Leaving Chiang Mai after the Yi Peng ceremony, we headed south to Sukhothai, an ancient city known for it's ruins and Loy Krathong celebration. After 239 baht and 5 hours on a bus, we arrived in the lower region of Northern Thailand.
The city is divided in two (Old Sukhothai and the new city). Old Sukhothai was the capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom from 1238 to 1438 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with many ruins. The buddha statues and old wats attract many tourists yearly and the grounds can be explored on a bicycle.
It was quieter and had fewer people compared to the other major tourist destinations in Thailand, so we celebrated Loy Krathong with mostly locals and Thai travelers-- a nice change from all the touristy sites. Loy Krathong is celebrated in Sukhothai for several days where the entire old city is lit up and lively until late at night. The town's population support the week-long festivities in Old Sukhothai where parades, dance ceremonies, live music performances, krathong competitions and light shows are found among a maze of food, cultural and shopping booths. The city looked magical.
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| Wat Mahathat |
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| packed songthaew to Old Sukhothai |
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| Kao Tok Pra Ruang (considered a powerful good luck charm from Sukhothai region) |
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| Loy Krathong in Old Sukhothai |
