Ancient History

After a wonderful five days of finding sand everywhere, getting sunburned (I never learn), and relaxing on the beach, I boarded the night ferry from Koh Tao to Surat Thani. This was very… interesting… The ferry was a cargo boat that had a giant room filled with bunks. It was a restless nights sleep to say the least. The company I booked with provided me with transportation from the dock to the airport and with that I took my first domestic flight to Bangkok. From there, I booked a bus to Sukhothai, roughly a 5-8 hour ride depending on the bus. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I missed my bus and caught the next one, arriving at my guesthouse in Sukhothai at 3 am. Bleh. 

(At Home Sukhothai)

I stayed at the At Home Sukhothai Guesthouse and was very impressed. It is a comfy and cozy little inn that the owner transformed from her childhood home. Breakfast was included, which was delicious, and had I known how HOT it would’ve been, I would have booked a room with aircon. It was ridiculously hot and I didn’t get a full night sleep the whole time I was there.

My first day there, I walked around a bit and found some great little eateries and met some neat expats! All older westerners hailing from Germany, Sweden, and Norway! They offered me beer, great conversation, and tips about the city. One such tip being not to bicycle around the UNESCO World Heritage site in the devil fire heat of the afternoon. Best tip ever. So I rented a motorbike and set off in the setting sun to check out part of the historical park.

I only had time to tour the Northern area of the park before it got dark, but this was one of my favorites! Wat Si Chum is the highlight of the north and it is magnificent! There is a GIANT Buddha enclosed in a small space and it was unreal! You have to pay a 100 Baht entrance fee to the northern part (mainly just to see Wat Si Chum) but since Old Sukhothai is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I didn’t mind. The North is a bit farther out of the way but most definitely worth a stop.    

(Wat si Chum)

After trying to sleep in a bit longer, very unsuccessfully I might add, I ate breakfast, filled up my water, and with selfie stick in hand, headed off to see the rest of the historical site! I spent the morning in the main part of the park. This part is so much easier to find and is enclosed in a fence, so you cant get too lost. Within this area are countless Wat, Stupas, Chedis, and Buddha statues! Let’s talk terminology for a second, it might be helpful…

Wat: a Buddhist temple in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos and typically is a large room enclosing a large image of Buddha.

Stupa: is a Sanskrit word (and can be found in all Asian cultures) meaning “heap” and is a mound-like structure containing various relics of monks and is a place used for meditation.

Chedi: an alternative word for a Buddhist stupa that is mainly only used in Thailand.

Soooo anyways… The main part of the park is a must see too! Once again, it’s a 100 baht entrance fee, and once again… UNESCO… so once you are in, take your time and enjoy walking, cycling, or driving around the park! Wat Mahathat is at the center of the main part of the park and is the spiritual center of Sukhothai. It is very much alive and visited by Buddhists to this day.

(One of the many temple complexes in the main part of the park)

There are so many structures that I felt like I was in a maze trying to navigate through them! All are unique are special in their own ways! At each location is a little sign telling you the name and history and showing pictures of what the original and restorations look like. As with anything, time weathered these amazing structures and some had to be restored. Most were fixed up quite nicely, but with others, it’s pretty obvious. Sad face.

There is also a Western and Easten park and once again you have to pay 100 baht to see them. But if you’re like me and get lost going down side roads, you can get in and around the park without paying! Hooray! No one will stop you and check to see if you have a ticket, so enjoy the ride.

(Time has faded them, but the details are still there!)

Sukhothai is Thailand’s own Angkor Wat and being built around the same time, it is easy to see the similarities between the two. Since I didn’t make it to Cambodia this time around, Sukhothai was a wonderful alternative to Angkor Wat. Also, if you’re coming from Bangkok and headed farther North, and want to experience some history, Sukhothai is the place to do it!