Sukhothai Historical Park Private Day Trip from Chiang Mai
Activity provider: Pagoda View Tours
Reviewed Nov 2026
Highlights
- Morning market stop in Lampang on the way south
- The royal temple at the heart of the old city, with its rows of seated Buddhas
- Wat Si Sawai, Wat Sa Si and Wat Sorasak
- King Ramkhamhaeng Monument
- A 15-metre seated Buddha in a roofless hall north of the walls
- The central zone by bicycle
- Free cancellation
- Instant confirmation
This private day trip covers the long road from Chiang Mai to Sukhothai Historical Park, the capital of the first Thai kingdom in the 13th and 14th centuries. It runs about 12 hours with hotel pickup, a morning market stop in Lampang, lunch and the entrance fees. You see the park by bicycle.
- Duration: about 12 hours
- Group: private, up to 10 per booking
- Includes: hotel pickup and drop-off, private air-conditioned vehicle, entrance fees, lunch, water
- Highlight: the seated Buddhas of Wat Mahathat at the heart of the old city
The Route
Sukhothai is roughly 300 km south of Chiang Mai, so expect most of the day on the road. The first break is a local morning market in Lampang. In the park, the guide works through the central zone by bicycle: Wat Mahathat, the royal temple with its lotus-bud chedi, then Wat Si Sawai, Wat Sa Si on its island in the pond, Wat Sorasak and the King Ramkhamhaeng Monument.
The last stop is Wat Si Chum, just north of the old walls, where a seated Buddha about 15 metres high fills a roofless brick hall and is seen first through a narrow opening.
Who It Suits
It suits travellers based in Chiang Mai who want to see Thailand’s first capital and only have one day. If you can spare a night, staying in Sukhothai is the better trip: you get the ruins in early light and time for the Ramkhamhaeng National Museum.
Watch out: From March to May the park gets very hot by midday, with little shade between the ruins. Bring a hat and refill water at every stop.
Insider Tip: Temples are active religious sites, so cover shoulders and knees, and never climb on the ruins or the Buddha images.
Itinerary
Sukhothai Historical Park
About three hours in the old capital, largely by bicycle: Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Sawai, Wat Sa Si, Wat Sorasak and the King Ramkhamhaeng Monument.
Wat Si Chum
North of the old city walls: a seated Buddha about 15 metres high, fitted inside a roofless brick hall and seen through a narrow opening.
Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Chiang Mai
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fees
- Lunch
- Bottled water
Good to know
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Before you go
Suitable for all fitness levels; the cycling in the park is flat. Infant seats are available. Not recommended for pregnant travellers or anyone with spinal injuries.
