Sukhothai Historic Park, cradle of Buddhism

Sukhothai Historic Park was the capital of the Kingdom of Sukhothai, which was established in north-eastern Thailand in the 13th century. Sukhothai and the surrounding region were part of the Khmer Empire until the early 13th century. When the Khmer Empire was in decline, the local population called Siam revolted and took power under King Si Inthrathit. Thus Sukhothai became the first kingdom. It was a golden period in Thai history. The kingdom lived up to its name, Sukhothai, which means "the dawn of happiness".

Sukhothai went on to have a major influence on Thai culture. Even today, it is regarded as the cradle of Thai art, architecture, language, religion and law.

The historic city of Sukhothai and the neighbouring towns of Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet were included on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1991.

The Sukhothai Historical Park includes beautiful temples in Khmer styles, as well as huge Buddha statues, the remains of a lost palace and a history museum. The archaeological site is divided into 5 different zones, each priced separately (the central zone; the walled inner city where most of Sukhothai's attractions are located; the northern, western, eastern and southern zones). If you want to explore everything, you'll need at least a few days.

Wat Mahathat is the largest temple inside the walled city of Sukhothai. It's also the most impressive. If there's only one thing you can do in Sukhothai, it's Wat Mahathat. Wat Mahathat literally translates as 'The Temple of the Great Relic'. This is where the Buddha's relics are enshrined. Built between 1292 and 1347 by the first king of the Sukhothai dynasty, Wat Mahathat is a circular complex with the main lotus-shaped stupa (Buddhist monument) in the middle surrounded by 4 smaller stupas and 4 Khmer-style towers. The complex also houses 2 mandapas (columned halls) each with its own Buddha and 200 tiny stupas.

Located to the north of Wat Mahathat, the King Ramkhamhaeng monument pays tribute to the most illustrious king of the Sukhothai dynasty. It was during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng, also known as Rama I, that Sukhothai reached a cultural and economic peak. He introduced the Thai alphabet, opened trade relations with other nations and established Theravada Buddhism as the state religion.

Visit the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum to learn more about the history of Sukhothai. Several artefacts from the ruins are on display here, as well as a poster showing the birth and development of the Thai alphabet. Entrance to the museum is separate from the historic park and costs 150 Baht.

There are two different elephant temples in Sukhothai Historical Park: Wat Sorasak and Wat Chang Lom. Wat Sorasak is an attractive temple with 24 elephant sculptures lined up at the base of the stupa. At Wat Chang Lom, you'll find 32 elephant structures at the base of the shrine. This is a larger complex than Wat Sorasak.

Built in the 13th century, Wat Si Chum is popular for housing a massive statue of Buddha. As soon as you approach the roofless temple, you'll see a huge seated Buddha statue peeking out of the sanctuary. The statue is emblematic and is the largest in Sukhothai. The temple is mysteriously home to an underground tunnel that seems to lead nowhere and an extremely narrow staircase whose purpose has yet to be established.