Sukhothai travel guide
Sukhothai - Thailand 60 km to the west from Phitsanulok, 40 thousand people, 1230, the ancient name is Sayam. The second most important medieval ruins of Thailand after Ayutthaya, and in the historical sense - the cradle of Thai civilization. This is evidenced by the ancient name of the city - Sayam (nothing else than Siam), given by the Khmer. Sukhothai (Sukhothai) was the first Thai principality in Thailand, the capital in 1238-1350. When the capital moved to Ayutthaya, Sukhothai remained independent for some time and was a hotbed of separatism — the patriarchal order reigned here and the discontented people fled from the capital. But after the fall of Angkor (1431), Sukhothai became part of Siam.
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Transport
There is no railway in Sukhothai, you need to go by bus from Bangkok (from the North Station, 7 hours, 110-200 baht) and Chiang Mai (5.5 hours, 200 baht). From Phitsanulok you can go by bus for 30 baht, they go every half hour. The road will pass through rice and cotton fields, lemon and mango groves. The bus arrives in New Town, from where songthao is constantly running to the ruins (15 minutes). The ruins occupy 70 square meters. km and visited by tourists since 1988. Almost all the buildings (stupas, buddhas, prangs) are dated to the XIII-XIV centuries. Most gusto is enclosed within the city walls (1300х1800 m, surrounded by earthen walls, you can, in principle, get around on foot). A card is sold near the entrance, and you must go over it. To the remote ruins will have to go on the side of the ship or tuk or take a bike for the day for 20 baht. It is easy to ride, no descents, all on the plain. Very lazy can take advantage of beige trams, making a circle on the main attractions for half an hour and 20 baht. You can buy a ticket for 40 baht, which gives you the right to visit the most interesting inside the walls, you can combine a ticket for 150 baht (all the ruins, plus Sisatchanalai, which will be discussed further).
Sights Sukhothai - Travel Guide
Inspection begins at the eastern gate of the city, where all transport stops. 100 meters from the entrance will be the very first Wat Trapang Thong (Wat Traphang Thong), standing on an island in the middle of a large pond. There remained a plate with the footprint of the Buddha (1390), which is revered in every way during the autumn of Leukratong. Then there will be the King Rama Kamkheng Museum - a white house with a flagpole. There is a terrain model, old pots, statues and photographs from the beginning of the 20th century, showing the abomination of desolation and the contrast with the current well-kept archaeological park. There is also a copy of the famous stone stele with inscriptions inscribed by the hand of this very Kamkheng (the first ever written monument of the Thai people), the original of which is kept in the National Museum of Bangkok.
Ruins of Vata Mahathat
The center of the exhibition is the ruins of Vata Mahathat (XIV century), the main temple of Sukhothai. He entered the complex of the royal palace, from which remained obscure ruins. Among them, in the XIX century, the stone stele of Rama Kamhenga was found by King Rama IV. From the vata itself there are a few small cadeks, two stupas, in the niches you can see all sorts of dancing figures. In general, it looks like ancient Greek ruins - the same columns stuck here and there, only at times between them Buddha. They are diverse - then sitting in the middle of the columns, then standing between the brick pillars. As a rule, all buddhas are initially white, but with black stains. And in some places and something brown can be found, which reinforces the similarities with the bruises. Different buddhas and in appearance. The small sculpture of a walking Buddha with its barefoot and meekness is generally somewhat parallel to the ruble images of Christ. It can be seen near the cotton wool Traphang Ngoen (Traphang Ngoen), behind the wool Mahathat. There is still a lotus pond on all sides. By the way, Rublev and the Sukhothai masters created their religious idols at about the same time ...
Chanasonkram
From Vata Mahathat, it is reasonable to turn right and look a few more wats further. This is, first of all, Chanasonkram (Wat Chana Songkhram) with a stupa in the Lankan style and near it a bronze monument to Rama Kamhengu. A handsome, purebred man sits on a throne and holds a stone tablet in front of him, preparing to write something on it. A little further away is Wat Sasi (Wat Sa-Si), a little more than remarkable, and Wat Santaphadeng (San-Ta-Pha-Daeng) with a lonely prang with a ladder. The furthest building in the northern part of the complex is Wat Sorasak (XV century).
If you take the southern direction (to the left) from Vata Makhathat, then you will soon come to the magnificent building with three prangs - this is Wat Sri Sawai, built in the 12th century by the Khmer from Angkor. This, in fact, the main ruins of Sukhothai and exhausted.
Wat Changlom (Wat Chang Lom)
The most interesting and easily accessible is Wat Changlom, located 1 km from the entrance to the park. This is a classic example of the decoration of the Sukhothai stupas, perfectly preserved. The whole point is that the chedi platform is decorated on the perimeter with 36 figures of elephants. The stupa is therefore very reminiscent of a petty-bourgeois buffet with Khrushchev's elephants. In general, the elephants around chedi are such a North Thai piece, besides Sukhothai where there are many more.
Saphanhin
On the opposite side, west of the city walls (3 km), is Wat Saphan Hin on a hill. Good for the fact that from the hill there is a view of all the Sukhothai disgrace already examined by a tourist. Nearby, there is also Wat Changrop (Wat Chang Rop) with elephants and an earthen dam, built in the 14th century and giving life to the lovely Praduang pond (Phra Ruang).
Praphailuang
If you leave Sukhothai through the northern gate, then after 150 m there will be Wat Praphayluang (Wat Phra Phai Luang), a remarkable four different Buddhas: standing, walking, sitting, lying. If you go out through the southern gate, there will soon be Wat Chetuphon, which is also with four Buddhas in different poses - apparently, for symmetry. But next to Praphailuang is an interesting Wat Sichum (Wat Si Chum) with a huge sitting Buddha, sandwiched with brick pillars. This not that grins, not that, on the contrary, is sad - you will not understand.
Sisatchanalai
Sisatchanalai (55 km to the north, Si Satchanalai) - the ruins, as it were, of the "second plan". Sisatchanalai in the XIV-XVI centuries had the status of the second city of the Sukhothai principality, was the center of pottery production and provided an important part of exports. Now the town is more famous for dried hazel nuts "sisamrong" and traditional hats. The territory is 10 times smaller than in Sukhothai, a total of 22 buildings, everything was restored much less carefully, and this is probably lovely. You can see the ruins by buying a combi ticket for 150 baht in Sukhothai and take a bus (runs every half hour). There are much less tourists here, but more greenery and more comfortable. The ruins themselves - a mini-version of Sukkot: brick walls, ditches, stupas with elephants. A good option of inspection is on elephants, which is especially convenient if you came together, because the elephant takes two passengers, not counting the driver who sits on his head. Half an hour are 100 baht. At the end you can climb the hill. Also of interest is the Museum of ancient pottery kilns in the village of Bankonoy (5 km to the north, Ban Ko Noi). They were excavated by archaeologists from the Australian Adelaide. In total, according to them, there were about 1,000 kilns along the banks of the Yom River. Furnaces are oval in shape and 7-8 meters wide. It is said that their presence refutes the hypothesis that the Thais have learned pottery from the Chinese.
Savankalok
Savankalok (40 km to the north, Sawankhalok) - in this village, located on the way to Sisatchanalai, is the Museum of Ancient Ceramics. There, of course, all sorts of pots and sculptures from various periods, including those raised from the bottom of the Gulf of Siam.
Kampangpet
Kampangpet (75 km to the south-west, Kamphang Phet) is a town on the Ping River, stands on the border of plains and mountains. There are also ruins, secondary in concept and almost repeating Sukhothai and Sisatchanalai. They are located east of the town (15 km). There are suspicions that in Sukhothai times this city arose on the ruins of the former Mona, founded in the X century.
Ramkamhaeng National Park
Ramkamkheng National Park (35 km to the south, Ramkhamhaeng) - otherwise called Khaoluang, located on the road to Kampangpet. Natural charms in the form of cliff-cliffs (up to 1200 m, with a good panorama of the surroundings) and waterfalls side by side with archaeological sites - scientists are all looking for remnants of medieval Sukhothai prosperity.
Sisatchanalai National Park
Sisatchanalai National Park (100 km to the north-west, Si Satchanalai) - not to be confused with the historical park of the same name! Here, the mountains with tropical jungles, near the central office of the park - a beautiful, but small Tatduan waterfall (Tat Duean). There are two caves (one with bats) and a hot spring. From the city can be reached by local bus.
