. In addition to this detail, special interest has its main chedi and know that this was specially built to store the ashes of a king.
Another of the things to do in Sukhothai is to enjoy the sunset and there is no better place to do it than in this temple, at which time the temple is reflected in the lake.
Wat Sa Si
4. Wat Si Chum, one of the places to see in Sukhothai
For us, one of the most impressive temples of Sukhothai and of course, an essential visit. Built during the 12th century, the original Buddha was completely restored after finding it completely shattered. Today this has become one of the most famous images of Sukhothai, which shows a 15-meter-high Buddha, which can be seen through an existing separation between two walls, which in turn serves as an entrance To the faithful.
Wat Si Chum
5. Wat Chana Songkhram
Also located in the central area of Sukhothai, this temple was built in the fourteenth century and has one of the most impressive chedis of the enclosure.
Our recommended hotel in SukhothaiOur recommended accommodation in Sukhothai is the Thai Thai Sukhothai Guesthouse, located in a somewhat hidden street of the ancient city, but only one kilometer from the Historical Park, which makes it a highly recommended option.
The rooms are located in terraced houses, with large dimensions and everything you need to enjoy a unique stay. They have a swimming pool, breakfast included in the room price and massage service, 250THB foot and leg massage of 1 hour, which is really memorable. Also the staff is extremely friendly and the wifi is very good.
If you want to stay in another area of Sukhothai or see more hotels, you can use this search engine to find the best hotel at the best price
6. Wat Saphan Hin
In the western part of the Sukhothai Historical Park, just outside the walled area, we find Wat Saphan Hin, the place where you can see an impressive Buddha 12 meters high, which few travelers arrive, both for being one of the farthest, as from the effort involved in reaching him, through a steep slope.
Despite this effort, we recommend you visit it, as it is one of the essential things to do in Sukhothai that will also allow you to know the farthest part of the park.
Wat Saphan Hin
8. More temples of Sukhothai
- Wat Traphang Ngoen
Located in the walled area, this is another of the places to see in Sukhothai and more if we consider that it is right next to Wat Mahathat, the most important and most famous temple of the archaeological park. Among other structures, the most remarkable is a stupa with lotus flower and an impressive sculpture of Buddha, located in a prayer room surrounded by columns.
Wat Traphang Ngoen
- Wat maechon
In the northern area, we recommend you to stop at Wat Maechon since, despite being a small temple, the Buddha on an elevated area is a real wonder. - Wat Phrapai Luang
In the northern part of Sukhothai Historical Park we find Wat Phrapai Luang, one of the most incredible temples but at the same time, more damaged, since many of the details of this incredible work of art, have been lost over time, although today you can still see some details and some scenes of Buddha. - Wat Khao Phra Bat Noi
Known for being the place where 4 Buddha footprints were found, in this temple you can see a pair of ruined chedis, which remember the temple that existed in the past. - Wat chetuphon
Located in the southern zone, this is another one of the places to see in Sukhothai that you can't miss According to several references, it is known that it began to be built around the year 1412, to later be restored. Especially highlights the main structure and the two Buddha images.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Sunset in Sukhothai
We know that one of the things to do in Sukhothai that attract many travelers, is none other than enjoying the sunset in one of its temples. If this is also your case, we recommend you to choose the area of Wat Sa Si, in the central area of the park, where if the day is clear, you can enjoy the reflection of the temple on the lake.
Watch sunset at Wat Sa Si, one of the things to do in Sukhothai
10. Restaurants in Sukhothai
One of the best things to do in Sukhothai, in addition to enjoying its temples, is to try the delicious Thai cuisine, in one of its most recommended restaurants. During our visit to the Historical Park, we tried several restaurants of which we left you a list of what were our favorite restaurants in the city:
- Pizza House by Somprasong guesthouse: Located in the new city, this pizzeria is the most recommended restaurant in Sukhothai. They make the pizzas in a wood oven and we have to say that although they do not reach the Italian ones, they are a super recommended option. The price of pizzas is around 200THB.
Pizza House by Somprasong guesthouse
- Say Hi Cafe: In the walled area of Sukhothai, in front of Wat Mahathat, this restaurant stands out, highlighting a very extensive menu, both of Thai and accidental dishes, as well as a pastry and coffee shop area.
We ordered a soup, breaded chicken and a fried rice sautéed with shrimp plus coconut juice, soda and two coffees for 337THB. All dishes excellent.
Important to know that you cannot pay by card only in cash.
Say Hi Cafe
How to have internet in Thailand?If you want to have internet in thailand a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.
How to go to Sukhothai
The first thing to keep in mind is that despite the distance that separates it from the most tourist areas of Thailand, going to Sukhothai is relatively easy from Bangkok or Chiang Mai and even from Ayutthaya.
- How to go from Bangkok to Sukhothai: From Bangkok you can go to Sukhothai by plane, train or bus being the most recommended option. In case of opting for the train you should go to Phitsanulok and there take a bus to Sukhothai.
If your option is the bus, you should go to Mo Chit station, north of Bangkok, from where buses leave for Sukhothai.
Book your transfer from Bangkok to Sukhothai here
- How to get from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai: 300 kilometers from Sukhothai, you can reach the Historical Park by plane, with a stopover in Bangkok or by bus, in a 5-hour journey.
Book your transfer from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai here
- How to get from Chiang Rai to Sukhothai: Located just over 400 kilometers from Sukhothai, you can get here by plane or by bus, approximately 8-9 hours.
Book your transfer from Chiang Rai to Sukhothai here
- How to get from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai: The best option is to opt for the bus that will take you directly from Ayuthayya to Sukhothai in a journey of approximately 6 hours.
You have two options:
1 class: with schedules 07:10, 09:30, 11:30, 13:00, 19:10, 20:30 and 21:40. The price is 310THB per person and takes 6 hours.
2 class: It leaves at 3:00 p.m., has a price of 234THB and takes 7 hours.
In our case the ticket could not be booked and that same day we went to the station and took it there.
Book your transfer from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai here
Another interesting option is to book this 5-day Circuit from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with a guide in Spanish, which includes a visit to Sukhothai on your tour.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 essential places to see in Sukhothai, add yours in the comments.
