Photo gallery: Sukhothai, Thailand's ancient capital

Wed, 02/22/2012 - 13:50 — Anonymous by Derrick Chang For many tourists,
Thailand's ancient history involves a day trip to Ayutthaya. They see a few
demolished ruins between the crowds of other tourists, and return to the
hotel thankful they got that out the way and can now go into R and R mode.
It's a shame they don't head further north to Sukhothai; it's still the
best place to experience a laidback glimpse of Thailand's pre-Bangkok days.
Sukhothai was the capital of Thailand from 1238 until 1438 and features the
Sukhothai Historical Park, which was unaffected by last year's
floods. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is filled with the ruins of royal
palaces, Buddhist temples and historical monuments. If you get there early
enough you'll enjoy the golden morning light and have the park to yourself,
which makes for an incredible photo opportunity. The best way to tour the
ruins in and outside the city walls is to rent a bicycle or a motorbike,
which also gives you a chance to see the scenic countryside surrounding the
old town. Bike rentals are available at the park gates. getting there Buses
depart from Bangkok's Mochit Bus station daily. The trip takes roughly
five-and-a-half hours. There are no direct trains to Sukhothai but you can
travel as far as Phitsanulok and then take a local bus to Sukhothai, which is
about 50 kilometers away. Bangkok Airways flies twice daily to Sukhothai in
the morning and afternoon. The flight takes approximately one hour. Sukhothai
is divided into the old and new towns, which are 12 kilometers apart. If you
want to get to the Sukhothai Historical Park early in the morning, it's
best to stay in the old town. A full range of hotels, resorts and guest
houses lies adjacent to the park. Public buses ferry guests between the old
and new town every 20 minutes.   read more