Thailand - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 738

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane You can fly between Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi
Airport and Sukhothai with Bangkok Airways (2 daily; 1hr
15min), although fares are quite high. The airport is about
15km north of New Sukhothai; flights are met by shuttle
buses that head into the centre (B180/person).
By bus Buses use the terminal 3km northwest of New
Sukhothai's town centre on the bypass. A tuk-tuk from
here to the centre costs B60-80.
Destinations

610585 or T 081 972 4345. Down a short, quiet lane, this
sprawling concrete house with big balconies offers bright
rooms with parquet floors and hot showers, sharing
plentiful toilets. Double B250
★

TR 27/5 Pravetnakorn Rd T 055 611663, W sukhothai
budgetguesthouse.com. This friendly family-run guest-
house with en-suite hot showers throughout offers free
wi-fi, a little restaurant, neat rooms in a hotel-style
building, plus some slightly more expensive, charming
wooden bungalows (B450) with verandas overlooking the
small back garden. Double B300

10

Ayutthaya (30 daily; 6hr); Bangkok (30 daily;
6-7hr); Chiang Mai (up to 22 daily; 5-6hr); Chiang Rai
(3-4 daily; 8-9hr); Khon Kaen (10-11 daily; 6-7hr);
Lampang (20 daily; 4hr); Mae Sot (6 daily; 2hr 30min-
3hr); Nan (1 daily; 6hr); Phitsanulok (at least every 40min;
1hr-1hr 30min).
Tourist information The TAT o ce is on Th Charodvithi-
tong ( T 055 616228-9, E [e-mail]; daily
8.30am-4.30pm).

EATING AND DRINKING
OLD SUKHOTHAI
The Coffee Cup Th Charodvithitong, opposite the
museum. At this clean and airy café, the menu of Thai,
Western and fusion dishes is huge, with photos to help:
try the massaman chicken curry (B100) and perhaps round
it off with an Irish coffee or a delicious fruit shake. Daily
6am-10pm.

GETTING AROUND
By songthaew Big songthaews (every 30min; roughly
30min) run between New Sukhothai and the historical
park; they leave from 200m west of TAT on Th
Charodvithitong, and some also stop at the main bus
station. They pull into Old Sukhothai near the central
zone entrance point and several bicycle rental outlets
(B30/day).
By bike Most guesthouses in New Sukhothai rent out
bicycles (B30/day) and motorcycles (B250/day).

NEW SUKHOTHAI
One of the best places to eat in New Sukhothai is the
covered night market on the soi between Th Ramkham-
haeng and Th Nikhon Kasem. Food carts also set up every
evening in front of Wat Ratchathani on Th Charodvithitong.
Chopper Bar Th Pravetnakorn. This popular balcony bar
with nightly live acoustic music, cheap beer and a vague
biker theme is a great place to watch the world go by. Daily
4pm-midnight.
Dream Café 88/1 Th Singhawat. Cosy, wood-panelled
restaurant with an artsy atmosphere and walls full of
curios. It has a great mid-priced menu (most dishes above
B100) of fiery Thai curries, fresh Vietnamese-style spring
rolls, deep-fried banana-flower fritters - and gin and
tonics. Daily 5-11pm.
Poo Restaurant 26 Th Charodvithitong. Although the
surroundings aren't up to much, the cheap curries are
tasty (around B50), while a nice Belgian beer will set
you back around B150. See how many toilet humour
fans you see snapping pictures by the sign. Daily
6.30am-11pm.
S & N (Sun & Night) Coffee House Th Singhawat, next
to Sawasdipong Hotel . As well as excellent espresso coffees
(from B30), smoothies and ice cream, this friendly a/c café
offers interesting, varied Thai dishes such as green curry
with roti pancakes (B89) and Western breakfasts (from
B59). Daily 9am-8pm.
Ton Krachee Th Charodvithitong, about 500m west of
the bridge. One of the best places to try the very more-ish
Sukhothai noodle soup - laced with palm sugar, it's sour,
spicy and sweet (B30). English menu but no English sign
- it's the old one-storey wooden building next to Saijo
Denki a/c shop. Daily 8am-4pm.

ACCOMMODATION
OLD SUKOTHAI
Old Sukhothai only has a handful of restaurants, but it is
laidback and staying here allows you to take your time
with the sights - and catch them deserted at sunrise and
sunset when the light's at its most spectacular.
Old City Guest House Th Charodvithitong, opposite
the museum T 055 697515. Within spitting distance of
the ruins, a wide range of options mostly in two-storey
wooden buildings around a yard, set back from the road.
The cheapest are small, rather dark rooms with shared
bathrooms. Double B200

NEW SUKHOTHAI
Ban Thai 38 Th Pravetnakorn T 055 610163, E banthai
[e-mail]. A great choice: clean, comfort-
able, wood-floored rooms sharing hot-water bathrooms
set in a small garden, which also has some smart wooden
en-suite bungalows (from B400). The restaurant is a good
place to meet people and does tasty Thai food tamed for
the farang palate. Ban Thai is also a frien dly and reliable
source of local information. Double B250
Hang Jeng Soi Meakaphut, signposted off Th
Pravetnakorn just beyond Ban Thai Guesthouse T 055