More Temples at Sukhothai UNESCO World Heritage Site

After Ayutthaya we skipped town and headed north to Sukhothai, about half way to Chiang Mai.  This is the “low season” for tourism in this area of the country, not because it’s the rainy season, but because it is so incredibly hot.  While we were there, it reached 99°F!  Sukhothai Historical Park is beautiful and well kept.  A nice way to see the many temples is to rent a bicycle and cruise around for the day as the grounds are super flat.  We were motivated to hop on bikes, but by the time we checked into our guesthouse and developed a plan, the heat had already penetrated our already tired bodies and we opted for a tuk-tuk instead. 

Hiding from the sun with the driver's son.

The Sukhothai Kingdom existed from 1238 until 1438 and the park has over 40 temple remaining complexes.  This was the first notable kingdom of the Thai people (known as the Siamese by the Khmers).  The most well-know ruler of this time is credited with inventing the Thai alphabet and there is a famous stone here on which he recorded the history of Sukhothai.  Literally translated Sukhothai means “the dawn of happiness.” 

My best Mary Poppins impression.



Buddha's footprint.