Sukhothai or Chiang Rai, Which is better?

Sukhothai and Chiang Rai are two small cities in North Thailand that have rich history and culture. They are not as famous as Chiang Mai, the capital city of the region, but well worth visiting for its beautiful temples, laid-back atmosphere, and good food.

In this article, I will compare Chiang Rai and Sukhothai, based on their location, accommodations, temples, outdoor activities, shopping, nightlife, and food.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel around Thailand and learn so much about the traditions, the people, and the way of life. Sukhothai and Chiang Mai are one of my favorite destinations in the country, so I hope to give you some good recommendations based on my personal experiences.

Is it better to visit Sukhothai or Chiang Rai?

Generally speaking, Chiang Rai is better than Sukhothai if you want easy access to a wider range of tourist amenities, and good combinations of cultural attractions, nature, and outdoor activities.

Sukhothai is all about history and culture, making it a better option for history buffs and for those who want a bit off the typical tourist track.

Chiang Rai is a more popular destination because it is closer and easier to access from Chiang Mai. Many day trips to Chiang Rai and Golden Triangle can be organised from Chiang Mai. Sukhothai is around 5 hours drive from Chiang Mai, while Chiang Rai is only 3 hours drive away.

Both cities are known for their temples, but the temples in Sukhothai have more ancient feels, and the temples in Chiang Rai are more modern with different architecture.

I enjoyed my stay in both Sukhothai and Chiang Rai. Each city gives me a different experience and I’m so glad I got to visit them all. Both places have small town vibes, with beautiful temples and friendly locals.

In Chiang Rai, I like to visit the White Temple, Blue Temple, Black House, Golden Triangle, and the tea plantation.I also enjoy hiking in the countryside, passing local farms, waterfalls, and hill tribe villages.

In Sukhothai, I like to rent a bicycle to explore all parts of the historical park, and get up early to take part in the alms-giving ceremony for monks at Wat Traphang Thong.

If your time is allowed, you can visit both cities. Many people do this. I visited these places as part of my journey from Central to North Thailand, visiting Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Pai, and Chiang Rai.

My recommended hotels in Chiang Rai:

My top hotel picks in Sukhothai:

Mid-range: Legendha
Mid-range: Le Charme
Budget: OldTown Boutique House

Location & How to Get There

Chiang Rai is located far north Thailand, close to the border with Laos and Myanmar. It is 186 km north of Chiang Mai, around 3-4 hours drive. Sukhothai is located in Lower North Thailand, around 290 km south of Chiang Mai, around 4-5 hours drive away.

Chiang Rai and Sukhothai location on map

Both Chiang Rai and Sukhothai have an airport but Chiang Rai is more easily accessible by air than Sukhothia. It has more frequent direct flights from Bangkok and some international destinations like Singapore. Sukhothai airport is smaller, with limited flights and only direct flights from Bangkok.

There are bus services from Bangkok and Chiang Mai to these places. If you want to take the train, you need to get to their nearby train stations. The closest train station to Sukhothai is Phitsanulok Train Station, 70km away. The closest train station to Chiang Rai is in Chiang Mai.

Accommodations

Both Chiang Rai and Sukhothai have a wide range of accommodations for all preferences. The most common types of accommodations are budget and mid-range options.

There are almost no options for luxury international brand hotels, which means you can stay in family-run guest houses with more local experiences and a homey atmosphere.

Like many other parts of Thailand, accommodations in Chiang Rai and Sukhothai are often in high demand in the peak tourist season and festivals like Loy Krathong. Make sure to book in advance to secure a quality hotel.

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Nightlife

Chiang Rai, in my experience, is the best place to go for nightlife. It has a wider range of night markets, bars, restaurants, and shops. Sukhothai is a tiny town with several restaurants and a couple of night markets in the old town.

Chiang Rai Night Bazaar is the center of the nightlife in Chiang Rai. It has stalls selling souvenirs, massage shops, bars, food court and live music performances. This place is open every night. Additionally, there are weekend night walking streets and several bars scattering around the city center.

Sukhothai Nightlife is centered around the main street next to the old town. There is a tiny night market next to the lake and Wat Traphang Thong as well as a weekend night market inside the historical park. It’s all about the temples, and relaxing nightlife.

Shopping

Neither of those cities are the best shopping destinations in Thailand, but you can find all typical Thai souvenirs here. There are no modern shopping malls in both places. Chiang Rai has a better shopping scene as it’s bigger and has more markets and shops.

You can shop at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Chiang Rai Walking Street, and some shops around the city center. In Sukhothai, there are shops for tourists at the night markets and several shops on the main street in the old town.

Food

The food in Chiang Rai reflects Lanna (Northern Thai) culture with influences from Myanmar, Laos, and hill-tribe communities. It’s generally the better place to go for cCurry lovers and those who want to try unique regional dishes.

The most famous dishes in Chiang Rai and Northern Thailand are Khao Soi, Khao Soi, which is a creamy coconut curry noodle with chicken or beef.

The food in Sukhothai blends central Thai flavors with local traditions. It’s lighter, sweeter, and more balanced than northern cuisine. The signature dish of Sukhothai is the Sukhothai Noodle (Kuay Tiew Sukhothai). It’s rice noodles with pork, beans, lime, peanuts, and a slightly sweet broth.

History, Temples, and Cultural Attractions

Sukhothai was the ancient capital of Sukhothai Kingdom (first Thai kingdom), founded in the 13th century (1238). The capital of this kingdom later moved to Ayutthaya. Sukhothai is the birthplace of Thai language and classical Thai Buddhism.

Chiang Rai is the first capital of the Lanna Kingdom (northern Thai state), founded in the 13th century (1262). The capital of this kingdom later moved to Chiang Mai. Chiang Rai is the birthplace of Lanna culture and the early emerald Buddha lore.

Both places have beautiful temples but a different atmosphere and architecture style. The temples in Sukhothai have an ancient, historical, classical Thai feel. The temples in Chiang Rai have a modern, artistic, and colorful feel with Lanna and contemporary art style.

Famous temples and cultural attractions in Chiang Rai are White Temple, Blue Temple, and the Black House. These places have unique architecture and are great for photography.

Famous temples in Sukhothai are concentrated inside the Sukhothai Historical Park. There are large stone Buddhas, lotus-chedi architecture. THe most popular temples are Wat Mahathat, Wat Si Chum, Wat Sa Si, and Wat Phra Phai Luang.

Waterfalls & Hiking

Chiang Rai is surrounded by mountains, forest, and cooler climates, making it a better destination for both waterfalls and hiking. The city has diverse trails from easy nature walks to challenging hikes. If you love outdoor activities and hiking, Chiang Rai is the place to go.

I took a guided day trip with a small group for hiking. They took us to the countryside area, we hike through the rubber plantations, bamboo forests, waterfalls, hilltribe villages, and we had lunch cooked by bamboo, which is very delicious and authentic.

Sukhothai is best for culture, temples, and historical parks rather than pure nature. But nearby, you can check out the hike to the summit of Ramkhamhaeng National Park. It is a steep trail, and you will have stunning views at the top of the trail.

Day trips

There are many day trips from Chiang Rai. You can go outside of the city center to nearby national parks for hiking, visiting waterfalls, and hillside villages. Popular day trips from Chiang Rai include Golden Triangle, Tea Plantation, Black House, or Karen Village.

From Sukhothai, you can take day trips to Si Satchanalai Historical Park, Ramkhamhaeng National Park, or Phitsanulok. Most visitors just stay a couple of nights in Sukhothai exploring its main historical park.

Getting Around & Size

Chiang Rai City Center is a bit bigger than Sukhothai Old Town. You can get around each center area on foot easily. Renting a bike is a popular way to get around Sukhothai because it’s such a small city.

There are no riding share services like Grab, Bolt, or InDrive available in Sukhothai. I was able to use Grab taxi in Chiang Rai, to get from the Bus Terminal 2 to the Night Bazaar area. Both cities have local private taxis, and some bus routes to get around each region.

While the city center of Chiang Rai can be explored on foot and tuk tuk, major attractions in Chiang Rai are very spread out. You’ll need to rent a scooter or take a guided tour for sightseeing or go to the starting point of the hiking trails.