Our plan for today was to go visit the Sukhothai Kingdom ruins in the Sukhothai Historical Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhothai_Historical_Park). It is located about 12 Km west of Sukhothai Thani (New Sukhothai) and forms part of Sukhothai “Old Town”.

It’s pretty easy to get there from the EZ House; we just needed to catch the “Wooden Bus” across the road and they ran every 30 minutes. While we were waiting, we spotted the local variations on the tuk-tuk. There are people-hauler and cargo-hauler versions.

Sukhothai-style tuk-tuk. People-hauler version.

Another Sukhothai tuk-tuk.

Interior of a Sukhothai tuk-tuk.

Our Sukhothai Wooden Bus showed up shortly afterwards. It was 30 Baht each (about $1 USD) for the trip out to the Old Town. If tuk-tuks are so named because of the sound of their exhaust, the Wooden Buses should be known as, “Clack-clacks”; from the clacking noise of all their wooden parts creaking.

Sukhothai Wooden Bus.

Pretty basic interior; mostly of wood.

Driving through Sukhothai Old Town, we noticed quite a few guesthouses and a pretty good selection of restaurants; quite different from the travel review sites that gave us the distinct impression that there was a lack of both in the Old Town. The Wooden Bus dropped us off right in front of the park’s driveway… and directly across the road from a bicycle rental place. How convenient, as you really do need to rent a bicycle to be able to do the 70 acre site any justice. So, it was 30 Baht each for bike rental; and they even threw in a chain and a padlock. The park’s entrance fee was 100 Baht (plus 10 Baht for the bicycle) per person and included a map.  An audio-tour option was available for 150 Baht but we decided not to purchase it. Once we had our all-day passes (which allow in and out privileges to have lunch in the town), we simply rode into the park and started exploring. One note for us soft North American visitors; the park has free-to-use and clean toilet facilities but does not provide toilet paper. So, be forewarned and bring your own… just in case all that spicy Thai food has been catching up with your friend, the colon.

Northern side of Wat Mahathat.

Buddha and Chedi on east side of Wat Mahathat.

Chedi on eastern edge of Wat Mahathat.

Chedi through the ruins.

More Wat Mahathat ruins.

Main Buddha on east side of Wat Mahathat.

Man bathing in front of Chedi.

Giant standing Buddha on south side of Wat Mahathat.

Seated Buddha on south side of Wat Mahathat.

Seated Buddha.

Southern-most seated Buddha at Wat Mahathat.

Offerings in Buddha’s hand.

Buddha’s hand; with hint of old golden cladding.

Wat Mahathat ruins are vast.

Wat Si Sawai.

So hot the candles have melted.

Eastern side of Wat Si Sawai.

Details on Wat Si Sawai.

Pond to the west of Wat Mahathat.

Wat Sa Si.

Ta Pha Daeng Shrine.

Mobile street-food at the Sukhothai Historical Park.

This bell is rung by visitors to receive, “Good Blessings”.

King Ramkhamhaeng Monument.

Bags of live fish, turtles, and eels to purchase for releasing into ponds, for “Good Luck”.

Lotus blossoms in pond.

Trying to stay cool under a street-food tuk-tuk.

By this time, the sun was high in the sky… with the temperature and the humidity right up there with it. So, we called it a wrap. We found a nice Thai restaurant to have lunch in and then grabbed another Wooden Bus for the trip back to the EZ.

Our Wooden Bus back to the EZ.

Leaving Sukhothai Old Town.

Driver’s compartment of a Wooden Bus.

Nice view of the exhaust pipe and road through the floor-boards.

The Wooden Bus dropped us off right in front of the EZ House. Having visited this area with the express purpose of seeing the ruins in Old Town, we would definitely recommend that those contemplating a visit for the same reason stay at a guesthouse right in Old Town. Contrary to the guidebooks, there are quite a number of choices regarding both lodging and food. And because you’re already in Old Town, you’re only a short walk away from the ruins… especially convenient if you plan on seeing the ruins under floodlights at night. And if you’re one of the “party-hardy-types”; there might not be much for you in New Sukhothai in the way of night-life. Many of the restaurants within easy walking distance of the EZ close up by around 8 PM; most of the rest closing by 10 PM. In our wanderings, the only bar we found catering to a western party-crowd was, the “Chopper Bar”, located just off the main drag.