Getting to Sukhothai is very easy,
as it is well connected and offers an
array of transportation methods in
and out: buses, trains and planes all go
there from Thailand’s major cities for
affordable rates. Plane trips are the most
recent addition and flights are managed
mostly by the low cost airline Nok Air.
The airport is small but modern and it
is located 30 kilometres away from the
centre. Getting around Sukhothai is easy
too, the songtaeo is a popular means
of transport and it is cheap, but can get
crowded very quickly.
Once there, sightseeing is the first
must-do activity. The morning is a
good time to go, as the dawn’s sunlight
paints a wonderful shade on the walls
and statues. One can start at Sukhothai
Muang Kao (Old Sukhothai), the
famous ruins of the ancient capital.
The beautiful archaic remains tell the
story on their own: success, dominance
and downfall are all represented at
this site. The old city is impressive, yet
heavy restoration projects undertaken
at some of the locations must be taken
into account: since the early 1960s,
considerable conservation innitiatives
were implemented in various sections of
the ruins and as of today look spotless.
However, if one ventures down the
unmarked trails, remnants of original
ruins can still be found.
The National Historic Park within
which the ruins are found extends across
70 square kilometres. It is for that reason
that the most comfortable way to travel
is in bycicle, since walking to all the
points usually takes around 6 hours. A
good place to start your cycling tour is
Wat Mahathat. Wat Mahathat is the old
city’s largest temple; it is located in the
middle of the park’s enclosure, which
represents prosperity. It has a main
central Chedi, which is the pagoda’s
temple, and it is shaped in the form
of a lotus bud. There we find too, the
figure of an eight metre Buddha, which
provides the main attraction of the
site. Another attractive place to visit is
Wat Sri Chum: as you arrive and enter,
you will be greeted by an enormous
sitting Buddha, who will definitely
take your breath away as a result of its
grandeur and its majesty. If you happen
to be around Sukhothai this coming
Songkhran, you will find that the more
religious part of the popular Thai festival
is something that is highly valued.
During the first day of the celebration,
on the 12th of April, a ceremony is
performed at the Historic Park by which
a procession starting at Wat Phra Prang
is ended there. During this march, an
image of Buddha is paraded and water
is poured over its head as it arrives to its
destination. This is said to bring good
luck and good forture,it also washes
away bad omens that may have been
accumulated throughout the year.
Sukhothai offers too a range of museums,
Mar 15 - Apr 15 , 2015
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