Are you looking for the best things to do in Sukhothai? This post is just for you!
Located in the northern part of the country, this city is a magnificent and historically significant place.
Sukhothai has been nicknamed ‘the Dawn of Happiness’ thanks to its abundance of great activities and sights to explore. There are temples everywhere, many of which date back hundreds of years, and numerous parks and gardens filled with lush greenery. The city also has incredible markets where souvenirs and local delicacies can be found.
The best way to get around Sukhothai is by bicycle – it’s incredibly cheap and allows you to take in the city at your own pace. As you pedal around, stop at the Wat Mahathat temple complex – it’s one of the most iconic sights in the area, and it houses several religious structures built during the 13th century.
If culture isn’t your thing, don’t worry; Sukhothai also offers plenty of other activities. Visit one (or more!) of its famous night bazaars and sample some delicious street food while watching traditional Thai dancers perform onstage. And if you want to take a break from sightseeing, why not go kayaking down the river or spend a day at the nearby hot springs?
No matter your interests, there’s something for everyone in Sukhothai! So come along and experience a piece of history while taking advantage of all these once-in-a-lifetime experiences that this amazing city has to offer – you won’t regret it!
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Top 15 BEST Things to do in Sukhothai
Explore Si Satchanalai National Park
Pay a visit to Si Satchanalai to discover Thailand‘s early history. As in Sukhothai, there are remnants of temples, palaces, and houses.
The top three famous temples are Wat Phra Mahathat, Wat Chedi Jet Taew, and Wat Chang Lom. It’s worth visiting to get a fuller representation of this once-flourishing area and the country’s early kingdoms.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
Book this unique experience: Historical Park & Countryside Cycling Tour
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Shop at the Sukothai Saturday Night Market
Sukhothai rejoices in its Saturday evenings with the most energetic energy. You will get this market space every Saturday night to switch to a public concert or dance floor. You must explore this night market to get pleasure from great food at a reasonable cost. Most sellers are pleasant to customers, and it’s a great environment.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
Book this unique experience: 2.5-Hours Guided Countryside Sunset Bike Tour
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Take a Trip to Sukhothai Old City
This UNESCO World Heritage site is a tribute to Thailand’s storied and vibrant past. Almost 200 temples were excavated and partly reconstructed, offering tourists a look at what Thailand’s early capital might have been like.
This was the hold of Thai culture, and archaeologists have found the remnants of artistic and religious works that would delineate a society for centuries.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
Book this unique experience: Half-Day Countryside Bike Tour
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Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!
I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!
- Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
- Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
- Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
- SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
- GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
- My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
- Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.
Take a Day Trip to Si Satchanalai
The Si Satchanalai Historical Park is just an hour’s drive north of Sukhothai. The Park was established in 1250, and the “City of Good People” ruins are like a miniature Sukhothai Historical Park.
You’ll find impressive Buddha statues, temples, and the remains of city defenses meant to keep out Burmese invaders. The temple ruins are as spectacular as the ones in the Sukhothai Historical Park.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Visit Wat Traphang Ngoen
An island enclosed with lotus flowers in the Traphang Ngoen, or “Silver Lake,” lies the wonderfully stunning chedi of the Wat Traphang Ngoen and the proud columns from a larger wiharn. Mountains shape the background of the chedi, which holds statues of Buddha in its niches and is crowned by a lotus bud.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Top attractions to see in Sukhothai
Visit the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum
Learning about history is one of the most interesting things to do in Sukhothai. The museum provides an excellent outline of the progress of the Sukhothai style from the period of Khmer influence to the rise in fame of the Ayutthaya style. Mainly remarkable is a stepping Buddha (the best example of this kind). There are other statues and ceramic kilns in the museum garden.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?
Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!
The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.
I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.
Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.
Visit Sukhothai Historical Park
The 13th-century Sukhothai Historical Park features the early remnants of Sukhothai. The ruins are separated into five zones.
The design of the Sukhothai temples is epitomized in the great lotus bud, highlighting a tapered tower on a three-layered base. Watch the affluent architecture, like the bell-shaped Sinhalese and two-fold Srivijaya chedi.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Experience the Magic of Wat Si Chum
The real appeal of Wat Si Chum is glimpsing the 50-foot-tall Buddha statue through a uniformly tall slit at the entrance.
The fingers pointing downward have been rubbed with gold. Engraved slates along a corridor portray the life of Buddha. These artworks are considered to be the oldest examples of Thai drawing.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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See Khmer Architecture at Wat Si Sawai
Wat Si Sawai is poles apart from the rest of the temples in Sukhothai because it was initially a Hindu shrine. It’s also one of the oldest temples there.
Many statues of Hindu deities have been found in the area and are now on exhibit in the national museum. Wat Si Sawai was converted to a Buddhist temple sometime in the 14th century.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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What are my favorite travel must-haves?
As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!
- Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
- Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
- Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
- Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
- Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.
Explore Buddhist Temples like Wat Mahathat and Wat Saphan Hin
The Wat Saphan Hin Temple is located on a hill above the old city. There is a stone stage with a little square stupa and the Buddha sculptural remnants on the hill’s peak.
Similarly, Wat Mahathat is the Temple of the Great Relic and a standout amongst the most crucial temples of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. This temple is positioned on an island and contained an amazing number of auxiliary chedis and viharas.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Top things to experience in Sukhothai
Thai Traditional Massage
Traditional Thai massage is maybe the most renowned and helpful body revitalization treatment. With the ancient Thai methods, Thai Traditional Massage becomes an essential ritual of medical practice.
Treatment begins with the feet and slowly moves upwards towards the head. Elbows and knees are also used to perform specific manipulations.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Make Your Own Sangkalak Sukhothai Style Pottery
Sukhothai stoneware is the most eminent style of Thai ceramics. They’re strikingly stunning and make an implausible memento. Enjoy trying your hand at painting your ceramic dishes at Ganesha Gallery.
While your design won’t nearly as attractive as the local craftspeople, you will enjoy a lot of fun trying it. This fun experience is one thing you shouldn’t miss and must be added to your bucket list of things to do in Sukhothai.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Watch Goldsmiths Making Traditional Jewelry
Sukhothai is famous as a well-liked place to purchase gold and silver jewelry. Head to Somsamai Gold Shop to walk around the workshop and observe local artisans design traditional jewelry with solid gold. After your trip to the workroom, stop into the gift shop to take a treasure home.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Top food to eat in Sukhothai
Have a Conventional Thai Breakfast at Sukhothai Organic Farm
Sukhothai’s Organic Agriculture Project is a charming place for a traditional Thai breakfast. Enjoy local dishes made from the farm’s organic produce while viewing the orchids growing in the lilypad pond below the rice fields. If you’re feeling adventurous, the farmers invite guests to participate in traditional Thai farm activities too.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Try a Thai Dish at JayHae, Poo, or Tapui Restaurants
Jay Hae is a renowned restaurant in this area, and for you to have a genuine Sukhothai experience, try the Sukhothai noodles in addition to Pad Thai at this restaurant. It’s a rice noodle soup style, and you can also accompany your meals with Belgian beers at Poo restaurant at a reasonable price.
Where to stay in Sukhothai? Find great deals and book your hotel here!
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Planning to visit Thailand soon? Start here!
- How to plan your trip: A Step-by-Step Guide on Planning a Trip to Thailand
- When to visit Thailand: Find out here when to visit and plan your trip according to season
- Itinerary examples: 1-Week Itinerary, 2-weeks in Thailand Itinerary
- How much does it cost to travel Thailand? Read this guide on how to budget your trip!
- How to pack for Thailand? Read this guide to learn what to pack!
- Where to buy groceries in Thailand? Read this guide!
- How to get around Thailand? Read our transportation guide!
- List of places to visit in Thailand: Places to Visit in Thailand, Southern Thailand, Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, and Isaan
- Points of interest in Thailand: Things to do, Cities to Visit, Islands to Chill in, Best Beaches, Surfing Spots, Diving Spots, Best Hiking Destinations, Where to go Camping, Waterfalls to Chase, Temples to Visit, Romantic Destinations, Honeymoon Destinations, National Parks, Unique Experiences, Thai Cuisine, Fine-dining Experience, Attractions to Visit, Tourist Spots, Vacation Spots, Heritage Sites, Family Travel, Adventure Travel, Backpacking Experience, and Beautiful Resorts
- Cultural overview: Thai Customs, Culture and Traditions, Temple Etiquette, Tipping in Thailand, Things to Know Before Your Visit, What NOT To Do in Thailand, Facts about Thailand, Festivals in Thailand, How to Wai, Useful Thai Phrases, and How to Greet in Thai
- My Favorite Places in Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Lanta, Pattaya, Koh Samet, and Koh Samui
Where to stay in Sukhothai
Booking.comTours to do in Sukhothai
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