Sukhothai Historical Park Thailand
Old Sukhothai Historical Park houses the remains of the ancient city of Sukhothai. The old city lies within triple-layered walls, and its name, "Sukhothai" means "The Dawn of Happiness". Established in 1238, city was originally the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, and marks the birthplace of the first Thai nation.

While Old Sukhothai beautiful, it is quickly becoming a tourist haven. For a more relaxed tour through equally impressive ruins, try visiting the nearby Si Satchanalai. A pass that covers the entrance fee for both of these areas can be purchased, and is a good value.

Inside the city walls of Old Sukhothai lies the Wat Mahathat, which is a classic example of the old Sukhothai architecture, and is famous for its lotus shape. West of the city wall is the Wat Mungkorn, as well as the Saritphong (Phra Ruang Dam). This giant dam can amazingly can still hold over 400 000 cubic meters of water. In the ancient city's prime, this was used for both moats and keeping the plant life alive.

The National Museum lies east of the old city wall, and gives visitors a detailed history and background of the ancient city.

Si Satchanali is another old city worth visiting. In the 13th century it was considered one of the most wealthy of the Thai cities, but soon sank into the obscurity as the other cities flourished. There are many different Wats to be explored within the city, as well as ruins many of the former buildings. Si Satchanalai also contains a great Visitor Information Center, which should be visited to pick up maps and learn the details of the cities history.