Sukhotai

What is there to see in Sukhothai? Well, before answering that question, the first thing we have to do is get there.

HOW TO GET TO SUKHOTAI FROM BANGKOK

Before we focus on what to see in Sukhothai, we have to get there first. My favorite option is to take a VIP bus from Mo Chit Station (475 baht as of October 2026), north of Bangkok. The trip takes about 7–8 hours. The bus’s final stop is Old Sukhothai (the town where the park is located), and just before that, it stops in New Sukhothai (about 12 km away).

If you've decided to stop in New Sukhothai, the bus station is a bit far from the center, but there's a motorcycle taxi stand (and a few tuk-tuks) right at the station. The ride by motorcycle taxi to the center shouldn't cost more than 40 baht. If you've decided to stay in Old Sukhothai, the town is so small that you can walk practically anywhere.

If you're planning to continue your trip from here (or return to Bangkok), here are some photos showing the different destinations and schedules from the New Sukhothai bus station:

WHERE TO STAY: NEW SUKHOTAI OR OLD SUKHOTAI?

We've arrived. Step two: Where should we stay?

My advice: it's more convenient to stay at a guesthouse in Old Sukhothai than in New Sukhothai. The latter town has the dubious distinction of being the most boring place I visited in Thailand, and starting at 6:00 p.m. in the winter, everything closed except for the ever-reliable 7-Eleven. If you’re on a tighter budget, it’s definitely worth staying in New Sukhothai, where room rates were significantly cheaper.

If you’ve decided to stay in New Sukhothai and are heading to the park, previously (in 2014) there were plenty of public buses available (25–30 minutes, 35 TBH) that stopped on the main avenue (almost across from the 7-Eleven) or tuk-tuks (about 15 minutes, 75 TBH). Nowadays (October 2026), the hostel owner told me that there are no longer any public buses going there—only taxis or tuk-tuks. A taxi (or Grab) ride there costs about 110 baht.

It's a shame they don't let you take the bus anymore, because the trip back in 2014 was fun: you basically rode with students from the surrounding schools on the school bus that ran along the main road.

OLD SUKHOTAI: WAT TRAPHANGTHONG

Just before you reach the park's ticket office (located at the roundabout at its eastern end), you'll come across this beautiful bridge that leads you into Wat Traphangthong

Not only is a stroll through this temple a truly pleasant experience (it’s full of well-manicured lawns, which is quite unusual in Thailand), but it’s also a well-known site in Thailand because it houses a replica of the Buddha’s footprint (if you’ve been to Bangkok to see the enormous reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, it will look familiar to you).

You might wonder why part of the Buddha statue has little pieces of gold stuck to it. In both Thailand and Myanmar, there is a custom of buying “gold leaf” with a tiny bit of gold attached and rubbing it on statues they consider sacred, so that the gold sticks to them.

If you're an early riser (6:20 AM), you can join in the offering of food to the Buddhist monks on the bridge shown in the photo—a really lovely experience if you've never done it before

WHAT TO SEE IN SUKHOTAI: EXPLORING THE PARK'S AREAS

Okay, so you've made it here and you're wondering: How do I visit the park? I'll tell you the first thing you'll do when you get to the park entrance: you're going to rent a bicycle The park is a very large complex, and it's impossible to explore it on foot (the central area alone must be about 4–5 km²). There are several rental stands right at the entrance. There are whole herds of bikes waiting for you, and for 30 baht, you can rent one until 5:00 p.m.

There are 4 areas or zones to visit: the central one (which includes the walled enclosure) and the other 3 located to the north, south, and west, respectively. Here is a map (and their website: http://virtualhistoricalpark.finearts.go.th/sukhothai/index.php/en/)

Central Zone

What are the must-see sights in Sukhothai? Well, the central area.

It is the largest complex and the one that includes the most important temples. Admission is 120 baht (plus another 10 if you bring your bike), although you can also purchase a combined ticket to see all the areas for 400 baht. It’s a very large area full of lawns, and it’s a pleasure to explore it by bike, though electric carts and a sort of tram (also electric) that travels through the points of interest are also available.

This area is dominated by the most important structure in the entire complex: the Wat Mahathat, built to house relics believed to belong to Buddha, which were brought from Sri Lanka to Sukhothai.

Here we find the best example of an architectural style that will be repeated over and over again throughout the entire park: the chedis or structures shaped like lotus flowers topped by a long spire.

There are several temples in this area, all with the same layout: a rectangular structure with columns on both sides and a Buddha seated in the lotus position in the center.

It’s not just Westerners here in Sukhothai; there are also many Thais who continue to worship here in the late afternoon (the park stays open until 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays), once the hordes of tourists have left. Silence and the scent of incense then take over the grounds, and it’s best not to disturb anyone and to leave.

You should set aside a couple of hours for the central area if you’re cycling at a good pace and want to see more or less all the structures; inside, you can also buy water and a souvenir or amulet near the statue of King Khamhaeng (north of Wat Mahathat).

North Area

In my opinion, the second-best area is the northern part, which includes Wat Phra Thai Luang and Wat Si Chum as its most important sites. You can access both by paying 120 baht at either ticket office, and the ticket is valid for visiting both.

It's about a 10-minute bike ride. I pedal along, enjoying the scenery and the solitude. There are no tourists (!). The only sound I hear is the creaking of my bike's rusty chain. First, we come across the Wat Phra Phai Luang. There’s no Chedi-style architecture here, but rather Khmer-style towers like the ones you can see at Angkor, evidence of this empire’s presence in a period preceding the temples of the central region

And now for the grand prize: the Wat Si Chum and its giant Buddha!

As you get closer, you start to see lots of tourists and little stalls, and you know there’s “something” over there… We make our way through a narrow passage that leads to the main area of the temple and….

But the best part is the hand: people are constantly rubbing and touching it—supposedly it brings good luck or something like that… Good thing Buddha was peaceful and didn't start slapping anyone around, or else…

I leave the temple and see some tourists holding a cage with a pigeon inside. They open the cage, and the pigeon flies away amid general excitement. Later, at the hostel, they explain to us that the vendors at the little stalls catch the pigeons and then offer tourists the chance to set them free in exchange for money, as if it were a game. It seems that the poor pigeons can be kept locked up for days in those cramped cages… The truth is that in Thailand, some unscrupulous people mistreat all kinds of animals: tigers, elephants, pigeons… It’s a shame.

If you continue biking west from Wat Si Chum toward the mountain, you'll eventually come across the Wat Saphan Hin. It seems that the name of this temple means “Stone Bridge”… I wonder why?

“It looks promising!” Big mistake. There's nothing up there. Just four haphazardly placed ruins and a bored little Buddha….

South Area

Let's continue our bike ride, exploring the sights of Sukhothai. Exit through the South Gate and head to the Wat Chetuphon, passing through the outskirts of Sukhothai. It is believed that there were once four enormous Buddha statues in various poses (sitting, reclining, standing, and walking), but today only two remain (the one in the photo, which is walking, and the one on the other side, which is standing).

The truth is, there wasn't much further south, so you're better off heading to the western part of the park, where there are plenty of things to enjoy

West Zone

If you enjoy biking through rice paddies, taking in nature and wildlife, and visiting hidden temples off the beaten path, you'll love the road that starts at the park's West Gate and winds its way into the mountains.

Here's a map of the places closest to the western part of the park—though you can always keep biking up the mountain until you get bored.

For recommended stops, be sure to check out the ones that are close together Wat Pai Phai y Wat Si Thon to photograph their chedis with reliefs of baby elephants…

…or along the peaceful Wat Mangkorn with its beautiful tree decorated with figurines, set up like an altar

You can keep biking further west, toward the mountains, but the road gets steeper and steeper, and with the bike you rented, the climb isn't going to be pleasant… Well, anyway, I think I've answered the question of what to do in Sukhothai well; I hope you enjoyed it 🙂

If you liked this post or have more information to add, let me know in the comments!

And if you want to know more about Thailand: https://999millas.net/category/paises/tailandia/

Texto y fotos : Mike !