Muang Boran, translated "Ancient City", is a museum park in Thailand located in Samut Prakan, just outside of Bangkok. This is not an amusement park, but instead is a real-life open-air museum where the most famous monuments of the country are replicated.
Thailand: Ancient City of Sukhothai
Thailand’s ancient capital, established in the early 13th century, Sukhothai is located 427km north of Bangkok, and literally means “Dawn of Happiness.” For 120 years Sukhothai was ruled by many kings, the most famous being King Ramkhamhaeng the Great.
Today was going to be our big day of exploration of the ancient treasures of Sukhothai. In Ayutthaya, we had taken a guided tour, but things looked a lot easier to navigate here, so we decided to do our own thing and take one of the hotel’s bicycles for a ride.
We set off to find the first location on our list, Wat Si Chum. It was a little way away from the main Historical Park, outside the walled part of the city. The map was easy to follow, except we initially ended up in the wrong place, outside a small temple. There was a young monk there patiently sitting, contemplating life, and wondering why the foreigners were actually at this temple. To cover our error, I took some photos to make it look like we’d intended to come here all along. We hopped back on our bikes and cycled a few hundred yards to the temple we’d actually come to visit.
Wat Si Chum
Parking up our bikes we made our way towards the mondop, which is a building form in traditional Thai religious architecture featuring a square or cruciform building with a usually pointed roof. The sight of a tour bus full of tourists pulling into the car park made us hurry up our steps.
Built in the 13th century, Wat Si Chum temple is known for its mondop with a large image of the Buddha partly visible from the outside. The name of the temple translates to “temple of the Bodhi tree”. Bodhi trees are found in many temples around Thailand because it was a Bodhi tree that the Buddha meditated under when reaching enlightenment.
An ancient stone inscription found in the mondop of the Wat Si Chum gives information about the founding of the Sukhothai Kingdom.
This site has two main features, a mondop and a viharn.
The roofless mondop building enshrines a huge Sukhothai-style Buddha image named Phra Achana, which translates to “He who is not frightened”. The brick-stuccoed image is in the Subduing Mara mudra, also known as Bhumisparsha or “calling the Earth to witness”. The Phra Achana is the largest Buddha image in Sukhothai measuring 15 metres high and 11 metres wide. The Sukhothai style image wearing a serene facial expression occupies the total space of the mondop’s interior. At the centre of the mondop is an opening diminishing in size towards the top through which the image can be seen from the outside.
The right hand of the Buddha image is covered with gold leaf, put on there by Buddhist devotees who come to pay their respect to the Buddha. The image was restored by the Thai Fine Arts Department in the 1950s.
The viharn or assembly hall, which is right next to the mondop, is a ruin with just the base and rows of pillars remaining.
We successfully managed to do all the exploring of Wat Si Chum before the groups of tourists descended upon us.
Wat Saphan Hin
It was a little way to the next site, and we needed to get some refreshments before making our way there. We passed by a small roadside café, which was also a cat café. It called our name, so we pulled in for an iced coffee. The café itself was open to the elements, so the cats, all 26 of them, were contained in a large room that was surrounded by wire to keep them in. It was all very cute.
As we were leaving the lady who ran the coffee shop pointed to our next destination, Wat Saphan Hin, which seemed quite a distance away for our single-gear bicycles. So, off we went. About a kilometre down the road, we came to a turning in the Historical Park. We paid our entry fee and went off to look at the map. As we stood there we were joined by another lady on a bicycle, who turned out to be British. This was Sarah Fuller, an amiable and talkative, dietician who worked for the National Health Service. She joined us for the rest of our cycle around this part of the historic park. She and Karen talked the whole way around.
A little way down the road we reached Wat Saphan Hill, which is a small temple on a hill facing old Sukhothai town. It was a steep climb to the 200-metre summit where the temple sits.
The temple is known for its 12-metre-tall standing Buddha image, known as Phra Attharot, overlooking the plains. The image is in the Abhaya mudra, the gesture of dispelling fear. Wat Saphan Hin translates to “temple of the stone bridge”. It is named after the path of slate stones that leads to the temple. Although it takes some effort to climb the way to the top, there are great views of the surrounding area.
The image stands in the remains of a viharn or assembly hall that also enshrines a much smaller seated image of the Buddha in the “Calling the Earth to Witness” mudra.
The path back down the hill was trickier than on the way up.
We hopped on our bikes and continued along the road, stopping to look at the odd temple here and there.
Historic Park
Eventually, our road led back to the main area of the Historic Park. Sarah had already been to this part of the park, so she went her own way, whilst we headed into the Park.
Situated in the lower northern region of present-day Thailand, the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns is a serial property consisting of three physically closely related ancient towns. Sukhothai was the political and administrative capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 15th centuries. Under royal patronage, Buddhism flourished, and many impressive monasteries were constructed of brick covered with carved stucco.
The Kingdom of Sukhothai is accredited with the invention and development of many of the unique identifying characteristics of Siamese (Thai) culture, many of them attributed directly to the kingdom’s most famous and beloved King Ramkhamhaeng, who is considered the Founding Father of the Thai Nation.
Sukhothai was a unique state in terms of political and administrative systems which were remarkably egalitarian for the time, based on patron-client relationships, powerful social and religious institutions, and codified laws. The kingdom’s diverse economic system was based on agricultural production but also depended heavily on industrial exports, especially of high-quality ceramics. Together, these features made Sukhothai a prosperous time and place, known in Thai history as a Golden Age and “The Happiness of Thai” or “The Dawn of Happiness.”
The ruins in the Sukhothai Historic Park are not as impressive as those we saw in Ayutthaya, but in the context of the setting, they were nonetheless outstandingly beautiful. We spent about ninety minutes looking around the main temple area, taking plenty of photographs.
By the time we were done, it was the middle of the day and getting very toasty. So, we decided to head back to the hotel to rest up and take advantage of the air conditioning.
Historic Park – at sunset
Later in the afternoon we took the bikes and rode back to the Historical Park to watch the sunset over the temple ruins. On the way there were took a slight detour to another temple, which had stone elephant statues around its base – some of which were damaged, but some were in decent condition. Whilst we walked around, we could see that something was being set up for a big event, and they were testing the sound system. Karen wanted to go and see what it was all about, but we still had to get to the Historic Park to watch the sunset.
We made it in good time for sunset.
It was stunning to see the sun go down, casting a soft, warm light over the red bricks and volcanic rocks of these ancient temples.
Once we were done, we made our way across to the night market to get some dinner. We took our food and found a wall to sit down, and watch darkness fall over the lake.
It had been a fabulous day, and we felt very content as we cycled back to the Sawasdee Sukhothai Resort.
Despite the physical effort of today, we didn’t get a great night’s sleep. The event we’d seen being set up earlier was a local boy’s coming-of-age party. The music was loud and went on into the night. This was compounded by a local monastery, with a new head monk, with music and chanting starting in the early hours of the morning.
Planning your visit to Sukhothai
Information about Sukhothai Historical Park
Website: https://www.finearts.go.th/sukhothaihistoricalpark/
Operating hours: daily from 6.30 am to 7.30 pm
Fees:
- Park admission fee: foreigner 100 THB.
- Tram ticket: foreigner 60 THB.
- Bicycle rental: 40 THB + vehicle entry fee 10 THB.
- Golf cart rental. 2-seater: 150 THB/hour
Getting to Sukhothai
Train
There are no railway stations at Sukhothai. The nearest one is located in the town of Phitsanulok which is one hour (59km) by bus to Sukhothai. Trains leave 7 times daily from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong railway station to Phitsanulok with the first train departing at 05.50 and the last at 19.30. The train journey from Bangkok to Phitsanulok takes 7 hours.
Bus
From/to Bangkok: Bangkok’s northern bus terminal (Mo Chit) runs multiple buses to Sukhothai daily between 07.00 to 23.00. Prices start at 500 baht and go all the way up to 600 baht. Journey time is about 7 hours arriving at Sukhothai’s new bus terminal. Return journeys are much the same departing from Sukhothai’s new bus terminal and from the old city near the park’s gates where you will find a ticket office. From/to Chiang Mai: Buses again run all day between Chiang Mai and Sukhothai from 07.00 to midnight. Fares start at 400 baht upwards. Journey time is about 4-5 hours.
Air
It’s a short plane ride from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport and Don Mueang to Sukhothai’s airport with two flights on average by two airlines everyday. Nok Airways is Thailand’s budget carrier and offers flights for around USD $80+ departing from Don Mueang taking around 2.5 hours. However, do watch out for Nok Air’s additional charges like baggage which adds up the fare. Bangkok Airways offers flights for about USD$99 departing from Suvarnabhumi and taking only 1.20 hours.
The best time to visit Sukhothai
Sukhothai in Thailand is characterized by a tropical wet and dry climate, defined in the Köppen climate classification as ‘Aw’. This is a predominant climate typified by defined dry and wet seasons, high temperatures throughout the year, and a geographical position close to the equator. The climate here is essentially influenced by the presence of the monsoons. This tropical climate governs the weather patterns of Sukhothai with a clear distinction between the dry and wet periods.
The weather begins to heat up from February until May, with average high temperatures ranging from 32°C to a peak of 38°C. Nights during these months also remain warm with lows ranging from 17°C to 25°C. The annual peak in rainfall occurs in September with 243mm expected over 18 days. Rainfall is significantly low in the dry season, dropping to just 5mm in December.
Having 5 hours of sunlight a day in August is a unique weather trend, coinciding with heavy rainfall as monsoon sets in. The city gets plenty of daylight, between 11.1 hours in December to 13.1 hours in June. The UV Index is generally high throughout the year, peaking at 12 from March to September, indicating a very high potential for skin damage without sun protection.
The best time to visit Sukhothai
The ideal time to tour Sukhothai is from November to February when the weather is relatively cooler and mostly dry. Average high temperatures range from 31°C to 33°C, and lows range from 18°C to 25°C. Throughout this period, rainfall decreases with a minimal fall recorded at 5mm in December over just one day. These months are characterized by 8 to 9 hours of sunshine per day, allowing tourists to explore the city’s beauty comfortably.
The worst time to visit Sukhothai
Travellers might want to avoid the peak wet months from July to October. During these months, rainfall augments significantly, reaching a peak of 243mm in September over a period of 18 days. Higher rainfall means a higher chance of disruption to outdoor activities. Concurrently, the amount of sunshine per day decreases to 5 hours from July to September.
Where to stay in Sukhothai
1. MID-RANGE – SAWASDEE SUKHOTHAI RESORT
We stopped for a couple of nights and it was a very pleasant stay. It was a nice and quiet place in the countryside but not too far away from the old city.
We loved the spacious individual bungalows with private decks. Lovely property and spacious rooms.
Breakfast was great with plenty of options for vegetarians.
The staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. The lady owner Jeab was so nice, friendly, helpful and informative. She even organised with her hubby to get tickets to a local football game.
It was a little off the beaten track but they did have bicycles for hire. They can also organise a tuk-tuk to take you around the city.
2. LUXURY – SRIWILAI SUKHOTHAI
Located 1.1 mi away from Sukhothai Historical Park, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Sriwilai Sukhothai offers local experience surrounded by lush greenery landscape and adjacent to Wat Chedi Sung. There is an infinity pool providing a calm space and a spa to suit all guests’ needs. Delectable Western and authentic local Sukhothai dishes are served at the on-site restaurant. Free WiFi is accessible throughout the property and private parking is available, free of charge.
Rooms are decorated with handmade crafts. Each suite and deluxe room feature a private balcony overlooking endless rice fields.
3. BUDGET – DORM OF HAPINESS
Located in Sukhothai, 1.1 miles from Sukhothai Historical Park, Dorm of Happiness by Tharaburi Resort provides accommodations with free bikes, free private parking, a shared lounge and a terrace. Featuring a restaurant, the 4-star hostel has air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, each with a shared bathroom.
More to Explore
