Ruins vs ruins · the day trip and the two-night stop
Ayutthaya vs Sukhothai: which is better for your trip?
Ayutthaya if you have a day from Bangkok; Sukhothai if you have two nights and want the ruins to yourself. On the Bangkok to Chiang Mai overland route the best answer is both, in that order.
- Destination
- Ayutthaya
- Sukhothai
- Budget day
- ฿900
- ฿750
- Mid-range day
- ฿2,200
- ฿2,000
- Best months
- November – February
- November – February
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Low
- Listed here
- 266 places
- 120 places
By Mac Kiley · Updated Sep 13, 2026
Pick Ayutthaya if…
- You're day-tripping from Bangkok, by train (about an hour)
- You want the famous Buddha head in the tree roots and the biggest ruins
- You'd like an evening boat cruise past lit temples
Pick Sukhothai if…
- You want countryside ruins you can cycle at dawn with nobody around
- You're heading north overland anyway
- Loy Krathong in November is on your calendar
Why I'd choose that way
Ayutthaya was one of the world's largest cities for 417 years, and its ruins sit inside a working Thai town on an island formed by three rivers. Wat Mahathat's Buddha head in the roots, Wat Phra Si Sanphet's three chedis, cycling the flat 6 km loop (rentals from ฿50), and the ฿200 evening boat cruise. It's about an hour from Bangkok by train, or 1.5 to 2.5 hours by minivan, so most people do it in a day.
Sukhothai is where Thai history begins, by its own telling, and its historical park is countryside, with nearly 200 ruins among lotus ponds and rice fields, Wat Si Chum's 15-meter Buddha glimpsed through a slot, Wat Mahathat at sunrise before the tour buses. Crowds are low, the new town is 12 km away, and Si Satchanalai's sister site is an hour north. It takes effort, either a 70-minute flight from Bangkok, or 6 to 7 hours by bus.
Both are cheap (about ฿900 a day in Ayutthaya, ฿750 in Sukhothai on a budget) and both are punishing in April and May heat. Ayutthaya adds a flood risk in August to October.
Ayutthaya vs Sukhothai at a glance
| Factor | Ayutthaya | Sukhothai |
|---|---|---|
| Budget day | ฿900 · $28 | ฿750 · $23 |
| Mid-range day | ฿2,200 · $68 | ฿2,000 · $61 |
| Mid-range hotel | ฿1,500 · $46 | ฿1,200 · $37 |
| Best months | November – February | November – February |
| Rainy months | May – October | May – October |
| Avoid | August – October (flooding risk) | March – May (extreme heat on exposed ruins) |
| Temperature | 23–36°C | 20–36°C |
| Crowds | Moderate · peak November – February | Low · peak Loy Krathong (November) — the festival's birthplace |
| Best for | Ruins by bicycle, an easy Bangkok day trip | Ruins without crowds, cycling, Loy Krathong |
| Beach | None | None |
| Nights | Quiet | Quiet |
| Getting there | ~1 hr train or 1.5–2.5 hr minivan from Bangkok | ~70 min flight from Bangkok, or 6–7 hr bus |
Daily figures are typical totals for a hostel or mid-range hotel, food, local transport and one activity; they move with season. USD at ฿32.6. Full breakdown on the Thailand travel costs page.
What you'd actually do there
The best-known places on each side, one per kind, plus a hidden gem. Ratings re-sync from Google monthly.
AyutthayaModerate crowds
Wat Yai Chai MongkhonTemples & Culture4.7(27,015)
Grand ChaoprayaRestaurants & Food4.8(6,893)
Sriayuthaya Lion ParkActivities & Tours4.7(7,980)
Zincia clinic (真心诊所)Wellness & Spas Hidden gem5.0(87)
- UNESCO World Heritage Site — ruins of a kingdom that flourished from 1350 to 1767
- Wat Mahathat's Buddha head entwined in the roots of a Bodhi tree
- Wat Phra Si Sanphet — three towering chedis that served as the royal temple compound
SukhothaiLow crowds
Sukhothai Historical ParkTemples & Culture4.7(18,378)
Thai Thai Sukhothai ResortHotels & Resorts4.7(1,676)
Ramkhamhaeng National ParkActivities & Tours4.7(1,427)
Camping Calling - Sukhothai Cafe'Restaurants & Food Hidden gem4.8(69)
- Sukhothai Historical Park — ~200 ruins across five zones, UNESCO-listed since 1991
- Wat Si Chum's 15-meter seated Buddha, glimpsed through a slot in its mondop wall
- Wat Mahathat at sunrise, before the tour buses arrive from Bangkok
The day trips that decide it
What each place is a base for. Real prices and dates are on the partner.
AyutthayaAyutthaya ruins day tours
Most bookings cancel free up to 24 hours ahead
See tours and pricesSukhothaiHistorical Park cycling tours
Most bookings cancel free up to 24 hours ahead
See tours and pricesAlso on Klook:Ayutthaya toursSukhothai tours
Doing both Ayutthaya and Sukhothai
Ayutthaya first (dense, urban, a day), then Sukhothai (pastoral, two nights) on the way to Chiang Mai. Buses connect them; the train stops at Phitsanulok, an hour from Sukhothai by bus.
Bangkok to Ayutthaya by train or minivan, plus the ฿10 ferryBookable departures · refreshed daily
Ayutthaya → Sukhothai: departure times you can book now
Every departure currently on sale through 12Go for this route, by class. Fares are the spread across the classes shown; the exact price for a seat and date is on the booking page.
Bus
| Class | Departures |
|---|---|
| Express 44 | 09:30, 11:30, 19:10, 20:30, 21:00, 22:00 |
Times and fares as sold on 12Go, refreshed daily. Services sold only locally — ordinary trains, weekend excursion trains, walk-up pier tickets — are not listed; see the table above for those. Sponsored link: we may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
Ayutthaya or Sukhothai: the questions people ask
Which is better, Ayutthaya or Sukhothai?
Sukhothai for atmosphere and emptiness; Ayutthaya for scale and convenience. If you can only do one from Bangkok on a short trip, it has to be Ayutthaya.
How do I get to Sukhothai?
Bangkok Airways flies to Sukhothai (about 70 minutes; the airport is 40 km north), or fly to Phitsanulok and bus an hour. Buses from Mo Chit take 6 to 7 hours; from Chiang Mai 5 to 6.
Can I do Ayutthaya as a day trip?
Yes, easily. Trains take about an hour from Bangkok and minivans 1.5 to 2.5 hours. Rent a bicycle and you'll see the main temples in a day; a ฿300 ticket covers seven of the main sites.
When is Loy Krathong in Sukhothai?
November, on the full moon; Sukhothai is the festival's birthplace and stages light shows and floating lanterns in the historical park. Book well ahead.
Written by
Mac Kiley
I lived in Bangkok for four years and traveled the country from there. The guides are my own opinions, written the way I'd explain them to a friend planning a trip.
More about Mac