From Ayutthaya to Sukhothai by bus

Previously: Visiting the Ayutthaya Gold Treasure Exhibition Building

Journal date: September 13, 2023

I had a such a good time exploring the ancient temple ruins in Ayutthaya that I decided to check out the (slightly older) ruins in Sukhothai, the former capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom, established in 1238.

There’s a direct bus from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai, about 6.5 hours long and 300-something baht / $8 USD if you book in person.

If you book online? Nearly 700 baht / $20 USD.

Yes, more than double the price! Lesson: always book buses in person!

Still prefer to book online? Here’s the best websites to buy bus tickets in Southeast Asia.

If you’re in the main part of Ayutthaya like I was, ask your hotel to help you book a ticket so you don’t have to track down the office or go back to the bus station. It shouldn’t cost that much more than doing it yourself, and it’ll be much cheaper than booking online.

Anyway, the bus was actually pretty nice. It was a double decker number with a bathroom on the bottom floor, charging plugs and reclining seats with foot rests. Plus we got free snacks AND lunch included in each ticket. Nice!

I stocked up on my snacks (from 7-11, of course) and kept myself busy listening to podcasts and staring out the window. The trucks here have amazing designs on them; check out the photo below for an example.

Typical Thai truck decorated with bright colors.

Once in Sukhothai, I went to a night market on the Main Street but was too scared to try the street meat. Eventually I went to a proper restaurant where I had a bowl of lradnar (stir fried noodles with veg and pork) for about $3 USD. It was very good and a great price, and the staff were great– but it was super weird because I was the only customer for over an hour.

My room at The History Cafe & Guesthouse

I booked a few nights at The History Cafe’ & Guesthouse, which I booked specifically because it’s located in Old Sukhothai city. I got a decently-sized room, which although somewhat dark was very comfortable. The owner was super nice as well, and they had free bicycles for guests to use.

The guesthouse within walking (or biking) distance to the history park and is a little bit of a nicer area than New Sukhothai (though I think the newer part has more food options). Still, Old Sukhothai has TWO 7-11s within a few blocks of each other, so it’s gotta be fairly hopping during the main tourist season. Right now it’s low season, so it’s fairly empty except for a few tour groups.

Next: Exploring Sukhothai’s ruins

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