An island temple
Reached by a wooden bridge.
Hartmann Linge — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gary Todd — Public domain · Gary Todd — Public domain · Gary Todd — Public domain
One of Sukhothai's most poetic sights: a small temple on an island in the middle of Traphang Trakuan pond, reached by a narrow wooden bridge, its ruins mirrored in the still water among lotus flowers. Its name means «temple of the sacred pond». At the centre of the island stands a bell-shaped stupa in the Sri Lankan style that influenced Sukhothai, fronted by the columns of the old prayer hall and a large seated Buddha facing the pond. On a small neighbouring island stands a standing Buddha. Sukhothai was the capital of the first Thai kingdom in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, where the Thai alphabet took shape and a distinctive style of Buddha images flourished, with flowing bodies and serene smiles; its ruins are today part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1991. The temple is within the central zone, and the zone fee for foreigners is about one hundred baht. The midday heat is fierce from March to May, so come early in the morning or late afternoon, with a hat and water. It is one of the park's finest photo spots, especially at sunrise and sunset when the water is calm and the reflection strong, and in the evening when the temples are lit. It is a few minutes' walk from Wat Mahathat.
Reached by a wooden bridge.
In Sri Lankan style.
Among the park's best photos.
Central zone, Sukhothai Historical Park
Sukhothai Historical ParkOne of the most beautiful archaeological sites in South-East Asia: the ruins of 3 minutes walk
Wat Mahathat, SukhothaiSukhothai's most important and largest temple, the spiritual heart of the royal 5 minutes walk
Wat Si SawaiA striking temple of three adjoining Khmer-style towers, called prang, with stuc8 minutes walk
Ramkhamhaeng National MuseumThe main museum of the Sukhothai kingdom's history, at the entrance to the centr9 minutes walk
Wat Phra Phai LuangSukhothai's second most important temple after Wat Mahathat, and older, in the n13 minutes walkAt sunrise, when the water is still and light soft, or just before sunset. On some evenings the temples are lit and the lights reflect on the pond.