Half a day to a full day at each of these
With the one we rate highest first — Si Satchanalai is the real prize once you have finished the old town.
1
If you add one thing to your time in Sukhothai's old town, make it this. Si Satchanalai Historical Park is the sister site, inscribed as part of the same UNESCO World Heritage listing, about 50-80 km to the north. What sets it apart is how quiet and atmospheric it feels compared with the Sukhothai park itself — you can cycle among big shade trees with hardly anyone around.
The signature sight is Wat Chang Lom, a bell-shaped chedi ringed at its base by standing stucco elephants — the image everyone remembers from Si Satchanalai. Nearby is Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, the temple sitting outside the old walls by the Yom River, and a short way off are the Sangkhalok ceramic kilns (Thuriang kilns), once a famous centre producing the Sangkhalok stoneware that was traded far and wide. It suits anyone who wants ruins in peace, without the crowds.
2
Phitsanulok is about 60 km east of Sukhothai, roughly an hour's drive, and it is a town many travellers pass through anyway, since it has both an airport and a railway station — unlike Sukhothai, which has no train line of its own. The reason most people come is the Phra Phuttha Chinnarat at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, locally just called Wat Yai, a Sukhothai-era Buddha image many regard as one of the most beautiful in Thailand.
What stops people in their tracks is the flame-like arch behind the image, exquisitely worked in gold. Around the main hall there is a cloister lined with rows of Buddha images to walk, and the temple sits right on the Nan River, so you can stroll the riverside afterwards. Phitsanulok makes a good half-day stop, or a base before or after a train or flight into Sukhothai. If you go into the hall to pay respects, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.
3
If you have had your fill of temples and want a change of scene, Ramkhamhaeng National Park lies about 30-40 km south of town. The highlight is the hike up Khao Luang, the highest peak in Sukhothai province. The trail to the summit is fairly steep and demanding, usually taking several hours to climb, and many people camp at the top to catch the sunrise and the sea of mist in the morning.
The views from the summit open right out over the plain — well worth the effort. It suits walkers with some hiking experience who come prepared: good shoes, enough water, and a warm layer if you camp. If you would rather not go all the way up, there are short trails and a waterfall near the park headquarters at the bottom for an easier visit. Check the weather and whether the trail is open before you go, especially in the rainy season, when the path can be slippery or closed.
This one is not a long trip at all, but it adds a lot of meaning to your time in the park. The Ramkhamhaeng National Museum sits right beside the central zone of the Sukhothai Historical Park, and gathers the artefacts unearthed across the site — Sukhothai-era Buddha images, Sangkhalok ceramics, and inscriptions that tell the story of the Sukhothai kingdom.
We would suggest visiting it before you start cycling the temples. Once you have seen the images and the real objects up close, standing in front of the actual ruins later makes a lot more sense and lands harder. Or drop in afterwards to tie the whole picture together — either way it does not take long. It suits anyone who enjoys history; entry is a small fee of a few tens of baht (check first), and it tends to close on certain days early in the week, so check the opening days before you go.