The fantastic ruins at Sukhothai were once Thailand’s first capital, flourishing from the 13th century to the late 15th century. The Sukhothai Kingdom represents the golden age of Thai history and the 45 sq km of ruins that constitute the old city are and internationally recognised UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ruined temples are interspersed with moats, lakes and bridges. Mat Mahathat is one of the most spectacular, with a large seated Buddha figure set amongst the pillars of a now ruined sala, and a central chedi flanked by two standing Buddha figures. Wat Sra Sri also has a large chedi and Buddha figure, but is reached by a bridge to the island. To the north, Wat Phra Phai Luang contains the remains of a number of buildings and a large prang with stucco reliefs. Wat Si Chum hosts a massive seated Buddha figure peering through an opening in its enclosure.