The Sukhothai Historical Park Covers the ruins of Sukhothai, capital of the Sukhothai kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries, in what is now the north of Thailand. It is located near the modern city of Sukhothai, capital of the province with the same name.
The city walls form a rectangle about 2 km east-west by 1.6 km north-south. There are 193 ruins on 70 square kilometers of land. There is a gate in the centre of each wall. Inside are the remains of the royal palace and twenty-six temples, the largest being Wat Mahathat. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. The park sees thousands of visitors each year, who marvel at the ancient Buddha figures, palace buildings and ruined temples. The park is easily toured by bicycle or even on foot.
How to get there
Inside the park, tourists have the option to take private vehicles, bicycles or trams to move about.
With an abundance of preserved or restored temples (193 of them in fact) plus Buddha image stuccos, ruined brick pagodas and laterite viharn columns, there is plenty to see, admire and of course photograph. The Sukhothai park is located in the Si Satchanalai and Ramkhamhaeng National Parks which provide a lush backdrop to the majestic architecture.
The Lotus Village Hotel and Spa sits just 12km away on the edge of the River Yom in the heart of nearby New Sukhothai town.