Sukhothai, a Sanskrit word meaning ‘the dawn of happiness’, was the first capital of a unified Siam from 1238 to 1376, and to visit the Sukhothai Historical Park is to be transported to another era.

Located 12km west of the new town of Sukhothai, the historical park sprawls over a large area and is best explored by bicycle so as not to disturb the rural peace.

Historical park highlights

Buddha images crafted during the Sukhothai era are considered to be the apogee of Thai art, and you can see some wonderful examples in the Ramkamhaeng National Museum before heading off to explore the main temple sites.

These include Wat Mahathat, Wat Sa Si, Wat Trepang Tong and Wat Sri Sawai, all within the central zone, while Wat Sri Chum, with its massive seated Buddha enclosed by close walls, is in the north zone and is one of the most photographed features of the park. If you are swept up by the spell of Sukhothai, you could spend days exploring monuments further afield.

Loy Krathong Festival