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From Lampang To Sukhothai On an incredible historical route One of the most underrated routes in Thailand since both Lampang and the beautiful ancient capital of Thailand Sukhothai have so much to offer. Lampang has historically been apart of the Lana Kingdom but has always been overshadowed by Chiang Mai however, that does not mean that Lampang itself has nothing to offer. Sukhothai city and Sukhothai history Lampang located around 600km away from Bangkok this city has throughout history been the site of many incredible battles that have left a mark in the history and culture of the surrounding area. It is the third-largest city in Northern Thailand and until the 18th century, this beautiful area was under Burmese control. The city has faced both invasion and occupation from the Burmese and the Ayudhya Kingdoms until its actual liberation by a famous hero of the Lampang province who assassinated the Burmese Kingdoms representative in the area and regained its independence. The city itself and the surrounding areas are home to some amazing architecture and beautiful historical sites and also has some great cuisine. One of Thailand’s most popular historical hotspots for those who love history is the capital of the ancient Kingdom called Sukhothai. Although this city has a bigger historical significance than most other places in Thailand it is less visited than the others due to its location being very away from Bangkok. Why is Sukhothai so important you ask? Well, Sukhothai was the capital of the Siam empire and the centre everything to do with Thailand. Its culture, language and arts. This old and ancient forgotten city boasts a number of complexes within it and is one of the most beautiful and historically important sites within Thailand. Its importance is enshrined within its status of a UNESCO world heritage site. From Lampang To Sukhothai. What you would see in Lampang Just one and a half hours away from Chiang Mai Lampang is a beautiful city fully equipped with for all types of travellers. It has amazing scenery and old historical sites to suit all of your needs. Lampang is an overlooked city and here we shall highlight why this place is a must-see on every backpacker’s itinerary. The top five attractions that I consider for you a must-see when you are passing by in Lampang to enjoy the sightseeing! Chae Son National Park Pha Thai Cave Wat Phra Bat Pupha Daeng Wat Phra That Lampang Luang Lampang's Night Markets 1. Pha Thai Cave This beautiful piece of nature is nestled within the green mountains smack dab in the middle of mother nature. This is a beautiful cave that has a 1kilometer long passage filled with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites that have been formed over a painfully slow process that has lasted over nine million years old. The cave is beautifully illuminated via lights so you can easily see that inside of the cave and there is even a proper path for you to follow. 2. Wat Phra Bat Pupha Daeng The stairways to heaven otherwise known as Wat Phra Bat Pupha Daeng is one of the planets most beautiful locations for a Buddhist temple. This temple is located about thirty minutes away from the city of Lampang and sits atop a beautiful mountain like a temple in the clouds. This beautiful place is accessed via a hike through a beautiful green rainforest. The man-made stupas are visible from afar and to reach it there are three hundred stairs that one must climb. Yes, I understand hearing the word hike puts fear through the hike of many, but the hike is not long and arduous rather it is easy and not difficult at all. The beautiful scenery and fresh air make up for all that exercise. However, if you are still not up for the walk there is a free shuttle. The best part is that the area offers some great panoramic views for you to take pictures of. There is relatively less foot traffic in the area and the place is entirely free to visit and explore. 3. Wat Phra That Lampang Luang This is a beautiful piece of history is Lampangs own unique emerald Buddha statue. Legends say that a long time ago Buddha himself travelled to this area and kicked or threw a stick of bamboo in the area and said that a beautiful city would one day stand tall on this land. Buddha then according to this legend gave a lock of his hair to a follower who put It in a special container and built the statue to commemorate the occasion. The wat is incredibly important to the people of Lampang and every leader of the city has made it their responsibility to look after this place. It is not only a very sacred place for Buddhists, but it is also a gorgeous place to admire and visit. Phrakaew Dontau temple Lampang 4. Lampang's Night Markets Lampang like most of Thailands cities and villages hosts a night market and we believe that to truly experience Thai culture one must definitely spend a vast amount of time in a night market. Unlike the markets in Bangkok, the one in Lampang is unique because it too has a lot of history imbued within it. The night market is home to a number of vendors that sell various items from amazing locally-sourced street food to items that one would buy as a souvenir from the beautiful city. The market even plays host to a number of performers who entertain visitors with traditional dances to other things. This place is unique in itself because many few foreigners visit Lampang, so the markets show how the locals truly enjoy a night market. 5. Chae Son National Park Now, this is one of Lampang's most famed attractions. If you have ever been to Lampang or Chiang Mai then you will definitely have heard of this place. This beautiful park is a great spot for camping and a nice place to relax since it is home to one of natures greatest creation, “the hot spring”. It is even home to a resort for you to spend the night and relax if you are not a fan of camping out in the outdoors. One of Chae Son’s greatest attractions is, however, eating boiled eggs. Some of the hot springs are so hot that you can boil an egg. After fifteen minutes the yolk will be firm to eat and the white will be a little soft and runny in certain places. From Lampang To Sukhothai. About Sukhothai Now once you are done exploring the beautiful city of Lampang and the surrounding area you should move on too Sukhothai. This historical route must have been travelled by many people in the past but take comfort in the fact that you can travel easier and faster through the invention of some of mankind's greatest machines. There are essentially 3 ways to get from Lampang to Sukhothai and they are the train From Lampang To Sukhothai, the train takes around 5hrs and can cost $90 and upwards. the bus The Bus will take around 6 hours and will cost around $7 to $12 the car The car will take around 3hrs Sukhothai is divided between the old and new city! The old city is why you have travelled all this way due to its historical importance of being a beautiful and historically rich place and the new city is where you will stay because it has better accommodation and is only around 13kms away so a short trip via a bus, taxi or rental car will set you on the right path. Sukhothai Historical Park From Lampang To Sukhothai. What to do in Sukhothai Now our suggestion would be to go to the new Sukhothai so that you can not only look at how the people live here but also enjoy a more easier way of exploring old Sukhothai. The new city has amazing night markets for you to visit and buy things from. You can also enjoy the amazing and delicious food that is cooked by the local vendors or you can enjoy the food from the local restaurants and eateries. Since Sukhothai is located adjacent to the Yom river you can enjoy the amazing sites and take a boat ride on the river too. When you are done exploring the new city a blue bus will take you along the main road to Sukhothai old for 20 Bhat or you could go via a Tuk Tuk for 600. Below we shall list the main things to do in Sukhothai old. The top five attractions that I would consider for you a must-see if you will be passing by in Sukhothai and you won't have much time to dedicate to the sightseeing! Sukhothai national park Wat Mahathat Neon Prasat Ramkhamhaeng National Museum Si Satchanalai Sukhothai national park 1. Sukhothai national park The national park is open from 6 am to 6 pm and is the epicentre for the old and ancient capital of the Siam kingdom from the 13th to 14th centuries. Sukhothai translates to the dawn of happiness and entering into the area you can see why. Sukhothai was responsible for the entirety of Thailand’s culture language and arts and the place is not only beautiful to see but its historical significance is immense. The total area of the national park or rather the old city is around 3 square miles and encompasses five complexes that have been preserved. This site is a UNESCO world heritage site. There around seventy different things to see like lake temples and chedis. Sukhothai national park 2. Wat Mahathat This temple is situated within the national park and is a must-visit if you are there the beautiful design and architecture is iconic at the time. This was the main temple of the kingdom and is considered to have housed some of the Buddhist religions main relics, for this reason, its name translates to the temple of the great relic. This temple was built by Sri Indatya sometime between 1292 and 1347AD. Surrounding it are 8 stupas and one of the best times to visit it is early in the morning or late in the evening since it is one of the most visited sites in the area and a lot of people visit it so you will beat the crowds. 3. Neon Prasat Otherwise known as Palace hill this is the remains of the great palace that existed during the peak of the Siam empire. The palace was discovered by a person named Mongkut and archaeologists believe that the palace was built on a square platform surrounded by two ponds. Nearby the palace is a platform that is believed to be the place the royal family were cremated when they died. They're also used to be a throne but that was taken to Bangkok when the place was first discovered. 4. Ramkhamhaeng National Museum Costing only 150 Bhat this museum will give you a treasure trove of knowledge about the Sukhothai Kingdom and the remains that you will explore. Depending on your thirst for knowledge you can either see it before or after you go to the national park but either way it will explain a lot about the things you see in the park. The place is open until 4 pm every day and we recommend you see it as it has great exhibits and a lot to see. 5. Si Satchanalai Now if you have come all this way we would suggest you take a little detour on the second or third day of your trip and visit a smaller national park known as Si Satchanalai or the city of good people. Like Sukhothai, this place is also an old city built around the same time as Sukhothai and houses the remains of temples and a wall that was created specifically for defence against attacks. It even houses beautiful statues and you can almost feel the scars left on this place when it must have been attacked by the Burmese. The Si Satchanalai ruins and the national park are only 1hr away Sukhothai national park so it will take about an hour when you drive. A bus and a taxi or Songthaew can be taken to reach the national park it is only 58km away via route1195. Si Satchanalai Conclusion In order to truly feel what Thailand’s history is all about you must visit these two places as they both dig right to the roots of Thai culture and give you deep insight into how old Thai culture used to be and how the modern Thai culture is. Exploring these unique and sadly less visited areas will make you fall in love with Thailand even more. If you will be on this route, see also: Thailand Hiking Destinations From Bangkok to visit the historical sites of Sukhothai How to visit the Ayutthaya Temples from Bangkok?