Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
Thailand : Sukhothai - November 2009 Country Code: Dial +65 for Thailand
FROM THE AIRPORT
Bus:
Bangkok Airways runs a bus service from the airport into Old and New Sukhothai to most of the hotels and guesthouses. Cost ranges from 180-300 baht.
Mini-van:
Mini-vans can be arranged at the airport or through individual hotels and guesthouses at the time of booking though this may cost more than the Bangkok Airways bus.
TABLE TALK
Cheap chic
Sukhothai noodles
Visit the streetside stalls and ask for Sukhothai
noodles, a blend of rice noodles mixed with pork,
green beans, garlic, coriander, chilli and peanuts
in a broth flavoured with dark soy sauce.
Mid-range magic
Kru Iew
(Soi Mahasaranon 1. Tel. (0)55 612710)
This restaurant dishes up authentic Thai food,
and is well-known for its tasty pad thai, wrapped
in a paper-thin omelette. A handwritten menu
in English is available, so a bit of pointing and
gesticulation is all you need to place your order.
The rice paper rolls, or naim nueng, are a must-try.
Gourmet
Coffee Home and Restaurant
(29 Rajutid Road. )
Food is tasty and the menu comprehensive at this
lovely café, featuring cuisine from across Thailand.
You cant go wrong with the tom yam soup, or
deep-fried sliced banana flower and grilled
eggplant yom, a cold salad with prawns and egg.
BODY & SOUL
Baan Spa
(Lotus Village Hotel, 170 Ratchathanee Street. Tel. (0)55 621484)
This traditional Thai house stands
on stilts above a leafy pond. Pamper yourself
with massages, facials and manicures. Ask for
the herbal steam a sauna plus aromatic Thai
herbs that is the perfect pre-massage ritual. www.lotus-village.com
BOUTIQUE BEDS
Sukhothai Heritage Resort
(999 Moo 2 Klongkrajong, Sawankalok. Tel. (0)2 2504527)
This new offering is
set in lush organic rice fields, just minutes from
the airport. Architecture is inspired by Sukhothais
ancient spires, while interiors are kept chic and modern. The boutique propertys 68 rooms and
suites are surrounded by peaceful lush gardens
and lovely lotus ponds, and are merely a short
journey to the temples and historical parks. www.sukhothaiheritage.com
HOT SPOTS
Ban Hat Siaw –The Thai Phuan people settled
here over a century ago from Xieng Khuang in
Laos. Famous for beautiful hand-woven textiles,
particularly brocade-bordered skirts, almost every stilt house in the village has a loom beneath it
where the women skillfully apply their artistry.
Buy a roll or two directly from the manufacturers
or from the village shops. Sukhothai Historical Park –This World Heritage
site was the original capital of the first Siamese
kingdom. Surrounded by two moats and bridged
by four gateways, the old walls contain the partially
restored remains of 21 historical sites, including
royal palaces and Buddhist temples.
INSIDER TIPS
Group tours –A good alternative to touring
the historical park is to get out and about on
a bicycle tour. Sign up for group rides at Ban
Thai guesthouse where owner Ronnie leads a
tour through rice fields and quiet countryside.
Alternatively, break out on your own all you need
is a mountain bike, map and a backpack.
38 Pravet Nakhorn Road, tel (0)55 610163/612519
DAY TRIPPING
Phitsanulok –Only an hour away by bus, this
former Siamese capital reigned for 25 years in
the mid-1400s. The vibrant city straddles
two rivers and is the only Thai city where it is
legal to live on a houseboat within municipal
boundaries dont miss dining on one of the
floating restaurants on the River Nan for a truly
memorable feast.
IN THE KNOW
Night watch –The temples of Sukhothai Historical
Park are open after dark, from 7pm to 9pm. Lit
by strategically placed spotlights, the grounds
look entirely different by night. With virtually no
one else around, visitors will be struck by the awe
and wonder of these ancient structures and the
pious people who built them. Watch the clock and
plan to leave by closing time the darkness is
all-consuming.
Compiled by Leah Monteiro
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