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Sukhothai

Sukhothai is divided into Old and New. Old Sukhothai is a former capital of Thailand from the 1300's and is now a huge historical park filled with old palace and ancient ruins, historical sights, moats a National Museum and limited accommodations. New Sukhothai is the nearby town that has the most facilities and accommodations for tourists as well as easy access to the historical park. Another option is to stay in Phitsanulok which is only 1 hour away. As the park area is quite vast, I recommend cutting down on the immense amount of walking you have to do here by renting a bicycles from one of the numerous rental places that are easily found in New and Old Sukhothai.

Sukhothai Historical Park: The park is divided into 5 zones: Central, North, East, South and West. The park is being restored by the Thailand Fine Arts Department with help from UNESCO. Palatial and temple ruins are interspersed amidst city walls, moats, canals and the dykes. Open daily 8:30-4:30. Admission fees are low.

The Central Zone: Just outside the North Gate you will find the Tourist Information Centre which is a good place to get your bearings and plan your route as they have a large model of the park. At the main enterance you can get a map. Within the city walls and ramparts are numerous ruins to explore. Wat Mahathat with its own moat is in the middle and one of the better places to see. The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum didn't have a great collection was a bit of a disappointment especially as it had a separate admission fee.

The Outer Zones: The outer zones cover a large area and can occupy a lot of time for those who are dedicated. The North Zone is the easiest to reach and has the best ruins. Two of the best are Wat Phra Phai Luang, near the Tourist Information Centre, and Wat Sri Chum, which has a large Buddha. The East Zone boasts some moats and Wats within walking distance of the main entrance. However, I recommend taking a bicycle and going to the West Zone. On a hilltop about 6 km from the main entrance is Wat Saphan Hin which offers a great view of Old Sukkhothai. If you are a real die-hard and need to see some more temples, head to the South Zone.

The Ramkhamhaeng National Park: To the South of Sukhothai lies this nicely appointed national park, offering great hiking for all skill levels. Take highway 101 south for 35 km and look for signs. Accommodations on site. Phone +66 2562 0760 to reserve.

Sawankha Woranayok National Museum: 38 Kms. from Sukhothai with a 2 kms. left turn, the museum puts on exhibition sculptures of different periods. Also on exhibition are ceramic wares of Sukhothai period and ceramic wares from shipwreck in the Gulf of Thailand. Open daily except Mondays, Tuesdays, and national holidays, from 9.00-16.00 hrs.

Loy Kratong: This festival is held annually on the evening of the full moon of the 12th lunar month in late October or early November at the Sukhothai Historical Park. This wonderfully beautiful festival is the Thai way of celebrating the end of the rainy season. Banana leaf rafts filled with incense, coins, a nail clipping and candles are set afloat. These rafts, or kratongs honour the goddess of water and are a way for Thais to cast off their troubles from the past year. Loi Kratong is rumoured to have begun in Sukhothai so it is a very special event here with lots of little glowing rafts floating along the ponds and moats.