Sukhothai Historical Park: 700 Years of Thailand Legacy
First Time in Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai is a province that I’ve been wanting to visit for a very long time. It has a long and fascinating history, having once been a significant ancient capital with archaeological sites like Ayutthaya (if you love Ayutthaya, you’ll likely love Sukhothai).
However, for over 30 years, I haven’t visited Sukhothai even once is because it’s quite far from Bangkok, taking approximately 6 hours by car in a northerly direction. So, I cannot do a day trip.
Until this recent vacation, I planned to visit Chiang Mai and decided not to take a flight but rather embark on a road trip, pinning my dream attractions along the route that I’ve been wanting to visit.
700 Years of Thailand Legacy
Sukhothai Kingdom is the first capital city of Thailand, founded in 1238 (785 years ago). The golden age of the kingdom was in the 13th – 14th centuries. It was known for its art, architecture, and commitment to Buddhism.
During this era, Thai language was first created by King Ramkhamhaeng which was an adaptation of the Khmer script.
However, the Kingdom of Sukhothai gradually declined in the late 14th century due to internal conflict and the growth of the neighboring city, Ayutthaya.
Until it was incorporated into the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1350, leading to Ayutthaya becoming the second capital of Thailand for 417 years until its eventual destruction due to wars with Myanmar.
Therefore, the capital had to be relocated again to Thonburi.
Here’s a general overview of the capital cities of Thailand
- Sukhothai Kingdom: Founded in 1238, lasted until the mid-15th century (remained a big city but was not a capital since 1350)
- Ayutthaya Kingdom: Founded in 1350, lasted until 1767 (417 years)
- Thonburi Kingdom: Established in 1767 after the fall of Ayutthaya, lasted until 1782 (15 years)
- Rattanakosin Kingdom (Bangkok): Established as the capital in 1782 till the present day. (241 years and still counting)
Please note that these dates are approximate and can vary slightly based on historical interpretations and sources.
Exploring the Magnificence Ruins
I must say that Sukhothai Historical Park is a place worth visiting, even the beautiful ancient temples are similar to those in Ayutthaya. Most famous temples are closely situated within the same park. You can visit almost all of them in one go.
The park is perfect for cycling around, making it a pleasant and safe ride without worrying about heavy traffic or fast cars like in Ayutthaya.
If you don’t want to cycle, you can take the tram instead. But if you prefer convenience, you can rent a golf cart to drive around.
The park is quite large, approximately 2.5 square kilometers (or about 300 football fields in size), so it’s impossible to explore it all in one day on foot.
I rented a 4-seater golf cart because it’s very convenient, and there were four of us traveling together. The rental cost was 250 THB per hour, and we spent 2 hours exploring, which amounted to 500 THB for the rental.
Lastly, if anyone wants to take a road trip heading north, the roads are quite in good condition and easy to drive on, and offer beautiful views during the hilly sections.
However, it’s essential to plan the trip well since there are many beautiful places that foreign tourists may not be familiar with as they are not in famous cities.
Additional Information
- Park admission fee: foreigner 100 THB
- Tram ticket: foreigner 60 THB
- Bicycle rental: 40 THB + vehicle entry fee 10 THB
- Golf cart rental
- 2-seater: 150 THB/hour
- 4-seater: 250 THB/hour
- 6-seater: 350 THB/hour
- Open daily 6:30 – 19:30
- Every Saturday evening, there will be a food market inside Sukhothai Historical Park. The market is small because it’s not a big town. It’s advisable to arrive a bit early, around 6 PM.