7 days in Sukhothai and Chiang Mai: ruin to moat
Sleep in Old Sukhothai beside the gate; new town is a short taxi if you land late. The central zone is 200 THB for foreigners, then four nights on the Chiang Mai moat.
Old Sukhothai's dawn bicycle and Chiang Mai's moat wats share one ruin-to-city week. Sleep two nights in Old Sukhothai at the historical park gate. Foreigners pay 200 THB for the central zone. Rent a bicycle at opening. Bangkok Airways flies into Sukhothai Airport (THS) when the schedule fits; if you land at Phitsanulok (PHS), the city is about 70 km east of the park, and the road west takes about one hour by car or 1 to 1.5 hours by bus or van via new Sukhothai.
Move to Chiang Mai for four nights. Use where to stay and keep Doi Suthep as one morning. Si Satchanalai is a second Sukhothai dawn if you stretch the ruin block; see day trips.
Day by day
1 Land THS or PHS
Sleep in Old Sukhothai beside the park gate. New town is a short taxi if you land after dark.
2 Central zone bicycle
200 THB. 06:30 open. Wat Mahathat first.
3 Move to Chiang Mai
Flight or van. Sleep Old City or Nimman.
4 Moat wats
Chedi Luang 50 THB. Sunday walking street if it lands.
5 Doi Suthep
07:00. 30 THB plus songthaew.
6 Nimman or Mae Rim
Cafe day or a terrace lunch. No Pai van.
7 Fly CNX
Airport car. Same-day long-haul is tight.
Park dawn first, then the moat
For two ruin cities without Chiang Mai, use 8 days central ruins. Ayutthaya is the Bangkok train day, not this week.
| Block | Sleep | 2026 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Nights 1 to 2 | Old Sukhothai | Central zone 200 THB |
| Nights 3 to 6 | Chiang Mai | Suthep 30 THB; Chedi Luang 50 THB |
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Search flights Chiang Mai to HanoiCommon questions
- Is there a flight to Sukhothai?
- Yes. Bangkok Airways uses Sukhothai Airport (THS). Phitsanulok (PHS) is the cheaper airport when THS is sold out; Old Sukhothai is about 70 km / about one hour from Phitsanulok.
- Day-trip Sukhothai from Bangkok?
- No. Sleep at the park gate.
- Add Pai?
- Not on seven days. Route 1095 needs two nights of its own.