The city of Sukhothai used to be the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries. In translation Sukhothai means Dawn of Happiness. The town is divided into two parts: New Town and Old Town. The meuang kào (old city) of Sukhothai has nearly 45sq km of ruins, which are one of the most visited ancient attractions in Thailand. Among the main ruins are Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Sawai, Wat Traphang Thong, Wat Traphang Ngon and Wat Sorasak. The city is characterized by a number of other monuments which demonstrate the development of Thai architecture. New Town is the part where most hotels, restaurants and other entertaining establishments are situated.

One of the main attractions of Sukhothai is walls of the old city which surround the center of the historical park. Among the walls there are 35 monuments mainly palaces and Buddhist temples.