Must-see attractions in Sukhothai Province

The Sukhothai Historical Park ruins are one of Thailand’s most impressive World Heritage sites. The park includes the remains of 21 historical sites and…

The ruins of the old cities of Si Satchanalai and Chaliang date from the 13th to 15th centuries. Located 50km north of Sukhothai and set among hills, they…

The western zone of Sukhothai Historical Park, at its furthest extent 2km west of the old city walls, is the most expansive. In addition to Wat Saphan Hin…

This is the historical park’s main zone and home to what are arguably some of the park’s most impressive ruins. On Saturday night much of the central…

The northern zone of Sukhothai Historical Park, 500m north of the old city walls, is easily reached by bicycle.

This wát is located on the crest of a hill that rises about 200m above the plain. Its name means ‘stone bridge’ – a reference to the slate path and…

Completed in the 13th century, the largest wát in Sukhothai is surrounded by brick walls (206m long and 200m wide) and a moat that is believed to…

This wát contains an impressive mon·dòp (small, square, spired building) with a 15m brick-and-stucco seated Buddha. This Buddha’s elegant, tapered fingers…

This small but comprehensive museum is an excellent introduction to ancient Sukhothai’s most famous product and export, its ceramics. The ground floor…

South of Wat Chedi Jet Thaew, this chedi is Sinhalese in style and was built in the 15th or 16th century, a bit later than the other monuments at Si…

The central attraction here is a large Khmer-style tower similar to later towers built in Lopburi and probably constructed during the reign of Khmer King…

Located 8km from the village of Baan Tuek in Sukhothai Province, this brilliant elephant sanctuary allows guests to observe 12 rescued and former working…

On the hill overlooking Wat Chang Lom are the remains of Wat Khao Phanom Phloeng, including a chedi, a large seated Buddha and stone columns that once…

These ruins consist of a large laterite chedi (dating to 1448–88) between two wí·hăhn. One of the wí·hăhn holds a large seated Sukhothai Buddha image, a…

In Sawankhalok town, near Wat Sawankhalam on the western riverbank, this state-sponsored museum houses an impressive collection of 12th- to 15th-century…

Next to Wat Chang Lom, these ruins contain seven rows of chedi, the largest of which is a copy of one at Wat Mahathat in Sukhothai. An interesting brick…

This fine temple, marking the centre of the old city of Si Satchanalai, has elephants surrounding a bell-shaped chedi (stupa) that is somewhat better…

Located 1.4km south of the old city walls, this temple once held a four-sided mon·dòp (a chedi-like spire) featuring the four classic poses of the Buddha …

Wat Sa Si sits on an island west of the bronze monument of King Ramkhamhaeng (the third Sukhothai king). It’s a simple, classic Sukhothai-style wát…

This somewhat isolated wát features three 12th-century Khmer-style towers, bigger than those at Wat Si Sawai in the central zone. This may have been the…