Sukhothai ancient ruins, Thailand

After reading about this place for so long, at last we made a trip to Sukhothai in early December 2012. We drove from bangkok to Chiangmai and spent a few days there before driving southwards to Sukhothai.

The drive was pleasant but the roads were very secluded and it passes hilly terrains and lots of jungle areas.

Most places in Thailand are crowded with people and Ayuthaya which is also an ancient capital of Thailand is no less. So imagine my pleasant surprise at how tranquil this place was. The surrounding town or more aptly described as village is very quaint. There were not many tourists and most of a large propertion are on a day trip and probably on the way to Chiangmai or Bangkok or maybe staying at the larger Phitsanulok city.

The ancient city of Sukhothai however, is much older than Ayuthaya and is about 800 years old and is almost the same age as the ruins of Angkor Wat. The city was ransacked by the Burmese and forcing the Thais to move the capital southwards.

One can obtain more information and resource on the place from the following sources :

- Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhothai_Kingdom

- Wikitravel http://wikitravel.org/en/Sukhothai

- Unesco World Heritage Site http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/574

One must not be hurried when visiting this place as the surrounding area is so peaceful and calming. A number of people just rent a bicycle from the numerous shops in the village or from hotels and take their time.

All tourist are required to purchase tickets from the site's office which goes to the maintenance of the place. However, their service is left much to be desired.

The place is made up a main complex and surrounding temples and sites. We went to the surrounding sites first as we wanted to drive around to have a feel of the area.

Plains surrounding the main complex

Smaller sites on the outskirt

When it starts to get dark though, one can feel the place turn a little eery but also strangely peaceful.

At the main complex, the ruins are in much better conditions and some still contains the statue of Buddha. However, due to much looting, a lot of the statues and ornaments are also missing.

 

There is a moat surrounding the main complex

The best time to cycle is early in the morning and in the late afternoon/evening. This is to avoid the heat during the mid day and early afternoon. 

At the village, there are a number of restaurant and bars serving cold drinks and food. Most of these are rather good too. The prices are also very reasonable.

Nothing beats a cold one after a day of exploring in the hot sun.

There were so many names to remember but due to the language, it is very difficult to do, so, I won't even attempt to do so. There is also a museum near to the office which is worth visting and it also provides a lot of information.

I think I will come here again in the near future and this time, probably hire a guide to provide us with more details.

Until the next time, cheers.