Fodor's Expert Review Sawanworanayok National Museum

Sukhothai grew wealthy on the fine ceramics it produced from the rich earth around the neighboring town of Sawankhalok. The ceramics were so prized that they were offered as gifts from Sukhothai rulers to the imperial courts of China, and they found their way as far as Japan. Fine examples of 1,000-year-old Sawankhalok wares are on display at this museum. The exhibits include pieces retrieved from the wrecks of centuries-old vessels that were headed to China and Japan but sank in typhoons and storms. Sukhothai Historical Park contains the ruins of many kilns used to fire the types of pottery on view here.