I'm going to Thailand and have time to see one ruins site. Can't decide whether to make it Sukhothai or Ayuthaya.

Ayuthaya is much easier to get to and I can make a day trip there from Bangkok. Sukhothai will require a short flight, but flights are cheap so that's not necessarily a big deal if Sukhothai is the better place.

Anyone ever been to both places? Any opinions?

Thanks,

Bill D.
Portland, OR

I've been to both and personally I prefer Sukhothai but I don't like it enough more to say you should take the time to fly there and back. I think you'd be better off spending that time in Bangkok and going to Ayuthaya. If time is not at a premium and you are already spending 7 days or more in Bangkok then it might be worth it to go to Sukhothai for 3 days and explore that area and Mae Sot. Otherwise just go to AYUTHAYA as a day trip.

I have to agree with the above. I loved both places.

Third the motion!! Go to Ayyuthya for a day, go with a guide - I felt ours enhanced the experience for us.

If you do decide to go to Ayuthaya for the day, skip the boat tours that the hotels do. You will hardly see anything. Instead, get a car and driver and leave from BKK early. You will see much more on your own. The boat tours give you a maximum of 2 hours in Ayuthaya, if that, and you only see about two ruins.

I loved taking the boat on the river. Many years ago, I went via road, spent a number of hours at the ruins, then got on one of the boats to come back to Bangkok. It was the best of both worlds - you get time in Ayuthaya and you get the relaxing time on the river. I can't remember which company it was, but the concierge made the arrangements based on my instructions.